Intermediate Infrared Concepts and Best

Practices: Thermal Imaging in your

M aintenance Program
Sat Sandhu
Thermography Services Support Manager

Thermal / Infrared Thermography, Level III

Certified in compliance with (ASNT) SNT-TC-1A-2006

1
Agenda

• Review and introduction to Thermal imaging

• The basics of performing an inspection with an infrared camera

• Tips on how to effectively spot issues with an infrared camera

• Causes and examples of Electrical, Mechanical, Process and

Building Diagnostics

• How to tie infrared inspections into your preventative

maintenance program

2
Introduction
My name is Sat Sandhu
Welcome!

Please note, this is a short class – you will not become a

thermography expert in the next hour

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What is infrared?
• Infrared radiation can be sensed by our skin, yet cannot be seen
by our eyes!

4
What is a Thermal Image?
• Infrared cannot be seen (but can be Visual image
sensed by our skin)
• Everything emits infrared radiation
• A camera converts the “infrared
image” to a visible picture
• Infrared allows you to “see” things that
you normally can’t

Same image in infrared

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How is an infrared image created?
• Thousands of IR temperature measurements taken
• Each “pixel” represents a temperature measurement
• Assigned a color value to create an image

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How can infrared help me?
• Most electrical and mechanical
defects cause increase in
temperature
• Thermal imaging provides a fast and
clear picture of this temperature
increase
• Safety: Thermal images can be
taken while production is running
without any contact
• Anybody can take a picture!

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Thermal Imaging Applications
• Electrical
• Mechanical
• Process Manufacturing
• Building Diagnostics
• R&D
• Utilities

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Thermal Imaging Considerations
• Ensure adequate thermal gradients
• Understand thermal capacitance
• Account for wind effects
• Avoid angular variations
• Remember heat transfers from hot to
cold
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Know when qualitative
measurements are sufficient
• Compare similar components under
similar conditions

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Thermal Imaging Considerations
• Understand present and future loading conditions
• Inspect with highest load possible (at least 40%)

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Heat Capacity
• Objects and materials with high thermal capacitance take time to
cool down, while objects and materials with low thermal
capacitance cool down quickly
– Air has low thermal capacity, water has high thermal capacity

On a flat roof, after the sun goes down, dry

Thermal capacitance can help find insulation cools faster than wet insulation
the liquid level in a tank (wet insulation has higher thermal capacity)

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 Spot Size & Resolution
How far can I see?

L1 M4 Distance from Camera

L1 M4
Spot Size & Resolution
• Larger area for
average temperature
when further away
• Distance to spot ratio
• Zoom lens decreases
spot size

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TIPS: How to Effectively Spot Issues with
an Infrared Camera

• Emissivity
• Understand the equipment
• Load conditions
• Comparative inspections
• Hot spots
• Cold spots

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What happened to my beer!?
This can of suds is ice cold straight out of the fridge. When scanned with
the IR Camera you would expect the entire image to be relatively even in
temperature and to appear “cold” in relation to the background. What is
causing the spot in the center to appear warm?

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 Emissivity!
Everything in nature emits electromagnetic
radiation. Emissivity is the ratio of thermal energy
emission of the target object, over the thermal
energy emission of a true blackbody (perfect
emitter).

The paint on the outside of this can has been worn

off in a small area. The bare aluminum has a
different emissivity than the painted aluminum. The
imager sees the bare aluminum as hotter than the
rest of the can.

TIP: Use Electrical Tape to cover a low emissive surface to

increase the emissivity and accuracy of the measurement
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Causes of Electrical Hot Spots
• Unbalanced loads
• Harmonics (3rd harmonic current in
Neutral)
• Overloaded systems/excessive
current
• Loose or corroded connections
increased resistance in the circuit
• Insulation failure
• Component failure
• Wiring mistakes
• Underspecified components

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Examples of Electrical Hot Spots
Hot phase Motor Control Center Substation

Lighting Circuit Fuse disconnect Buss

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Causes of Mechanical Hot Spots
• Bad cooling because of reduced airflow
• PQ problems like unbalance, overload or 5th harmonic (voltage)
• Insulation problems with motor windings
• Bearing problems – lubrication, wear, tolerance
• Bad alignment

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 Examples of Mechanical Hot Spots
Electric motor Hydraulic pumps Misaligned belt

Compressors - normal Coupling Roller bearings

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Causes of Process Hot Spots
• Damaged structures caused by worn pipes
• Abnormal heat flow/heat gradients
• Defective valves/traps
• Normal tank level fluctuations

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 Examples of Process Hot Spots
Cement Kiln Tank Levels Steam Traps
302.2°C
300

250

200

150

119.7°C

Weld cooling Chiller Operation Pipe Integrity

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Causes of Building Diagnostics Hot Spots
• Roof leaks
• Air Leak
• In-floor heating
• Missing insulation

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 Examples of Building Diagnostics Hot Spots
Roof deck moisture Moisture Missing insulation

In-floor heat verification Air Leak Attic access – air leak

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How to Tie Infrared Inspections into your
Preventative Maintenance Program

• Trends

• Maintenance programs

• Cost Savings

• Solutions

• Build a Successful program

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 Trends in Industrial Maintenance

ECONOMICS AWARENESS TECHNOLOGY

Downtime is getting Awareness is New maintenance

more expensive – growing quickly technologies are
maintenance must experiencing mass
do more with less adoption

Companies are using maintenance best practices to reinforce

and extend their competitive advantages
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 Definitions
Reactive: “run to failure”

Proactive
Preventive (PM): Predictive (PdM): Reliability Centered:
“calendar-based” “condition-based” “asset uptime based”
The Bathtub Curve

Break In Normal Operation Wear Out

Casualties

Time
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Examples of Cost Savings
1. EPRI – study of many plants in many different industries
•A comprehensive study by the Electric Power Research Institute
found:

Maintenance Cost to maintain Cost savings

practices rotating machinery
Plants that are Reactive $17/HP/Year No savings
(Run to failure)
Plants that are $13/HP/Year 24% over Reactive
Preventive (Calendar-
based)
Plants that are $9/HP/Year 47% over Reactive
Predictive (Condition-
based)

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 Examples of Cost Savings
2. Cost to Benefit Studies
•A large company implemented a Predictive Maintenance program on hundreds of
their motors, pumps, fans, compressors and blowers
•This program has been successful for over 25 years
•They document the cost of the program and savings they enjoy
•Savings were many millions of dollars per year
•Every 2 years they conduct a Cost to Benefit study to compare the program cost
to the documented savings
•The average Cost to Benefit ratio for the past 30 years has been over 20:1

The 6 benefits that they track include:

•Prevention of catastrophic failure due to early detection
•Ability to schedule repairs during plant shutdown periods
•Ability to order parts in advance of repairs
•Ability to repair exact fault instead of complete overhaul or replacement
•Planning of workers schedules
•Root cause analysis of recurring faults

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Examples of Cost Savings
3. Case Study – even small companies can benefit
•Over a 16 year period, a small company transitioned from
Reactive to Preventive and then to Predictive Maintenance:
– Unplanned failures dropped to almost zero
– Maintenance budget, on the 600 critical motor/pumps, cut in half
from 10 years ago
– Pumps running twice as long before repairs are needed
– Almost all maintenance is scheduled instead of reacting to
emergencies
– Repairs planned during the day and eliminating the need for
overtime

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 Benefits of Proactive Maintenance
• Predictability: give maintenance staff time to schedule repairs
• Safety: take faulty equipment offline
• Revenue: fewer unexpected failures prevent production
stoppages that cut into bottom line
• Increased maintenance intervals: life of equipment is extended
• Reliability: anticipate the problems coming
• Peace of mind: build confidence in maintenance schedules,
budgeting, and productivity estimates

Different industries / companies will have different matrixes and targets. Which of
these benefits is most valuable to you?

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 Solution: Asset Uptime for the Rest of Us
• Ideal: Dedicated PdM or
reliability team at a large
industrial plant
– People, time and budget to do
proactive work
– Uses automated
systems/CMMS
– Determines when equipment
needs maintenance to prevent
failure
• The rest of us: Small
maintenance team at mid-sized
industrial or large commercial
facility with
– No dedicated people
– Broad responsibilities but not
the scope or budget to go full
SCADA
– Gather data by hand as the
job dictates

Technology is leveling the playing field for maintenance technicians across

facilities of all sizes: they can use the same techniques and tools to troubleshoot
as well as to inspect, log, and share – the basics of proactive maintenance

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Program Start-up: Start Small and Grow
Don’t try to do the whole plant at once
•Start with simple machines with common problems
•Use simple check lists before moving to electronic programs
•Show success in early wins, gain buy-in and support to grow program
•Proactive maintenance measurements aren’t that different from
troubleshooting tests – only faster, easier, and no expert is needed

Simple steps
•Take “good” baseline data points – compare over time to good baseline
•Quick periodic inspections with screening tools to find problems
•Return with smart diagnostic tools – find fault and diagnose repair action
•Repair fault with smart corrective tools – fix it quickly & return to service
•Validate repair with screening tool

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 Basic Inspection Guideline
Temperatures on
Any No Yes Equipment
Therma Anomaly
target, similar to
on or
l Image each other, and
observed? Loaded?
c/f with ambient?
Yes
High
Identify the type of anomaly: No Low
1.Hot spot?
2.Cold Spot? No Further
3.Temp. difference between Action
similar components? High
Schedule
Low
inspection
Temp. Low Equipment under load
difference on or
c/f stds. Loaded?

Medium Equipment
High
High Extra info /
on or
Loaded? Advice
Low process
Repair /
Action
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 A Program Builds the Links in a Maintenance Chain

SCAN DIAGNOSE FIX VALIDATE

Thermal Imager Vibration Tester Alignment Tool Vibration

Tester

Problem found with Problem identified & Problem corrected Machine checked
vibration meter repair recommended with vibration meter

Multiple tools equal more than the sum of the parts

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 Technologies & Solutions – Multiple Tools
Thermography Mechanical Electrical Process

Infrared Imager Vibration and ScopeMeter and Insulation Process

Alignment Power Quality Tester Tools
Best technology for Best technology for Troubleshoot problems Assures safe Troubleshoot,
finding electrical hot diagnosing in drive and drive operation, commission and
spots in switchgear & mechanical faults in output, power prolongs life of calibrate
motor controllers, rotating machines. distribution - uncover electrical transmitters,
screening process Correct shaft energy losses & systems & valves, switches,
and mechanical misalignment. efficiency motors gauges

1. Faulty 1. Imbalance 1. Harmonics Insulation 1. Pressure

connections 2. Looseness 2. Distortion degradation 2. Temperature
2. Overheated 3. Misalignment 3. Load Studies 3. mA source
bearings 4. Bearings
3. Tank levels

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Before we dismiss…
• I want to see a camera?
• I want to learn more about thermal imaging?
• I want an IR camera?
• I want to talk about my specific application?

•  We have 2 certified Level I thermographers on staff

– Ben Goodhead
– Susan Garofalo

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 Questions or Comments?
Email Nicole VanWert-Quinzi
nvanwert@ Transcat.com
Transcat: 800-800-5001
www.Transcat.com
For related product information, go to:
www.Transcat.com/Fluke