Product category:
Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment
News Release from: QHi Group | Subject: ExerTherm
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 August 2003
Thermal monitor keeps check on
switchgear
The ExerTherm system protects electrical supplies by thermally monitoring all key switchgear components on a continuous and noncontact basis using sensors inside the switchgear enclosure.
The consequences of an unforeseen electrical outage can be catastrophic for businesses where power is "mission critical" The need for continuous thermal monitoring of key components within electrical switchgear enclosures has been a desire that, until now, could not be met
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 15 Oct 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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ExerTherm is a unique system developed by Qhi Infrared based on small low-cost plastic-bodied noncontact infra-red sensors, each with an MTBF in excess of 1000 years.
Now it can.
The high costs of thermal imaging cameras mean that for most companies only infrequent inspections can be made - ie a "snapshot".
Also, no infra-red device can see "through" a solid object, and so components not in direct line of sight to the external panel cannot be inspected.
The ExerTherm system can thermally monitor all key switchgear components on a continuous and noncontact basis by placing sensors inside the switchgear enclosure.
The IR sensors measure target temperature as the degrees Celsius rise on ambient.
Because the sensors are directly monitoring key components on a continuous noncontact basis, they miss nothing, and the installation is monitored 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Small low-cost patent-protected infra-red sensors (IRt/c), which require no power, feed signals via data acquisition cards back to a PC with easy-to-use but highly effective software.
This includes ongoing data logging, trend analysis and individually settable two-stage alarms per channel, so problems can be identified at a very early stage of development and appropriate action planned in advance thus allowing users to spot power failures before they happen.
ExerTherm can be fitted to new switchgear, or retrofitted to existing installations.
It can be subsequently expanded and will connect to most building management systems.
This novel system has already been specified and installed on many prestigious projects one of the latest being a new European HQ building based in London Docklands.
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