Thermal imaging inspection of electrical equipment

Abstract

A thermal imaging inspection system for inspecting electrical equipment is provided. The system can be used to monitor the effective performance of the equipment when the electrical equipment is powered on. The system can be used to monitor the temperature difference of various components in the equipment.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The present invention relates generally to inspection of electrical equipment and, more particularly, to the use of thermographic inspection of electrical equipment.

[0002] Electrical equipment is subject to wear and degradation over time and it is preferred to inspect the equipment before actual failure. In many cases, inspection of electrical equipment occurs when the equipment is out of service due to safety considerations. However, this type of inspection can only provide limited information about the condition of the electrical equipment. Examples of types of electrical equipment that may be inspected regularly are switchgear or controlgear. Certain electrical equipment is also housed in closed cabinets, which makes inspection more challenging. Summary of the invention

[0003] A thermographic inspection device for inspecting electrical equipment while it is powered on is described. The inspection system makes it possible to view temperature differences of different electrical components in the equipment. Preferably, a warning is generated when the temperature changes exceed a threshold value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The present invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0005] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the system used to inspect electrical equipment; and

[0006] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for testing electrical equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] Figure 1 A system for inspecting an electrical device 10 is shown in FIG. Figure 2 A method for inspecting an electrical device 10 is provided. The system allows the electrical device 10 to be inspected while the device 10 is powered on (32) to monitor the effective performance of the device 10. The system can use a thermal imaging sensor 12 (34) to image electrical components 10a, 10b, 10c in the device 10. The device 10 can be enclosed in an electrical cabinet 14, and the sensor 12 can be inserted into the cabinet 14 through a port 16. The image provides temperature data of the components 10a, 10b, 10c within the image. The system compares the temperature data of the components 10a, 10b, 10c within the image (36) and generates a warning (38) when the temperature change exceeds a threshold.

[0008] like Figure 1As shown, the electrical components 10a, 10b, 10c may be enclosed in an electrical cabinet 14. A port 16 may be provided for inserting the thermal imaging sensor 12 into the cabinet 14. The sensor 12 may be attached to a portion of a robot 18 that is sized to pass through the port 16. A human-eye-viewable display 20 for displaying images from the sensor 14 may also be provided.

[0009] A method for inspecting electrical equipment, such as switchgear or control equipment, includes energizing electrical components enclosed in an electrical cabinet. A thermal imaging sensor may be inserted through a port in the electrical cabinet while preventing a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet. When the electrical components are energized, at least two of the electrical components may be imaged in a single image by the thermal imaging sensor. Temperature data of the at least two electrical components may be compared from the single image. When a change in the temperature data of the at least two electrical components relative to each other is above a threshold, a warning may be generated.

[0010] A single image can be captured as a single exposure of an image sensor. Alternatively, the image sensor can capture multiple exposures from different angles or positions, and the multiple exposures can be stitched together to form a single image for subsequent viewing and / or analysis.

[0011] The thermal imaging sensor can be attached to a portion of the robot that is sized to fit through a port that is sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet.

[0012] Alternatively, the thermal imaging sensor may be attached to a robot that is sized to fit through a port in an electrical cabinet. The port is sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet. The robot may be configured to move within the electrical cabinet.

[0013] The thermal imaging sensor may be withdrawn through the port after imaging the at least two electrical components.

[0014] A single image may be recorded. The at least two electrical components may be re-imaged with another single image more than one week after the imaging. Temperature data of at least one of the electrical components in the single image may be compared with temperature data in another single image. When a change in temperature data of at least one electrical component relative to the single image and another single image is above a threshold, a warning may be generated.

[0015] The thermal imaging sensor can be removably fixed to the same location for imaging and re-imaging. The thermal imaging sensor can be removed from the electrical cabinet between imaging and re-imaging.

[0016] The at least two electrical components may include matching components from each of the three different phases.

[0017] A single image including the plurality of electrical components, or an image equivalent thereof, may be displayed on a human-viewable display. Human-defined identifications of at least two components may be received.

[0018] The color temperature range of a single image, or its equivalent, may be adjusted on a human eye viewable display in response to human input.

[0019] The area of ​​interest on each of the at least two electrical components may be identified by detecting a temperature boundary on or around each of the at least two electrical components. The temperature data may be data within the temperature boundary.

[0020] The temperature data of the at least two electrical components may be an average temperature within each of the temperature boundaries.

[0021] The first region of interest may be identified by detecting the hottest spot in the single image and detecting a temperature boundary around it. The second region of interest may be identified by detecting the hottest spot in the single image outside the first region of interest and detecting a temperature boundary around it.

[0022] The third region of interest may be identified by detecting the hottest spot in a single image outside the first and second regions of interest and detecting the temperature boundary around it.The first, second and third regions of interest may each be located on matching components from each of the three different phases.

[0023] A single image may include at least five color temperature ranges, wherein each of the five color temperature ranges covers between 5°C and 15°C.

[0024] The at least two electrical components may include matching components from each of the three different phases. The thermal imaging sensor may be withdrawn through the port after imaging the matching components. The thermal imaging sensor may be attached to a portion of the robot that is sized to pass through a port in the electrical cabinet. The port may be sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet.

[0025] A single image or its equivalent including a plurality of electrical components may be displayed on a human-viewable display. A color temperature range of the single image or its equivalent may be adjusted on the human-viewable display in response to human input. A manually defined identification of at least two components may be received.

[0026] The region of interest on each of the matching components may be identified by detecting a temperature boundary on or around each of the matching components.The temperature data may include data within the temperature boundary.

[0027] The temperature data for the matching component may include an average temperature within each of the temperature boundaries.

[0028] The thermal imaging sensor may be withdrawn through the port after imaging the at least two electrical components. The thermal imaging sensor may be attached to a portion of the robot that is sized to pass through a port in the electrical cabinet. The port is sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet. A single image may be recorded. The at least two electrical components may be re-imaged with another single image more than one week after imaging. Temperature data of at least one of the electrical components in a single image may be compared with temperature data in another single image. A warning may be generated when a change in temperature data of at least one electrical component relative to the single image and the other single image is above a threshold.

[0029] The thermal imaging sensor can be removably fixed to the same location for imaging and re-imaging. The thermal imaging sensor can be removed from the electrical cabinet between imaging and re-imaging.

[0030] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereby and may be modified without departing from the invention herein. Although each embodiment described herein may refer only to certain features, and may not specifically refer to each feature described in relation to other embodiments, it should be appreciated that the features described herein are interchangeable, even without reference to specific features, unless otherwise described. It should also be understood that the advantages described above are not necessarily the only advantages of the present invention, and it is not necessary to expect that all of the advantages described are achieved by each embodiment of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, and all devices and methods within the meaning of the claims, whether literally or by equivalents, are intended to be included therein.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting electrical equipment, comprising: Energize electrical components enclosed in electrical cabinets; inserting a thermal imaging sensor through a port in the electrical cabinet while preventing a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet; imaging at least two of the electrical components in a single image with the thermal imaging sensor when the electrical components are powered on; detecting a first hottest point in the single image and detecting a first temperature boundary around the first hottest point; identifying a first region of interest in the single image based on the detected first temperature boundary, the first region of interest corresponding to one of the at least two electrical components; detecting a second hottest point outside the first region of interest in the single image and detecting a second temperature boundary around the second hottest point; identifying a second region of interest in the single image based on the detected second temperature boundary, the second region of interest corresponding to another electrical component of the at least two electrical components; comparing temperature data of the first region of interest and temperature data of the second region of interest of the at least two electrical components from the single image; as well as generating a warning when a change in said temperature data of said at least two electrical components relative to each other is above a threshold; Wherein the thermal imaging sensor is attached to a portion of the robot, the portion of the robot is sized to pass through the port in the electrical cabinet, and the port is sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal imaging sensor is attached to a robot sized to pass through the port in the electrical cabinet and configured to move within the electrical cabinet.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The thermal imaging sensor is withdrawn through the port after imaging the at least two electrical components.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Record the single image, re-image the at least two electrical components with another single image more than one week after the imaging, compare temperature data of at least one of the electrical components in the single image with temperature data in the other single image, and generate a warning when a change in the temperature data of the at least one electrical component relative to the single image and the other single image is above a threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: The thermal imaging sensor is detachably fixed to the same position for the imaging and the re-imaging, and the thermal imaging sensor is removed from the electrical cabinet between the imaging and the re-imaging.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two electrical components comprise matching components from each of three different phases.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The single image or an equivalent of the single image including a plurality of the electrical components is displayed on a human eye viewable display, and manually defined identifications of the at least two electrical components are received.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: The color temperature range of the single image or an equivalent of the single image is adjusted on the human eye viewable display in response to human input.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: An area of ​​interest on each of the at least two electrical components is identified by detecting a temperature boundary on or around each of the at least two electrical components, the temperature data including data within the temperature boundary. 10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the temperature data for the at least two electrical components comprises an average temperature within each of the temperature boundaries.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a third region of interest is identified by detecting a hottest spot in the single image outside the first region of interest and the second region of interest and detecting a temperature boundary around it, the first region of interest, the second region of interest, and the third region of interest each being located on a matching component from each of three different phases. 12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the single image comprises at least five color temperature ranges, and each of the five color temperature ranges covers between 5° C. and 15° C.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrical components comprise matching components from each of three different phases, the method further comprising: The thermal imaging sensor is attached to a portion of a robot that is sized to pass through the port in the electrical cabinet, and the port is sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet, and the thermal imaging sensor is withdrawn through the port after imaging the matching component.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: Displaying the single image or an equivalent image of the single image including a plurality of the electrical components on a human eye viewable display, adjusting the color temperature range of the single image or the equivalent image of the single image on the human eye viewable display in response to human input, and receiving a manually defined identification of the matching component.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: Regions of interest on each of the matching components are identified by detecting temperature boundaries on or around each of the matching components, the temperature data including data within the temperature boundaries. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the temperature data of the matching component comprises an average temperature within each of the temperature boundaries.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: withdrawing the thermal imaging sensor through the port after imaging the at least two electrical components, wherein the thermal imaging sensor is attached to a portion of a robot, the portion of the robot being sized to pass through the port in the electrical cabinet, the port being sized to prevent a person from entering the interior of the electrical cabinet, and the method further comprising: recording the single image, re-imaging the at least two electrical components with another single image more than one week after the imaging, comparing temperature data of at least one of the electrical components in the single image with temperature data in the other single image, and generating a warning when a change in the temperature data of the at least one electrical component relative to the single image and the other single image is above a threshold.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: The thermal imaging sensor is detachably fixed to the same position for the imaging and the re-imaging, and the thermal imaging sensor is removed from the electrical cabinet between the imaging and the re-imaging.

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