Showing papers on "Thermography published in 2010"

Infrared thermography for convective heat transfer measurements

Abstract: This paper deals with the evolution of infrared (IR) thermography into a powerful optical tool that can be used in complex fluid flows to either evaluate wall convective heat fluxes or investigate the surface flow field behavior. Measurement of convective heat fluxes must be performed by means of a thermal sensor, where temperatures have to be measured with proper transducers. By correctly choosing the thermal sensor, IR thermography can be successfully exploited to resolve convective heat flux distributions with both steady and transient techniques. When comparing it to standard transducers, the IR camera appears very valuable because it is non-intrusive, it has a high sensitivity (down to 20 mK), it has a low response time (down to 20 μs), it is fully two dimensional (from 80 k up to 1 M pixels, at 50 Hz) and, therefore, it allows for better evaluation of errors due to tangential conduction within the sensor. This paper analyses the capability of IR thermography to perform convective heat transfer measurements and surface visualizations in complex fluid flows. In particular, it includes the following: the necessary radiation theory background, a review of the main IR camera features, a description of the pertinent heat flux sensors, an analysis of the IR image processing methods and a report on some applications to complex fluid flows, ranging from natural convection to hypersonic regime.

Impact damage in GFRP: New insights with infrared thermography

Abstract: The aim of the present paper was to investigate the behaviour of glass fibres reinforced polymer (GFRP) under low velocity impact with infrared thermography. Several specimens were considered which include unidirectional E-glass fibres embedded in epoxy resin matrix with symmetrical stacking sequence [02/902]S. These specimens were impacted with modified Charpy pendulum by varying shape (ogival and hemispherical) and diameter (18 and 24 mm) of the hammer and the impact energy in the range 4–25 J. The side opposite to impact was monitored by infrared cameras. Sequences of images were acquired with starting and ending times set so as to include the evolution of thermal phenomena from thermo-elastic to thermoplastic phases. Infrared thermography was also used for non-destructive evaluation of specimens before and after impact. The obtained results show that on-line monitoring of the impact is useful for material characterization. In particular, it is shown that the onset of heat generation loci corresponds to the onset of impact damage. From the analysis of temperature maps it is possible to get information about damage threshold and extension. One main finding regards the relationship between the damaged area and the effective striking surface.

Quantitative evaluation of angular defects by pulsed eddy current thermography

Abstract: Pulsed eddy current (PEC) thermography employs a combination of PEC and thermographic non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques. This study considers the capabilities of PEC thermography for obtaining quantitative information about cracks set at an angle to the surface. The investigation is implemented by simulating the transient thermal distribution for angular slots, via time-stepping 3D finite element analysis (FEA), with the experimental work undertaken for verification. A slope inclination feature of the transient temperature distribution has been extracted and presented for estimating the angle of slots that is independent of slot depth and length inside the sample. With the identification of the slot angle, quantification of the length/depth of the slot inside the sample can then be made through a maximum temperature amplitude feature. Experimental studies have been undertaken for evaluation of the numerical simulation and transient feature extraction methods.

Single nanowire thermal conductivity measurements by Raman thermography.

Abstract: A facile, rapid, and nondestructive technique for determining the thermal conductivity of individual nanowires based on Raman temperature mapping has been demonstrated. Using calculated absorption efficiencies, the thermal conductivities of single cantilevered Si nanowires grown by the vapor−liquid−solid method are measured and the results agree well with values predicted by diffuse phonon boundary scattering. As a measurement performed on the wire, thermal contact effects are avoided and ambient air convection is found to be negligible for the range of diameters measured. The method’s versatility is further exemplified in the reverse measurement of a single nanowire absorption efficiency assuming diffuse phonon boundary scattering. The results presented here outline the broad utility that Raman thermography may have for future thermoelectric and photovoltaic characterization of nanostructures.

Infrared thermography processing based on higher-order statistics

Abstract: Active thermography has reached a high status as a non-destructive evaluation method due to both ease and speed of inspection. Nevertheless, automatic processing of an infrared (IR) sequence is essential in order to reduce human intervention. Unfortunately, this target is difficult to achieve given the amount of data recorded by the IR camera during a typical inspection process and human participation is absolutely necessary. In this paper, higher-order statistics (HOS) analysis is employed to process IR sequences and to compress the most useful information into a unique image for each inspection. Pulsed infrared thermographic temporal response is well-known with a statistical behaviour. This statistical behaviour is analyzed and the results of its application to carbon fibres reinforced plastic (CFRP) samples are reported.

Use of Full‐Field Digital Image Correlation and Infrared Thermography Measurements for the Thermomechanical Analysis of Material Behaviour

Abstract: The paper aims to highlight the advantages of using data supplied by digital image correlation (DIC) and infrared thermography (IRT) to study the thermomechanical behavior of materials. It describes an experimental procedure for the determination of mechanical energy and heat sources involved locally during a heterogeneous tensile test. This procedure involves two complementary imaging techniques: DIC provides in-plane displacement fields while IRT enables the temperature distribution at the specimen surface to be monitored. Numerous different application examples are successively proposed to underline the promising potential of this experimental approach. Kinematical assessments can reveal the extent of homogeneity of the deformation state for a given gauge length. They can also help to determine the relevance of the variables and/or material parameters introduced in the behavioral description at the length-scale imposed by the spatial resolution of optical systems (typically 0.1 mm). Moreover, infrared and kinematical data can be used to derive heat source fields induced by the specimen loading and then to generate information on the dissipative or coupled nature of the deformation mechanisms.

Reliability and repeatability of thermographic examination and the normal thermographic image of the thoracolumbar region in the horse.

Abstract: Summary Reasons for performing study: Thermographic imaging is an increasingly used diagnostic tool. When performing thermography, guidelines suggest that horses should be left for 10–20 mins to ‘acclimatise’ to the thermographic imaging environment, with no experimental data to substantiate this recommendation. In addition, little objective work has been published on the repeatability and reliability of the data obtained. Thermography has been widely used to identify areas of abnormal body surface temperature in horses with back pathology; however, no normal data is available on the thermographic ‘map’ of the thoracolumbar region with which to compare horses with suspected pathology. Objectives: To i) investigate whether equilibration of the thermographic subject was required and, if so, how long it should take, ii) investigate what factors affect time to equilibration, iii) investigate the repeatability and reliability of the technique and iv) generate a topographic thermographic ‘map’ of the thoracolumbar region. Methods: A total of 52 horses were used. The following investigations were undertaken: thermal imaging validation, i.e. detection of movement around the baseline of an object of constant temperature; factors affecting equilibration; pattern reproducibility during equilibration and over time (n = 25); and imaging of the thoracolumbar region (n = 27). Results: A 1°C change was detected in an object of stable temperature using this detection system, i.e the ‘noise’ in the system. The average time taken to equilibrate, i.e. reach a plateau temperature, was 39 mins (40.2 in the gluteal region, 36.2 in lateral thoracic region and 40.4 in metacarpophalangeal region). Only 19% of horses reached plateau within 10–20 mins. Of the factors analysed hair length and difference between the external environment and the internal environment where the measurements were being taken both significantly affected time to plateau (P<0.05). However, during equilibration, the thermographic patterns obtained did not change, nor when assessed over a 7 day period. A ‘normal’ map of the surface temperature of the thoracolumbar region has been produced, demonstrating that the midline is the hottest, with a fall off of 3°C either side of the midline. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that horses may not need time to equilibrate prior to taking thermographic images and that thermographic patterns are reproducible over periods up to 7 days. A topographical thermographic ‘map’ of the thoracolumbar region has been obtained. Potential relevance: Clinicians can obtain relevant thermographic images without the need for prior equilibration and can compare cases with thoracolumbar pathology to a normal topographic thermographic map.

Modelling and evaluation of eddy current stimulated thermography

Abstract: Thermographic inspection with eddy current (EC) excitation is an emerging integrative NDT&E method with the ability to inspect for defects over large areas. The resultant surface heat distribution from direct EC heating and diffused heat can be obtained easily with a thermal camera, but techniques for the determination of heating mechanisms around a particular defect for quantitative defect characterisation are required. In this paper, numerical modelling and experimental studies are applied to understand EC stimulated thermography on simple discontinuity defects, including transient EC distribution and heating propagation for slots and notches. This fundamental understanding of transient EC distribution and heating propagation will aid in the development of feature extraction and pattern recognition techniques for the quantitative analysis of EC thermography images and defect characterisation.

Infrared thermography investigation of an evaporating sessile water droplet on heated substrates.

Abstract: The present study is an experimental investigation of the thermal evolution of millimeter-sized sessile water droplets deposited on heated substrates. Infrared thermography is used to record temperature profiles on the droplet interface in time as evaporation takes place. The local measurements of the interface temperature allowed us to deduce the local evaporation rate and its evolution in time. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such measurements have been performed. The deduced evaporation rate using thermography data has been validated with optical measurements. Temperature evolution is used to reveal the contact line location and transient temperature fields. Temperature differences between the apex of the droplet and the contact line are shown to decrease in time. The rate of local temperature increase at the interface is found to behave linearly with time. The slope of this linear increase turns out to be more pronounced as the substrate temperature is increased. A generalized linear trend, using dimensionless properties for the interface temperature rise, is deduced from the measurements.

Technical note: Applicability of infrared thermography as a non invasive measurements of stress in rabbit

Abstract: Among the main physiological stress indicators, the temperature evaluation is very important and innovative because it may be monitored without directly interacting with the animal. The use of a thermographic system, which is based on the detection of infrared radiation emitted by a subject, is a suitable method in order to measure temperature without any contact. In this research, a thermographic system was employed in order to single out the rabbit skin's zones most suitable for the temperature monitoring during stress challenges. Six hybrid rabbits were observed during induced stress; the areas selected as reference were: the ocular area (globe and periocular area), the internal auricle pavilion, and a shaved area of the head. The results of this pilot study show that the thermographic technique is a suitable method for the evaluation of temperature on rabbit. The best areas singled out were the eye bulb, the periocular area and the ear skin. The results concerning the effect of stress on cutaneous temperature showed that during stress condition a decrease in temperature occurs with respect to the basal condition (AT~1°C) and this trend is more evident for the auricle pavillion. In fact, this reaction is more evidenced in the ear skin, where a vasoconstriction process occurs. Moreover, corticosterone levels slightly increase (P=0.08) following the stressor's challenge due to tonic immobility test. In this research, both temperature and the change in corticosterone level show that the stress reaction induced by tonic immobility test is stronger than the one due to the other stressors applied to rabbits.

Diagnostics of panel paintings using holographic interferometry and pulsed thermography

Abstract: Holographic and thermographic techniques have been recently applied in artwork diagnostics for the quantitative evaluation of defect size and depth in laboratory samples of artworks. The aim of this study is a comparison between holographic interferometry (both double exposure and real time), and pulsed thermography (PT) processing techniques such as differential absolute contrast (DAC) and pulsed phase thermography (PPT) for the detection of the subsurface flaws on wooden panel paintings. The performance of holographic techniques can be reserved for investigation of particular defects (cracks, detachments) at incipient stages, where high resolution/sensitivity is required, while PT can provide interesting quantitative results in situ.

Effects of Solar Loading on Infrared Imaging of Subsurface Features in Concrete

Abstract: This paper addresses the effect of solar loading on thermal imaging for the detection of subsurface deterioration in concrete bridge components. The deterioration of the concrete resulting from corrosion of embedded mild reinforcing and prestressing steel results in delamination and spalling that can affect the strength and serviceability of a concrete structure. The ability to detect this deterioration during its early stages, when mitigation efforts can be employed, can provide a useful tool for maintenance and inspection personnel. Infrared thermography is a tool that has the potential to detect these subsurface defects to compliment inspection efforts and provide an additional means of condition assessment for a bridge. However, the technique relies on thermal gradients developing in the concrete such that a temperature contrast exists between damaged concrete and sound concrete. The environmental conditions at the bridge, such as direct solar loading, ambient temperature variation, and wind affect the thermal gradient in the concrete, and hence, the ability to image subsurface features. The effects of direct solar loading on the detection of subsurface targets in a concrete test block have been studied. Quantitative measurements of the thermal contrast that appear in thermal images of the test block are reported and analyzed. The effect of the depth of the embedded target is discussed, as well as the timing of inspection (relative to sunrise) that resulted in maximum contrast in thermal images.

Pulsed eddy current thermography: System development and evaluation

Abstract: There is a need for fast and efficient techniques to inspect engineering structures and complex components such as aircraft turbine blades to identify potential sites of failure. Pulsed eddy current (PEC) thermography is a new inspection technique which allows the user to capture the eddy current distribution in a component or structure using infrared imaging and detect defects over a relatively wide area. The technique is applicable to materials with a reasonable level of electrical conductivity and has the ability to detect defects under coatings. However, PEC thermography has received relatively little attention compared to other thermographic inspection techniques. In this paper, the design, development and optimisation of a PEC thermography inspection system is detailed, including coil design for global and local heating of samples, optimisation of excitation parameters (frequency, power, pulse duration etc) and camera selection. The system is used to inspect several real-world samples, using different coil designs, and the results are assessed using newly developed feature extraction techniques. The work shows that with judicious coil design and selection of excitation parameters, PEC thermography can be used to obtain quantitative information for defect characterisation through analysis of the surface heating pattern and the transient temperature change.

Moisture map by IR thermography

Abstract: A new approach to moisture detection in buildings by an optical method is presented. Limits of classical and new methods are discussed. The state of the art about the use of IR thermography is illustrated as well. The new technique exploits characteristics of the materials and takes into account explicitly the heat and mass exchange between surface and environment. A set of experiments in controlled laboratory conditions on different materials is used to better understand the physical problem. The testing procedure and the data reduction are illustrated. A case study on a heritage building points up the features of this technique.

Physics-based image enhancement for infrared thermography

Abstract: Thermal imaging with an infrared camera can be used to view the location and intensity of heat sources in space and time. In a thermal conductor, thermal diffusion blurs out those heat sources. Knowledge of the physics of thermal diffusion can be used to enhance the spatial and temporal resolution of thermal images. In two dimensions, quantitative reconstruction of the heat source intensity is possible. The same algorithm applied to three-dimensional heat flows provides dramatic improvements in temporal and spatial resolution of the thermal images. Performance is illustrated both in theory and by experiment. An application example demonstrates utility to nondestructive evaluation.

Thermo‐evaporative fluxes from heterogeneous porous surfaces resolved by infrared thermography

Abstract: [1] Variations in evaporative fluxes from heterogeneous wet terrestrial surfaces may induce a distinct and spatially variable thermal signature detectable by modern infrared thermography (IRT) methods Combining measured temperature distribution for an evaporative surface with surface energy balance offers a means for extraction of spatial and temporal distributions of evaporative flux as a function of surface temperature Recent advances in IRT technology offer spatially resolved thermal images at unprecedented sensitivity for in situ estimation of surface evaporation flux distribution currently unobservable by other methods We studied evaporation patterns from surfaces of initially saturated sand columns containing sharp vertical textural contrasts (fine-sand inclusion in coarse-sand background) to evaluate the performance of the proposed method We examined several algorithms for model validation Spatial and temporal IRT data are numerically inverted to obtain evaporation flux values that are compared with rates of mass loss from direct weighing of the samples Analytical solutions of some special cases are also compared with the experimental data We introduce a convenient approximation based on mean surface temperatures of similar textural regions to resolve spatial evaporative fluxes Estimates are in good agreement with experimental results Our results also confirm the occurrence of lateral capillary flows from coarse to fine sand in the presence of sharp heterogeneity during evaporation The proposed method could under certain conditions be used to convert highly resolved temperature fields to deduce drying patterns of interest in various fields from hydrology to food processing and other engineering applications

The Feasibility of Flash Thermography for the Examination and Conservation of Works of Art

Abstract: This study investigates the feasibility of flash thermography for the examination and conservation of works of art: paintings, works on paper and sculpture. Thermography is a non-destructive technique for the identification of subsurface defects in materials. It is based on the propagation of surface-deposited heat through into the material. Differences in propagation between defect and defectfree areas result in a difference in the surface temperature of the material. The surface temperature is mapped over time by imaging with a mid-infrared digital camera. A xenon arc lamp is used to provide the initial source of radiation, and signal processing is typically applied to the collected data to reduce noise and to enhance key signal characteristics. This technique offers the possibility of investigating the structure of paintings and paper, particularly in cases where other non-destructive examination techniques do not provide sufficient information, for example subsurface delamination and layer st...

Divertor IR thermography on Alcator C-Mod.

Abstract: Alcator C-Mod is a particularly challenging environment for thermography. It presents issues that will similarly face ITER, including low-emissivity metal targets, low-Z surface films, and closed divertor geometry. In order to make measurements of the incident divertor heat flux using IR thermography, the C-Mod divertor has been modified and instrumented. A 6° toroidal sector has been given a 2° toroidal ramp in order to eliminate magnetic field-line shadowing by imperfectly aligned divertor tiles. This sector is viewed from above by a toroidally displaced IR camera and is instrumented with thermocouples and calorimeters. The camera provides time histories of surface temperatures that are used to compute incident heat-flux profiles. The camera sensitivity is calibrated in situ using the embedded thermocouples, thus correcting for changes and nonuniformities in surface emissivity due to surface coatings.

Aerial infrared thermography in the surface waters contamination monitoring

Abstract: The feasibility of the surface water contamination monitoring by IR thermography is based on three different key points: (a) the thermal sensors able to measure the thermal energy radiating from water and land surfaces with high sensitivity and accuracy; (b) the thermal gradient existing between land/water surfaces and within these; (c) the rendering of the IR raw data, that produce images with a visible augmentation of the anomalies Illegal sanitary sewer and storm-drain connections, illicit discharges and other “anomalies” on the surface waters could be easily identified by their thermal infrared signatures If sources of pollution leak, seep or empty into creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and seas their thermal signatures vary from their surroundings and they can be highlighted accurately; in fact, the plume of liquid joining and flowing downstream with the body of water is visible in the thermal infrared spectrum due to the difference in temperatures of the two liquids Standards methods of pollution-so

Measurement of surface temperature and emissivity with stereo dual-wavelength IR thermography

Abstract: This work describes a temperature and emissivity measurement methodology that applies the multi-wavelength pyrometry principle to IR thermography using two IR cameras in a stereo arrangement with detectors working in different wavelength bands. The two radiation distributions measured by the IR cameras are rebuilt on the object surface mesh by means of the pinhole camera model and are used to write a system of equations in which emissivities and temperatures are unknown quantities. By solving the system, the temperature and directional emissivity of the material under test can be measured for each wavelength band. The influence on the proposed methodology of the IR camera noise and of the temperature bias between the two cameras is numerically analysed in the case of gray and non-gray bodies. To validate the proposed methodology, an experimental test was performed on an object with known emissivity (measured in a conventional way).