ITC InfraMation - = May 2004

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May=20 2004

Volume 5, Issue=20 5

In This=20 Issue:=20

Welcome

Thermography Locates Cracked = Pipe in=20 Wall

InfraMation 2004 =96 Better = than=20 Ever!

IR in the = News

ITC Message Board=20 Posts

Brainteaser of the=20 Month

Last Month's=20 Brainteaser

Past = Issues

Upcoming = Classes

About the=20 ITC

Better than=20 Ever!

Greetings=20 {{user("firstname")}},

We start this=20 issue off with the announcement of the InfraMation 2004 Infrared Camera Applications = Conference.=20 Read all about this exciting event and how you can receive special = savings.

Our feature=20 article this month talks about building applications of IR = thermography=20 and the search for a leaky pipe in a concrete wall. Read about how = our ITC=20 instructor for Italy solved his problem.

As usual we=20 have more IR news and Message = board=20 posts for=20 you to view.

Can=20 you identify the object in our latest Brainteaser? Check it out = and let me=20 know what you think at Brainteaser of the Month. As with all images in = this=20 newsletter, click each image to see a larger = version.

If you want to=20 save this newsletter for viewing off line in your computer, just = go to the=20 web page = using=20 your browser and select File....Save As or save this email = page as html in=20 your email software.

See you next=20 month,

Gary=20 Orlove,
Editor and = Publisher

Thermography Locates = Cracked Pipe=20 in Wall [top]

By = Roberto=20 Rinaldi
ITC Italy

Thermography's use = for building=20 applications is incredibly large because it is a non-invasive test = and=20 fast to perform. Before starting to explain one of my personal=20 experiences, I would like to illustrate a few of the applications = where=20 infrared thermography is useful. Click any of the images for a = high=20 resolution view.

&nbs= p; =20 Heat=20 = loss &nb= sp; &nbs= p; =20 Disbonding=20 = tiles &n= bsp; =20 Locating hidden structures

&nbs= p; = ; = =20 Air=20 = leakage = =20 Subsurface roof moisture

&nbs= p; =20 Peeling=20 = plaster = =20 Moisture in=20 = wall &nb= sp;=20 Historical building restoration

&nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 from small cracks

There are many=20 other possible uses of this technology for buildings. Sometimes = they are=20 just limited to the time needed to find the right moment to = perform the=20 inspection, for instance, by waiting for solar radiation to create = the=20 thermal contrast needed, or arranging the heating by using a big = hot air=20 gun or a set of lamps.

The problem I=20 was looking for was a rather large leak from the main discharge = pipe of my=20 flat (apartment) that caused the wall in the basement to be = completely=20 soaked. The affected area was rather large; therefore it was very=20 difficult to understand where the pipe was located inside the = wall. To=20 create the necessary thermal contrast, I used hot water from the=20 plumbing.

Thermal and visual evidence of the leak

I = decided to=20 check the pipe position from the external side of the building so = I could=20 locate the region to start breaking the wall. Here is the=20 result:

The=20 pipe is located with IR thermography

I = was able to=20 locate the pipe position by measuring the distance from the side = of the=20 window. Unfortunately the pipe was buried where an internal wall=20 existed.

If = I exposed=20 the pipe from the outside, I needed to open a main wall and remove = part of=20 the external pavement; from the inside I needed to remove part of = an=20 internal wall and part of a main wall.

So = thinking a=20 bit, I decided to use an old inspection gate to work under the = floor=20 without having to remove it or break into an internal wall. It was = really=20 hard, but the result was excellent!

Crack found at elbow

Thanks to the=20 IR camera, I was able to save time, money and, most importantly, = avoid the=20 huge amount of exploratory "digging and destroying" otherwise = necessary to=20 locate the pipe by conventional=20 means.

InfraMation 2004 =96 Better than = Ever!=20 [top]

When: = October 4-8,=20 2004

Where: Las Vegas, NV

If = there=92s one=20 educational, training, and for-credit infrared thermography = meeting you=20 should attend this year, it=92s InfraMation. Here=92s = why:

InfraMation has grown into a =93must-attend=94 = educational event for=20 professional thermographers. In 2003 InfraMation broke all = attendance=20 records and was the largest educational conference for = thermographers ever=20 held! This year, it will be better and more value-packed than=20 ever.

Presentations from a distinguished international group of = expert=20 thermographers will describe a variety of field studies, = techniques,=20 valuable tips, and best thermography practices. Nowhere else will = you find=20 such rich instructional content that you can use on the job, and = nowhere=20 else will you get a better value for your training dollar! Plus = you=20 receive ITC educational recertification credits just for = attending.=20

In addition to the presentations, you can attend an = expanded group=20 of special =93IR clinics=94 on electrical applications, mechanical = applications, building science, R&D, Life science, and more. = There=92s=20 also a refresher clinic as well as instruction on the industry=92s = leading=20 software, ThermaCAM^=AE Reporter=99. Our trade = show runs=20 concurrently with the formal proceedings all week, giving you the=20 opportunity to see and learn about the very latest advances in = infrared=20 cameras and accessories.

We know that training and conference budgets are limited, = so we=92re=20 delighted to announce that we=92ve negotiated a fantastic Early = Bird Special=20 that gives you 4 FREE NIGHTS at the beautiful Orleans Hotel, the=20 conference headquarters! Plus you get one free clinic, a guest or = spouse=20 pass, all conference meals, and more!

Many of last year=92s InfraMation delegates said the FREE = Hotel Rooms=20 really helped them get approval to attend. While we=92re happy to = make this=20 offer, we have a limited supply of rooms to give away. Once = they=92re gone,=20 they=92re gone!

Details at: www.inframation.org

IR in the=20 News [top]

Civil War battery = receives=20 grant
Cincinnati=20 Enquirer, OH - 8 hours ago
... = This=20 summer, a thermal imaging = company from=20 Lexington will pinpoint the battery's borders and show where it = was=20 covered by dirt. ...
Hi-tech check for=20 lines
Shepparton=20 News, Australia - Apr 18, = 2004
Contractors=20 conducting thermal imaging inspections of = highvoltage=20 powerlines will become a common sight for some people this = month.=20 ...
FLIR Systems Reaches = Production=20 Milestone; Sweden Facility ...
Business Wire (press = release) - Apr 16,=20 2004
... allow FLIR to promote infrared = camera=20 technology to an ... of the number of thermography = cameras=20 that ... manufacture and marketing of thermal=20 imaging and stabilized ...
Infrared Thermography for Remote Condition = Monitoring and=20 Control
Sensors=20 Online - April 2004
Optical surveillance systems can = work the=20 night shift too, with the addition of IR cameras. This = Web-enabled=20 system watches for intruders and other anomalies and either = notifies the=20 appropriate personnel or decides on its own what action to=20 take...
MSU-developed = infrared=20 camera jewel of SOAR telescope
Michigan State University (press = release), United=20 States - Apr 15, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. = =96 What=20 separates the SOuthern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope = from=20 other similar instruments is an infrared camera, = developed=20 and ...
Infrared camera reveals Kitora tomb=20 painting
Daily=20 Yomiuri, Japan - Apr 14, 2004
An=20 infrared camera has revealed the front part of a = blue=20 dragon painted on the east wall of the stone chamber in the = Kitora tomb=20 in Asukamura, Nara Prefecture ...=20

ITC=20 Message Board Posts [top]

Here is a selection = of recent new=20 threads by IR Community members. Feel free to click the links, see = how=20 people have responded, and post your own response if you = like.

High Emissivity Dots
We=20 are looking for a manufacturer of a high emissivity black dot = with an=20 adhesive backing. The dot should have a printable surface which = is=20 compatible with something like a Brady Labeler.
The intent = of the=20 dot is to identify inspection locations and route numbering with = a dot=20 of a known emissivity.
The dots will also be used as targets = on low=20 emissivity bus work.
IR imaging of PCAs
We=20 have recently purchased an IR camera to use for thermal imaging = of our=20 products and PCAs during the development cycle in order to = understand=20 the hot spots and to aid in making product improvements. I have = done=20 some imaging of a couple PCAs during operation, and we have used = the=20 results to focus in on what appear to be the hot spots. Since I = am new=20 to IR and thermal imaging, I have been doing a lot of research = to=20 understand this technology and what I need to consider when = taking and=20 analyzing the images. Of course, everything I read states that = having=20 correct emissivity values is critical. With the imaging I have = done, I=20 have assumed a constant emissivity across the PCA of 0.98, but I = do not=20 think that is correct to assume. Most components are colored a = flat=20 black, of course, so they will have high emissivity. I did an = experiment=20 where I placed a PCA in a temperature chamber, raised the = temperature=20 and let the PCA stabilize, then took an image of it. From = knowing the=20 temperature, I calculated the emissivity values of several = parts; they=20 all are around 0.95. My question is, is anyone else using IR for = a=20 similar purpose, and if so, what do you do about emissivity = values? Any=20 suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.
Thermal Overload Heater in MCC severity=20 criteria
I am working in an older = hog fuel=20 cogen plant that has what the electrician refers to as 1940's = technology=20 in most of the MCC's -- they are using Furnas overload heaters = that=20 really do heat up when under significant loading. In many cases = I am=20 finding contacts up to 100=B0F over ambient. With indirect = readings close=20 to that on the surface of the covers, I'm concerned that these = things=20 are approaching critical. This is their first thermal scan so we = don't=20 have a baseline to work with, but they don't seem overly = concerned.=20

I'm not sure how to interpret this. I think I should = stick with=20 the NETA severity criteria for conductors themselves, but how do = I=20 determine what's really a problem with this kind of componentry? = Any=20 discussion at all will be useful and appreciated.
What is the best emissivity for a=20 cigarette?
I am a new user. I am = using FLIR=20 to investigate the combustion behavior of cigarettes. I will = appreciate=20 if anybody giving me any suggestion. What's the emissivity of a=20 cigarette?

And of course=20 if YOU have a question or want to start a discussion on a = topic, we=20 would love to hear from you. Just post a new thread on a mes= sage=20 board.

Brainteaser of the Month =20 [top]

<= IMG=20 height=3D120=20 = src=3D"http://itcnewsletter.com/2004/2004-05_images/brain_2004-05_small.j= pg"=20 width=3D186 align=3Dright border=3D1=20 = xthumbnail-orig-image=3D"2004-05_images/brain_2004-05.jpg">Here is this month's = brainteaser.=20 First reader to email me with the correct explanation or = identification of=20 the object in the thermogram receives a gift from ITC. Please put=20 "Brainteaser" as the subject of the = message.

Click here to email your = guess

Do you have an interesting image that you think would = stump other=20 thermographers? If so please email me your image (preferably in = native .img,=20 .jpg, .tif, .tgw, or .tmw format) with an accompanying visible = photo and=20 explanation. If your image is used, you receive a gift as=20 well.

Last Month's = Brainteaser=20 [top]

<= /A>Last month's Brainteaser is an exterior low voltage = lighting timer,=20 but a lot of you thought it was a washing machine! Pretty high=20 temperatures for a timer.

Our winner is Jeff Arnold of Merloni=20 Electtrodomestici UK Limited.

Jeff receives a special low emissivity = traveling=20 coffee mug for his correct=20 guess.

Past Issues =20 [top]

Click the links = below to view=20 past issues of this newsletter:

All past issues from February = 2000=20 through April 2003

April 2004

March=20 2004

February 2004

January 2004

December 2003

November 2003

October 2003

September 2003

August 2003

July 2003

June 2003

May=20 2003

Upcoming Classes =20 [top]

Click the links = below to see our=20 latest course calendars (in local language).

Americas - Level I

Americas - Level II

Americas - Level III

Americas - E Series

Americas - Building Science

Americas - Electrical

Americas - Roof

Americas - R&D

Eurasia

Deutschland

France

Italia

United = Kingdom

About=20 the Infrared Training Center =20 [top]

The Infrared Training Center offers training and = certification in=20 all aspects of infrared thermography use. Our world-class training = facilities are located near Boston, Massachusetts, USA and = Stockholm,=20 Sweden and have the world's most extensive hands on laboratories = for=20 infrared applications. Please join us in exploring the fascinating = world=20 of the infrared!

Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter are = welcomed=20 and encouraged. If you have an interesting application or case = study to=20 share, we encourage you to submit it for publication. Published = articles earn credit towards = recertification.

Please e-mail Gary = Orlove or=20 send regular mail to the Americas office.

Visit our website:

ITC Americas, BOSTON

16 Esquire Road
N. Billerica, MA 01862, = USA

Tel: +1-978-901-8405
Toll free:=20 = +1-866-TRAINIR
&= nbsp; =20 (866-872-4647)
Fax: +1.978.901-8832
E-mail: mailto:info_us@infraredtraining.com

ITC Eurasia, SWEDEN

Rinkebyv=E4gen 19
SE-182 11 Danderyd, = Sweden

Tel: +46 (0) 8 753 25 00
Fax: +46 (0) 8 753 26 = 01
E-mail:=20 mailto:itc@flir.se

THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR INFORMATIONAL = PURPOSES ONLY.=20 INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITHOUT = WARRANTY=20 OF ANY KIND. The user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy = and the=20 use of this document. The Infrared Training Center newsletter may = be=20 copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All = text=20 and images must be copied without modification and all pages must = be=20 included; 2. All copies must contain the Infrared Training Center=20 copyright notice and any other notices provided therein;
3. = This=20 document may not be distributed for profit

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