Reduce Risk
A large electric utility in the southeast United States used thermal imaging to monitor a hot bushing connection on a 230 kV main transformer carrying power from their primary generator. Shutting down was, by far, the last choice and not considered a viable option. Failure of the component would have had catastrophic costs and consequences. Through frequent monitoring with thermal imaging the plant was able to accurately evaluate the situation and take corrective action to manage the problem without failure. Due to their efforts, the bushing made it to the next planned shutdown when repairs were successfully completed.
Increase Uptime
Data centers, whether those from banking institutions, insurance agencies or other knowledge providers rely heavily on the health of their primary electrical system, as well as their Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems which provide back-up in the event of a power loss. Any downtime from an outage can generate financial losses ranging from thousands to many millions of dollars. Uptime is their primary concern. Infrared is being successfully used on a regular basis to check for electrical problems in these systems that, if not detected, could cause costly downtime.
Conserve Energy/Save Money
The cost of conditioning buildings is a concern for both homeowners and facility managers. Infrared thermography quickly locates thermal patterns that show the presence of insulation voids and the location of excessive air leakage in both residential and commercial buildings. Applying thermal imaging to building systems can reveal problems not typically detected with more traditional, and sometimes destructive, testing methods. Energy auditors and state weatherization groups use infrared on a regular basis evaluate existing structures and make them more efficient.
Insulators use the technology to understand existing buildings prior to insulating and for both new and existing buildings, to verify insulation placement and performance after installation. In commercial and institutional situations, thermography plays huge roles in diagnosing problems and verifying solutions not only for insulation but also for HVAC systems. Thermography, in short, enables building occupants and owners to conserve energy, improve comfort and health, and save money.