Thermal imaging service finds electrical hotspots
An
ABB Power Technologies product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 10, 2004
Thermal imaging can pinpoint potential problems in cables, transformers and low voltage switchgear before they develop into serious failures.
Thermal imaging can pinpoint potential problems in cables, transformers and low voltage switchgear before they develop into serious failures.
ABB is now offering a thermal imaging survey as part of a comprehensive HV (high voltage) maintenance and inspection package for private electrical distribution networks up to 33kV.
Using a self-contained, handheld thermal imaging camera, the ABB team can carry out a thermal sweep of an electrical installation to identify temperature differences caused by changes from normal operating conditions or hotspots which can indicate a developing problem such as a loose or corroded connection.
Thermal imaging is most useful for the inspection of cables and unenclosed low voltage switchgear, as well as visualising oil circulation in transformers.
Loose or corroded contacts, load imbalances, poor cable joints or an overloaded transformer generate excess heat, and this is easily identified by a thermal camera, often well before the problem would be picked up by a normal visual inspection or electrical test.
The ABB camera can provide direct temperature measurement of a single point with an accuracy of a fraction of a degree Celsius, so it is more than sensitive enough to identify heat bleed along a cable within a bundle.
The ABB team also takes a digital photograph of the same view seen by the thermal camera to enable the problem area to be clearly located and the results of the survey are downloaded to a PC for storage and further analysis.
Because it is a noncontact technique, which can be carried out at some distance from the equipment, thermal imaging is ideal for situations where downtime has to be kept to a minimum.
For example, it can be useful to carry out a thermal sweep prior to an annual shutdown to enable the maintenance team to focus on the most likely problem areas, with the additional advantage that the equipment is checked in an on-load condition, when faults are most likely to occur.
A thermal sweep can also be carried out as part of a regular preventative maintenance check and the records compared after every visit to indicate any changes in the condition of the electrical equipment.
ABB's HV maintenance and inspection service is provided by a highly trained and experienced team which is capable of working with equipment from any manufacturer.
The main focus is on planned maintenance, but the team is also happy to carry out short-term maintenance projects.
With thermal imaging now allied to ultrasound monitoring - carried out as standard on every maintenance exercise - and transformer oil sampling, ABB believes it now offers the UK's broadest service for private distribution networks.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Google Ads
Contact ABB Power Technologies
Related Stories
- Catalogue features industrial weighing solutions
- Monitoring corrosion with digital radiography
- SGS offers non-destructive testing of tanks
- NI develops controller for wireless testing
- Adept supplies Photonfocus monochrome cameras
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
