Thermal Cameras
Description
Thermal cameras are devices used for detecting heat radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically in the range of 1-100 microns. They are also known as thermal imagers. Thermal cameras use the principle black body radiation law for their operation, according to which, the amount of blackbody radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature. Thermal cameras form an image with the amount of infrared radiations emitted from the object’s surface. In this image, warm objects stand out against cooler backgrounds; this phenomenon makes the images of warm blooded human beings and animals clearly visible in both day and night environments. Thermal cameras use focal plane arrays (FPA) to focus longer wavelengths. The main components used in the construction of thermal cameras are: an optic system, amplifier, signal processing unit, detector and display unit. Thermal cameras use grayscale to highlight normal temperature objects and colors for extremely hot surfaces.
Features
The various features of thermal cameras are given below:
Heat resistant
Portable
Water resistant
Rugged construction
Excellent resolution
Specifications
The important specifications for thermal cameras are given below:
Applications
Some of the major applications of thermal cameras are given below:
Thermal cameras are used by fire fighters to see through smoke to locate entrapped people and to prevent fire from spreading
Power line maintenance technicians use thermal cameras to detect the overheated joints of the power line and to avoid further damage
Used in marine fields to find out the location of oil spills as well as for identification of vessels/ships
Thermal cameras are extensively used in industries for process control and predictive maintenance in power transmission
Used in medical applications such as equine preventative checkup for prevention of lameness