Thermography of Refrigerated Facilities

by Phillip McMullan
Thermo-Scan Inspections
Carmel, Indiana

The use of non-destructive testing methods to examine the thermal envelope of low and medium temperature refrigerated facilities is the subject of this article. Commercial refrigeration is similar to the refrigeration that occurs in your household refrigerator. Simply, it is the process of removing heat from an area and transferring that heat to a place where it makes little or no difference.

Equally important in the refrigeration process are the mechanical refrigeration system components and the thermal envelope of the area being refrigerated. This area defined by the thermal envelope, often referred to as the refrigerated box, is of critical importance in low and medium temperature applications.

Medium temperature refrigeration typically ranges from 28 degrees F to 40 degrees F with most operating at just above freezing, 32degrees F. A home refrigerator's fresh food compartment is a good example of medium temperature refrigeration. Low temperature refrigeration produces temperatures below freezing. Temperatures can range from just under 32 degrees F, such as in making ice, to low temperature food storage which generally starts at 0 degrees F to as low as –20 degrees F. Frozen meats, vegetables, and dairy products are items preserved by low temperature refrigeration. Extra low temperature facilities used to fast freeze will reach temperatures of –50F.

The use of non-destructive infrared imaging of the refrigerated box provides an invaluable dialogistic tool. The presence of any type of breach in the box can create havoc with the refrigeration system. As the system works to remove latent and sensible heat from the cooler, the uncontrolled addition of ambient air can cause a number of problems including additional energy consumption, product loss and thermal envelope damage.

This story will detail the procedures of non-destructive infrared evaluation on two commercial refrigeration facilities and report the findings of these inspections...

Click here to read the entire article

Straight from the World Wide Web, here is what's going on in the world of infrared thermography.

science/technology

• Keeping Cool on the Ice
  Ivanhoe Broadcast News, FL - Jan 3, 2008
  To design the new jersey, a thermal imaging camera maps out heat patterns on athletes. Researchers can then see where different types of fabrics would be...

• Tactical Applications for Thermal Imagers
  Officer.com - Dec 26, 2007
  That said, though, I do know a bit about thermal imaging and how it can benefit tactical teams. The thermal imager can bring advantages unobtainable with ...

• PathFindIR – Car Thermal Imaging
  The Future of Things - Dec 21, 2007
  Developed by the US Company FLIR Systems, PathFindIR is a compact thermal imaging camera for cars, designed to ensure safe driving even on the darkest ...
  
   

• The Restless Atmosphere Of Venus
  Space Daily, CA - Dec 4, 2007
  ... Italy, who used the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) instrument on Venus Express to discover and study the structure. ...
  
  
   

Medicine/veterinary

• Infrared Camera Might Predict, Prevent Complications in Patients ...
  Medgadget.com, CA - Dec 27, 2007
  Thanks to a newly developed supersensitive infrared camera from Argonne National Laboratory, early diagnosis and possible prevention and/or treatment of ...
   

• Thermal imaging is option to mammogram
  Arizona Republic, AZ - Dec 12, 2007
  Answer: Thermal imaging, or thermography, is a diagnostic tool that can detect irregular patterns in the breast and other body tissues. It is a painless, ...
   

Buildings/energy/infrastructure

• A Threat So Big, Academics Try Collaboration
  New York Times, United States - Dec 26, 2007
  Joby Carlson of Arizona State University showing how an infrared camera is used to detect surface temperatures. By CLAUDIA H. DEUTSCH It is a basic tenet of ...
   

• Mansfield home now a model for energy efficiency
  Mansfield News Journal, OH - Dec 11, 2007
  An infrared camera was used along with a blower door guided air leakage reduction test. The work, which included insulating the attic, took about five or ...

Here is a selection of recent new threads by IR Community members. Feel free to click the links, see the responses, and post your own response if you like.

• Tree Health
  I had a request by a tree specialist to scan a tree. I suggested that compressed air be sprayed inside the suspected dead areas after a sunny day. The air may show colder in the scan.
  Any thoughts, as I don't think this will work.

• Pricing in California
  Hi I'm an Infrared Thermographer in Mass. I have a job to do in Beverly Hills, California. It's going to be a roof inspection, and an electrical inspection. What do they charge out there? Any suggestions would be great.

• Heat Loss - Feedback Appreciated
    I would appreciate some feedback on the attached image as to the potential causes of the heat profile.
    The image was taken at night (approx 23:00) with an ambient temperature of approximately 2degC and an internal temperature of approx 22degC. There was no wind and there had been no rain for over 24 hours (although fairly heavy rain experienced for a number of days previously).
    The area in question is located at the South West corner of the building and there are a number of other buildings in close vicinity, with the same brick built structure.
    The building is a ward in a hospital. The 2nd and 3rd storey windows are visible in this thermogram (I have another image showing the ground floor and will attach this later). The 3rd storey window is open.
    I want to build up my 'building survey' experience and certainly do not proclaim to be an expert in this field but would like to put some initial thoughts to the mercy of this forum:
    1) Could this purely be a result of air leakage from the open window (unlikely since the only open window is on the 3rd floor).
    2) Could this be water penetration from a potential guttering issue at roof level (The way the warm area spreads out as you move down the building gives this indication).
    3) Is this some sort of 'corner effect' since the area is well protected from the elements by adjacent buildings.

• * sign before temperature on B2
  What is the meaning of the * sign before a temp on the B2 camera? (there was a + sign also) It showed up at 134f but did not show up at 141f which was clearly over scale.

• I'm still new at this, but what is this?
  I just took some quick shots of my house. It's about 20 degrees f outside probably 65-70 inside. Is this picture telling me at the top of my window I have air exfiltration. Also is the other pic telling me I might not have an air barrier or moisture barrier behind the vinyl siding?
   

• Insurance
  I've bought a B2 and attended Level I certification. Now I'm having trouble finding professional liability insurance, because of potential mold issues related to moisture surveys (roofing). Can anyone steer me towards any insurance company or agent that can help me find some coverage. I've already passed on one job that would have paid $2,500. Thanks for your help.

• Group image corrections and pallett changes to P65 JPEGS
  Hello - I have large numbers of jpegs from my P65 that need post capture editing and correction. I would like to do group changes in pallet and span but can not use the "saved format" of reporter and InfraView for my report writing. They are needed to be used in the original jpeg format with out the border, etc. I have had to resort to editing each individually on the camera to obtain this result and am growing weary (as is my camera!) as image numbers grow to hundred for processing the desired and necessary results. Please help.

Brainteaser of the Month 

Here is this month's brainteaser. Readers who email us a correct identification or explanation are entered into a drawing to win a prize. Please put "Brainteaser" as the subject of the message.

Click here to email your guess

Do you have an interesting image that you think would challenge other thermographers? If so please email me your image (preferably in native .img, .jpg, .tif, .tgw, or .tmw format) with an accompanying visible photo and explanation. If your image is used, you receive a gift as well.

Last Month's Brainteaser

Can you spell Zamboni? Yup, this is the ice surface at a hockey arena just after the Zamboni made a pass as it reconditioned the rink. Cool thermal patterns (look at the temperature span). We had 98 guesses and 21 correct answers.

Congratulations to Bryan Worley, our winner this month, and to Gord Gonie from Edmonton, Canada (of course) for submitting the thermogram. They both get the ITC low e coffee mug.

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