Turning the heat up
Thermal imaging cameras have the reputation for being cost prohibitive but in recent years the entry cost has fallen exponentially with its take-up.
According to Flir Systems, the scope of thermal imaging is now huge. The same device can be used to see through smoke to spot fire casualties or scan the industrial environment to identify systems that are operating at abnormally high temperatures.
Thermal imaging can also monitor waste bunkers or piles of materials susceptible to fire or spontaneous combustion, and by using different wavelengths, infrared cameras are being adopted for the detection of noxious and combustible gases. Thermal imaging has also become the industry standard method of spotting electrical faults.
