In many countries around the world, thermal imagers have become the core tools for preventive maintenance inspections in many industries. Thousands of power companies around the world are using thermal imagers to avoid high-cost thermal imager failures, improve operational reliability, prevent electrical fires and prevent failures as early as possible.
1、Advantages of Infrared Thermal Imagers
（1）It can be operated safely.
Non-contact detection, suitable for various detection environments.
（2） Efficient and fast.
Surface measurement, without the need for point-by-point scanning, improves the efficiency of the investigation.
（3） Comprehensive.
The visual image shows the entire temperature distribution and detects problems in real time.
2、Typical Applications of Thermal Imagers in Power Systems
（1）Electrical equipment, unbalanced load, system overload, wiring errors or component failures, etc.
（2） Industrial, mechanical, electrical and general building maintenance.
3、The definition of an infrared thermal imager is to passively receive the infrared radiation (heat) of the target under test and convert it into a visible image with temperature data.
4、 Typical Applications of Thermal Imagers – Maintenance of Electrical Equipment
（1） High-voltage electrical equipment testing
The lightning arrester valve is damp or aged；
Detection of the oil level line in the oil-immersed transformer oil storage tank；
The power quality problem caused the filter resistor to overheat；
（2） Testing of low-voltage lines and equipment
The terminals of the circuit breaker have poor contact and generate heat；
The aging and heating of capacitors in the capacitor compensation cabinet；
The three-phase unbalanced cables in the feeder cabinet of the low-voltage system in the distribution room are overloaded；
The temperature of Phase B of the busbar in the low-voltage cabinet is high, and the three phases are unbalanced；
The cables in the bridge overheated due to load mismatch；
（3）Other applications: Inspection of production equipment, motor operating temperature, inspection of pipelines and valves, etc.
5、Application References
A malfunction of the pump control unit occurred in the mechanical factory. The thermal image shows that the temperature of one phase of the three-phase electricity is too high, indicating that the unit has consumed too much current in that phase. The maintenance personnel completed the requirements of the work order and attempted to repair the pump controller. However, when the maintenance assessment was conducted subsequently, the thermal images showed an increase in the temperatures of the two phases.
The maintenance personnel carried out the second repair, but the temperature rose in all three stages. They disassembled the entire equipment and replaced it. All tests and repairs had been completed before the catastrophic failure occurred. It will not waste the production time of the thermal imager, nor will it damage or lose semi-finished products. Effective predictive maintenance (including thermal imaging) can solve minor problems before they turn into major malfunctions.
