Benefits of Noncontact IR Temperature Measurement
- It is fast (in the millisecond range) – saving time and allowing for more measurements and data accumulation.
- It facilitates measurement of moving targets i.e. conveyor processes.
- Measurements can be taken of hazardous or physically inaccessible objects i.e. high-voltage parts or large measurement distances.
- Measurements of high temperatures (above 1300°C/2375°F) present no problems. Contact thermometers often cannot be used in such conditions.
- There is no interference as no energy is lost from the target.
- Noncontact temperature measurement is wearfree – there is no risk of contamination and no mechanical effect on the surface of the object.
Infrared technology has been utilized successfully in industry for decades, but new developments have reduced costs, increased reliability, and resulted in smaller, noncontact infrared measurement devices.
Every form of matter with a temperature above absolute zero (-273.15°C / -459.8°F) emits infrared radiation according to its temperature. This is called characteristic radiation.
The discovery of infrared radiation by the physicist Wilhelm Herschel at the beginning of the 19th Century opened new possibilities for measuring temperature – without contact and thus without affecting the object being measured and the measurement device itself.
A pyrometer is a type of thermal sensor used for measuring high temperatures of a surface, often in large furnaces or kilns. These devices measure the temperature of an object or surface from the thermal radiation emitted, also known as radiometry.
In cement manufacturing processes, it is clear that one of the most critical steps takes place in the rotary kiln. When it comes to extending the life of this piece of equipment, as well as preventing failures, it is imperative that operators understand the condition of the refractory material coating it.
Overheating, underheating, hot spots, and other undesirable temperature-related conditions can be detected early with thermal imagers and proactively addressed before the situation escalates. Compared to the old days, this is a monumental improvement.
Emissivity is the measure of an object's ability to emit infrared energy. Emitted energy indicates the temperature of the object. Emissivity can have a value from 0 (shiny mirror) to 1.0 (blackbody). Most organic, painted, or oxidized surfaces have emissivity values close to 0.95.
Some common non-metals are asphalt, carbon, glass, paper and plastic.
Common metals are steel, copper, iron, titanium and zinc, among others.