|APTER 7: Thermal Image Analysis 1. Analysing the I ue 1.1 When we usea visu eamera to document something, ii usually enough to create a ice Tooking picture. A ttermal image is something completely diferent, soit necessary to lean new methods for andysing them, [LL.1 Image analysis requires theoretical knowledge and practical experience. The later comes with ime, but experence will only give a faster improvement of your skill if you have the ‘theoretical instruction before you sar 12 Some proven techniques are detailed below. rey ‘A typical thermogran is shown above. To understand and interpret thermagrams, the ‘ermographer must be familar with the fundamentals of temperature and heat transfer (Chapters & and 5), heat flow end how different materials exhibit diverse thermal properties,Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY (CHAPTER 7: Thermal Image Analy 2. ‘Thermal Grent 21 A.thermal gradient isa gradual change in temperature with Tosation ona surface. 2.1.1 A thermal gradient cften indicates the presence of conductive heat transfer. Most of our targets in thermography are opaque solids, and in opaque solids, the only method of heat transfer permitted is conduction 2.1.2. A thermal gradient will show us the direction of heat flow, and direct us tothe heat source Dai: March 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPAY CHAPTER 7: Thermal lage Analysis 3. Camera Tools for Pat wancement ~ Thermal Tuning 3.1 Thea Tung ens uljting Une sale of dhe image onthe objet of anys fn order to optimise contrast 3.1.1 To perform thermal tuning, both the Level and Span controls ofthe camera are used. When that part ofthe image which is of interest has been chosen, the set LevelSpan is set so that the colours of the elour bar will cover that pat of the image, and ony that pat. Areas of the image of less intrest are allowed to fall outside the sale and these wil usually become. black or white 3.1.2 ‘Therma tning ia erofl tool to understand because an auto-adjuted image will not always show what is needed, anda iden problem may be missed. Tre 7 Faetoe Dats: Mach 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY CHAPTER 7: Thermal Image Analysis 4. Camera Tools for Pattern 4.1 Theisotherm replies certain colours in the color scale with a contesting colour It marks on interval of equa emperaure. 4.4.1 ‘The isotherm will stow an interval of equa apparent temperature, The colours on an image do not in themselves represent temperature the isotherm just eplaces thse colours with ‘another colour tit bas high contrast tothe colours used inthe image, and therefore the isotherm does not represent temperature either 4.12. The isotherm can be moved up and down in the sale, and be widened and narowed, as required. Tae? Page toe Dat: March 201Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY |APTER 7: Thermal Image Analysis 5, Camera Tools for Patter 5.1 Thecolour palette of the image assign different colours to mark specific levels of apparent temperature. Palettes can give more ot less contrast, depending on the colours used in then. 5.11 The thermal image canbe represented with a maximum of 256 different shades of grey o¢ colour at the sume time. Inthe grey scale, itis usual to start with blak at one end ofthe scale and then Itt become a litle brighter for each ofthe 256 steps, ntl its white. Grey scale, therefore, has ess contrast than the colour scale as there is very litle difference between for example the 45° and 46" shade of grey 5.1.2 In most cameras, there are a leat half a dozen different paletes, Rainbow, Gray, Ironbow, Rainbow HC are typical palette names, but software and camera types do vary. The main thing to remember i that they crete a different contrast effect in the image, From Top Left, Clockwis Rainbow, Grey, Ri and Grey Inverted Tass Page STE Dated: March 2011Aerospace Inspection Training Analysis 5.13. Asarute of dumb: + Use high const palettes on low contast targets + Use Low contrast pletes on high contrast ets 6. Misleading Patterns 6. Inthermography, there area numberof things that will eause errs in analysis, The two most common ones ate= + Refleetons from spot sources + Binisivty differences 6.1.1 The way a thermal image sees « thermal reflection is analogous to standing infront of @ rmiror. ven i you ae not standing directly in font of the miro, the mor will stil elect the wall, or whatever, behind the place you were standing, Thermally, if you hold something hot in font of a reflective surface, you will see reflection ofthat object in your thermal Image. Ifyou remove the hot objec, the surface will eflect something else. There will alivays be something reflecting in your target! 6.1.2. To get smooth and casily analysed image, a surface with a even extant radiation reflection om tothe target is preferred, I this is not the case, there may be aroflection from a spot source, What we commonly cal ‘reflection’ is more precisely a spot with an exitant radiation thats differen from the ares around it~ a spot reflection, 6.1.3 Spot reflections canbe misleading because they may look like an anomaly. | i Tre Page of Dale: Mire 2011Aerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY (CHAPTER 7: Ther Image Analysis 6.14 Remember, iit moves when you do, its reflection! ais March 201, eeeAerospace Inspection Training | THERMOGRAPHY (CHAPTER 7: Thermal Image Analysis 62 Avoiding Spot Reflections 62.1 Some general rules to reveal and avoid spot reflections: — _Do not stand directly in front of your target, to avoid reflecting yourselt Move around ~if the hotspot moves its arefection Use ioc of cardboard smi, to shield off the flection Look for themal gradients — real heating has graens, reflections donot Look fr pars ofthe target with high emissivity — they will show less reflections and apparent temperature closer to the tue temperature. 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