Top 7 Uses and Applications of Thermal Imaging Cameras

As we all know, objects above absolute zero emit infrared light, infrared thermal imaging technology turns infrared radiation that is undetectable to the human eye into a visible image by absorbing the target object's infrared light and then transforming the optical signal into an electrical signal.

The use of infrared thermal imaging technology is becoming increasingly popular in a variety of fields, including electricity, security, industry, petroleum, construction, transportation, and the outdoors. Because of its wide application and great convenience in production and life, the market demand for infrared imaging may continue to grow in the future. In addition to traditional application industries, more emerging market demands will emerge, creating new growth opportunities for the infrared imaging market.

Security Field

Mature infrared thermal imaging technology can be applied in many security fields, such as: anti-theft monitoring, camouflage and concealed target recognition, security patrol at night and in bad weather conditions, security work in key departments, buildings, warehouses, fire monitoring, Port Security, Airport Monitoring, etc.

Ordinary camouflage is used to hide from apparent light. Criminals typically commit crimes while hiding in the grass and woods. Because of the harsh outside environment and human visual illusions, it is easier to make incorrect judgements when using the visible light observation method at this time.

Thermal radiation from the object is passively accepted by infrared thermal imaging instruments. Because the temperature and infrared radiation of the human body and vehicles are generally substantially higher than the temperature and infrared radiation of plants, concealment and misjudgment are difficult. Furthermore, ordinary people is unaware of how to escape infrared surveillance. As a result, infrared thermal imaging devices have a clear advantage in identifying camouflaged and concealed targets.

Detect Intrusions from Every Angle with InfiRay Thermal Security Camera

Electric field

In the subject of preventive detection, the power industry is currently the most established and stable. Infrared thermal imaging technology, as the most effective online power detection method, can promptly repair power equipment, thereby decreasing the time cost of equipment maintenance and improving the dependability of equipment operation.

Temperature has a significant impact on the construction and materials of power equipment. During regular operation, electrical equipment creates some heat. However, as power equipment ages, rusting of some contact points or poor contact causes the resistance to grow, the current to be too large, the voltage to be abnormal, and so on, the equipment will generate abnormal heating. Learn More: How are Thermal Cameras Used in Automation?

The advantages of using infrared thermal imaging for power detection are as follows:

1. Keep a safe distance from the apparatus;

2. Non-contact temperature measurement has no effect on the equipment's operation; 

3. The scanning speed is quick, saving time;

4. High precision and a wide temperature measurement range; 5. Monitoring is in place, and equipment problems may be reliably identified.

As a result, electricity generation, distribution, and substations in critical locations can be outfitted with cutting-edge infrared imaging monitoring technology. Using infrared thermal imaging technology, power equipment may be swiftly overhauled, significantly decreasing the time cost of equipment maintenance and enhancing equipment reliability.

Inspect energized equipment safely with InfiRay handheld thermal camera

Petrochemical field

Many critical pieces of equipment in the petrochemical industry must operate in high temperature and high-pressure environments, which might pose safety risks. Real-time monitoring is required by safety regulations in order to eliminate concealed threats in a timely manner. Infrared thermal imaging technology can be used to target:

1. Product delivery and pipeline management

2. Materials for refractory and thermal insulation;

3. Corrosion, cracking, thinning, and blockage of different reaction furnaces and other issues in order to gather relevant detection data.

Early detection methods necessitated close proximity to the target being detected. Detectors may be exposed to harmful chemicals that are invisible, and this detection method has special requirements for detection environmental conditions that are not conducive to real-time detection.

Monitoring technology based on infrared thermal imaging cameras will gradually gain popularity as infrared technology advances.

Environmental Monitoring and Forest Fire Prevention

The surface temperature of the object can be extracted and analyzed from the target image captured by the infrared thermal imager. This feature can be applied to fire prevention.

In large-scale forests, invisible hidden fires are likely to cause large fires, and it is difficult to detect them in time only by manual monitoring. When they are detected, they have evolved into a difficult-to-manage situation. By choosing the upper limit of the target temperature, the high-sensitivity infrared thermal imager can examine the monitoring target in real time. If the target temperature exceeds the upper limit, an alarm message will be sent, allowing the location and scale of the fire point to be quickly determined, and the forest fire to be extinguished while it is still in its embryonic stage, thereby eliminating fire hazards.

InfiRay thermal camera improves early fire detection

Home & Outdoor

In recent years, due to the development brought about by technological progress, thermal imaging cameras have gradually developed a portable small thermal imaging camera, which can be directly inserted into the mobile phone through the mobile phone interface to obtain powerful infrared thermal sensing capabilities.

Thermal imaging cameras can be used in indoor inspections to observe the temperature distribution of floor heating, heaters, air conditioners, and so on, check for abnormalities, detect abnormalities in real time, and help reduce maintenance costs.

In outdoor activities such as trekking, camping, and animal hunting, the thermal imager's night vision function allows every explorer to observe the surrounding area clearly, detect threatening wild animals in time, and safeguard their own safety. Inside Look: How to Use Thermal Imaging Device

Repair Floor Heating System with Thermal Imaging

Industrial Manufacturing Field

In the sphere of industrial manufacturing, infrared thermal imaging technology is also widely used. As electronic components shrink in size, it becomes increasingly difficult to analyze their thermal information. But engineers can easily visualize and quantify thermal images of manufacturing equipment with the help of infrared thermography. At the same time, thermal imaging can be utilized to pre-optimize a design during the early stages of circuit design.

PCB Inspection with InfiRay Smartphone Thermal Camera

Automotive Night Vision Field

Driverless vehicles are gradually outfitted with numerous sensors in order to improve the intelligent perception ability of cars and the safety of autonomous driving. Infrared thermal imaging measures infrared energy emitted by objects' surfaces and is not impacted by weather. Even at night and in misty situations, it can detect pedestrians, automobiles, and other targets ahead.

InfiRay Thermal Cameras on ADAS and Autonomous Vehicles

InfiRay is dedicated to thermal imaging R&D and manufacture in a variety of sectors. We have independent research and development patents in industrial temperature measurement, security monitoring, forest fire prevention, night vision, autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, machine vision, and other domains after years of accumulation. Simultaneously, we are promoting the development of thermal imaging cameras in other fields. These cameras are widely used in industrial production monitoring, public security law enforcement, medical aid diagnosis, civilian satellite remote sensing, equipment preventive fault diagnosis and maintenance, maritime law enforcement, and galaxy deep space exploration.

The cost of high-performance, high-reliability, and high-resolution infrared detectors will gradually decrease as technology advances, making infrared thermal imaging cameras more common in high-end civilian fields.