Thermography Method Of Inspecting Electrical Equipment

THERMOGRAPHY METHOD OF INSPECTING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT 

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Electric equipment is vulnerable to wear and tear just like any other mechanical component, especially when it carries a substantial current load for a significant part of its operational time.

Thermography is the latest technology being used for the inspection of electrical equipment and systems. There’re multiple advantages of using thermography to inspect energized electrical components, including reduced downtime, prevention of component failure, colossal maintenance cost savings, and minimizing injury and death risks.

Thermography can accurately detect poor connections, damaged insulation, unbalanced loads, or any other issues. Electric equipment is an active and energized electrical component, leading to excessive power, high maintenance costs, or complete equipment failure.

Electrical equipment issues can result in unscheduled service interruptions, permanent equipment damage, or other unwarranted problems.

Thermography Inspection – The Science of Heat Sensing 

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The entire working of a thermographic imaging or infrared device is based on sensing heat emitted from an object’s surface.

Thermography is all about detecting the temperature changes and producing images with different colors representing different temperatures. Infrared radiation is converted into a temperature value or thermal image, which can be used to assess the thermal condition at inspection time.

Even though there’re various tools used for inspecting electrical equipment, thermography has emerged as the preferred technology because of the accuracy in readings and non-invasive features. An infrared camera is often used for the thermographic inspection of the electrical systems.

Advantages of Thermographic Inspection of Electrical Equipment 

Fire incidences linked to faulty electrical equipment amounts to 10% of the total number of fire-related accidents. Faulty electrical systems include leakage in electrical insulation, faulty terminals, and several other faulty electrical components. There are specific guidelines for the regular compliance and maintenance of electrical equipment in the Electricity at Work Regulations Act 1989, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and BS 7671.

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The thermographic method of inspecting electrical equipment under load will exhibit anomalous temperatures that can be captured by the thermography device. We are all aware that faulty electrical systems or wiring can result in electrocution injuries as they are exposed to live circuits.

Thermographic Inspection of Electrical Equipment     

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Assessment of installation or maintenance of the electrical equipment Reduces downtime Reduces the incidences of equipment failure Improves safety Insurance claim settlement is quicker when there’s an inspection report in hand Improves the performance of the equipment Detect whether the electrical components are working correctly or not Determines compliance of electrical equipment with the project design and specifications Prevents unnecessary delays in the construction schedule Save money

Thermographic Method of Inspecting Electrical Equipment 

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Thermographic imaging of electrical equipment is an efficient and effective method of inspecting electrical equipment. The inspection is usually carried out by a trained and experienced professional. The inspection method is entirely non-invasive and can be completed while maintaining a safe distance from the electrical equipment.

The best thing about the thermographic method of inspecting electrical equipment is that it is an entirely non-invasive method.

Thus, you can inspect without shutting down the electrical equipment or plant operations. Additionally, there’s no risk of injuries to the inspector or maintenance staff as the inspection is carried out from a safe distance.

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