Seeing is believing, but the inherent limitations of the human eye prevent us from seeing visible
light outside a narrow range. Infrared energy is the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun,
as well as every object and living thing on Earth, and something that can only be viewed by
humans using a thermal imaging camera (TIC). Infrared radiation falls just outside the visible
light wavelengths at about 750nm (nanometers) and is part of a series of longer frequencies;
Along with terahertz, microwaves and radio waves. By simply connecting a CompactPRO to your phone
and loading the app, your spectral sensitivity will be enhanced to discover a world you've never
seen before.
How it works
Any thermographic camera works by measuring the amount of infrared energy that is emitted,
transmitted and reflected from an object. The use of small vanadium oxide sensors, known as
microbolometers, allow thermal cameras, such as the RevealPRO, to operate portably, and do not
need to rely on stationary cryogenic cooling to work properly. The camera takes a surface
temperature measurement of the heat from an object and projects it as an image on the screen
called a thermogram. While this feature makes it possible to identify cool or hot spots beneath
a surface, it does not, as is often misguided, give users X-ray vision or the ability to
literally see through a wall. Black bodies have a baseline emissivity of 1, and provide a
template against which other degrees of radiation are measured. An algorithmic function is
then used to calculate and expand multiple sources of infrared energy around the object and
create the image that is then displayed on the LCD screen.
Camera lens
Unlike their cousins the optical cameras, thermal imagers do not rely on glass focus lens as it
blocks long infrared light. Until recently, IR cameras historically relied on lenses made from
specialized materials such as Germanium or Sapphire crystals, which are fragile and expensive
to produce. Chalcogenide glass is a newer and cheaper material that enables the lower cost of
entry of thermal cameras to the market and into the hands of the customer. The material is
ideal for lenses as it allows the transmission of a wide range of electromagnetic frequencies
across the surface. Rectangular light sensing pixels at the focal point of the lens, called
Focal Plane Arrays, (FPAs) help to receive and focus the infrared energy to the microbolometer.
Show
Images are usually monochromatic or show a false color scheme to reveal any variations in
temperature. The camera assigns each individual pixel from a 76,800-pixel display to represent
a temperature. After it is calculated, the pixels are assigned colors, which build the
resulting image on the screen. Dark shades of blue, purple and green are usually used in the
thermal color scheme to represent cooler temperatures, while bright colors (yellow, orange, red)
often indicate the presence of heat. Infrared devices such as the RevealPRO or the Shot Pro
offer a variety of unique filters to give users flexibility, and a broader visualization
platform for identifying temperature differences.
Differences Between Night Vision Devices (NVD)
While both night vision scopes and thermal imagers often fall under the umbrella term "NVDs,"
they work in very different ways. Traditional night vision scopes use a vacuum tube
(aka image intensifier) that increases the low levels of ambient light to create
distinguishable images and render them in different shades of green. Extensive use in
military and law enforcement circles, they are valuable tools for surveillance and suspect
identification. However, the achievement of well-defined images is highly dependent on the
presence of existing ambient light. Viewing a night vision in a bright dark room will provide
little clarity. Thermal cameras, on the other hand, do not require light and can scan through
complete darkness, as well as smoke, fog and down. While NVDs provide more "realistic" and
controlled images, their use outside of the military complex rarely remains. With more and
more applications, thermal cameras are using their colorful, dramatic contrasts to remotely
illuminate objects and numbers and draw attention to a wide variety of settings.
Thermography is a technique and profession that involves examining infrared radiation using special equipment. These contactless measurements and examinations are also used for testing and inspections. This technique reveals things that would never be noticed with the naked eye. Examples include defective cells in a solar panel or a bearing in a large electric motor in a factory hall. These types of inspections are increasingly being made mandatory by insurers. For example, scope 12 inspections are intended to ensure the safety and fire safety of solar panel installations and to prevent and reduce the risk of fire or other damage. Because the measurements do not require contact, no work needs to be stopped and the costs remain reasonably low, thermographic inspections are becoming increasingly popular and are therefore increasingly mandatory for insurers. After the thermographic inspection, a report, often with photos, is generated by the thermographer, which provides clarity for the customer, but also for the insurer, installer and other potential parties.
The object/surface measured by a thermal imaging camera (radiation intensity) can consist of three parts:
A thermal imaging camera has many different specifications. Some of these can make the camera more expensive than others. Cameras that are going to be used by thermographers for Scope 12 inspections must meet the minimum requirements of the NVN 62446 standard (NVN-IEC-TS-62446-3). The most important specifications are:
One of the most popular cameras for this purpose is the M31 from Hikmicro. Other cameras that meet these minimum specifications are the M60, the G31, the G41, the G61, the Hammer H3+ and the SP series from Hikmicro, including the SP120-L25 and the SP60-L25. For scope 10, cameras such as the B20S, the M20 and the Hammer H2 are also sufficient. NEN 18434 states that the inspector or thermographer must have a minimum knowledge of heat, temperature and the various forms of heat transfer. Please feel free to call us if you have any further questions. We are available every working day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thermal imaging cameras do not yet have calibration guidelines in Europe. Almost every thermal imaging camera has a deviation of 2% or 2°C (whichever is greater). Whether it is a camera costing £300 or £30,000, this same deviation is present.
Of course, it is possible that the camera is less accurate than this 2% or 2°C maximum deviation. If this is the case, you can send your Hikmicro to us and we will take care of the calibration.
