Displaying items by tag: Teledyne FLIR

The world of hazardous manufacturing and production can be complicated enough without adding extra elements to your workload. Hot work permits are often seen as being an essential part of working in hazardous environments - but what if you could inspect without this having to provide copious amounts of paperwork??

A multinational chemical manufacturing company has recently begun to do just that; freeing up time and labor to redeploy throughout its workforce.

Typically, inspecting in Zone 2 hazardous environments requires getting a hot work permit signed off by a manager. This can consist of extensive manual paperwork and requires that work ceases for at least one hour prior to inspection. It also requires that all potentially explosive materials (such as combustible dust and gases) are carefully measured and monitored to reduce the possibility of ignition.

To inspect key components of machinery in these challenging environments, thermal cameras are often used to identify hotspots, gauge the temperatures of machinery and check that parts such as valves are operating within expected parameters. Unfortunately, these cameras pose an indirect risk to the safety of the facility themselves because they are not intrinsically safe by design - which is why hot work permits must be approved prior to use.

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Safer inspection - with the FLIR Cx5
The FLIR Cx5 is a thermal camera specifically designed to provide safer inspections in hazardous locations. The rugged housing which encases the lithium-ion powered thermal camera ensures high-performance thermography without the inherent risk associated with non-intrinsically safe products.

Whether in hazardous locations dealing with gas, vapor, dust or (in this case) combustible chemicals, it entirely eliminates the need for hot-work permits.

On site at this chemical plant, it allows operators to safely inspect areas that deal with extreme heat, such as the refractory which runs at 1400°C at its core. Operators can clearly see the external temperature of the brick-lined vessel and check to ensure it’s working within guidelines. The FLIR Cx5 is also used in this facility to monitor rotor pumps, the temperature of bearings and the level of liquid inside vessels.

Hours of time, freed up to better serve your facility
A spokesperson for the facility explains: “Use of hazardous area certified equipment is always preferable as the source of ignition is removed and a hot work permit is not required.

“Generating a hot work permit is labor-intensive as a request must be made, the permit to work prepared and all applicable areas confirmed free of flammable gases (and, of course, this only confirms that flammable gases are not present at that point in time). All-in-all, we’re probably looking at 3 hours’ work for each individual inspection - which the Cx5 eliminates - and means we can better put it to use elsewhere.”

With a 3.5-inch touchscreen interface that is simple to use, and the 160 × 120 thermal resolution reveals the accurate temperature measurement of nearby targets between -20 and 400°C. Add the FLIR Cx5 to your toolbox and you’ll always be ready to investigate mechanical and electrical equipment around your production site - with no hot work permit in sight.

Discover how you can free up time and maximise productivity in your facility with the FLIR Cx5.

About Teledyne FLIR
Teledyne FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for defense and industrial applications with approximately 4,000 employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company creates advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.teledyneflir.com or follow @flir.

Published in Technology News
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The Si124 range of acoustic cameras now detects air leaks from 2 - 65 kHz - and the small change means big operational improvements for industrial applications across sectors.

The Teledyne FLIR range of acoustic imaging cameras, the Si124, Si124-PD and Si124-LD, now offers an improved bandwidth range for detecting compressed air leaks in industrial settings. The change means that the industry-leading range can now detect leaks from anywhere between 2 to 65 kHz and adds crucial functionality to the previous peak bandwidth of 35 kHz.

While it may seem like a minor change, the operational impact of the improvements cannot be overstated: it means marked savings for industrial applications globally, reducing costs and improving reliability.

The improved Si124 range promises easier, more impactful inspections

The range of three cutting-edge Si124 models are now equipped to measure virtually all compressed air leaks in manufacturing settings - regardless of how small and seemingly insignificant. This unique range covering 63 kHz is scientifically the optimal sound spectrum range for detecting leaks, which occur on this measurable threshold. Detecting ranges outside of this spectrum actually detracts from long-term functionality as detecting background noise beyond 65 kHz can interfere with baseline readings and negatively impact leak detection.

Failure to detect air leaks can cost companies thousands of pounds in replacement costs for units that are not operating optimally, and can have a knock-on effect on production when parts are replaced and production lines forced into downtime.

Federico De Lucia, Team Lead of Condition Monitoring Specialists (EMEA Solutions) at Teledyne FLIR explains why this seemingly small change cements the Si124 range as operating across the optimum bandwidth for detecting compressed air leaks in industrial applications.

“Let’s look at, for example, a compressed air leak from a small hole of just 1.5 millimetres and on a network of compressed air at seven bars of pressure. Two years ago, with a price of €0.07 per kilowatt hour, that would have cost a company roughly €1500 (£1300) per year, if we assume an average operating time of 6000 hours.

“Now that the energy situation is more challenging, it means that costs may be three, four, even five times higher in some cases, which could be a cost of up to £7500 a year - which is a shocking amount simply for failing to identify a single small hole in a vital production component. This is staggering when you consider the scale of industrial manufacturing and the scope for leaks to crop up unnoticed.”

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Tightness testing is an outdated model

“The EV industry is a particularly timely example of how acoustic imaging can be used to replace outdated inspection models, given the rising cost of energy on all fronts.

“This is because the batteries for electric vehicles must be hermetically sealed to ensure they hit operational guidelines and safety standards. They must be both airtight and watertight to keep dirt, dust and other external contaminants from penetrating the core components, which could cause the device to short-circuit and become a fire risk.

“Traditionally, these units were probed by mass spectrometers to identify foreign compounds within the casing or through the more rudimentary method of immersing the units in water to identify leaks by looking for air bubbles - which we call tightness testing - but this was incredibly impractical, as well as wasteful.

“Teledyne FLIR’s improved range of acoustic imaging can detect leaks quicker than this outdated model as well as identify much smaller leaks that are not visible to the naked eye, able to be heard by the ear, or even detected on traditional thermography. The improved bandwidth range of the Si124 ensures that operators are only focusing on the exact and specific frequencies that compressed air leaks can be detected on - and not wasting valuable battery power or AI functionality struggling to filter out avoidable background noise on higher frequencies.”

Lighter and more ergonomic than any other acoustic imaging camera for industrial inspections

As well as benefiting from the optimum range of bandwidth for compressed air leak detection, the Si124 range also offers clear advantages for inspectors in industrial applications.

The Si124 range is incredibly lightweight. In fact, it is almost 60% lighter than rival models on the market at just 1.25kg including the battery. This makes sure that they can be used with a single hand, freeing up the operator to carry out harder-to-reach inspections in challenging environments. The lightweight range can be used for up to two hours and can even be operated in a range of challenging industrial settings from between –10°C to 50°C (14°F to 122°F), making it one of the most robust models available.

The acoustic imaging camera range is able to detect problems up to 10 times faster than traditional methods, including detecting air leaks, minimising excess utility costs and making avoidable equipment failures in pneumatic machinery a thing of the past.

The range also has an agile AI which uses projective algorithms to estimate how much a detected compressed air leak will cost by evaluating the air lost in real-time, calculating the spend per kWh and displaying an expected saving per year. Critically, this ensures that inspectors have valuable evidence needed to justify any incurred repair costs across the production line.

The Si124 range also benefits from Thermal Studio: a FLIR-exclusive plug-in which is able to build reports with more than 100 images quickly with fully customizable templates, overlays, and formulas. It streamlines thermal imaging analysis and ensures that inspectors are able to analyse, edit, segment and edit thermal video.

The improved FLIR Si124-PD, Si124-LD, and the original Si124 Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera models are available for purchase globally from Teledyne FLIR and its authorised dealers. To learn more or to purchase, visit https://www.flir.com/products/si124.

About Teledyne FLIR 

Teledyne FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for defense and industrial applications with approximately 4,000 employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company creates advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.teledyneflir.com

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Wednesday, 19 October 2022 09:32

Teledyne FLIR to exhibit in ADIPEC 2022

Teledyne FLIR a world leader in gas detection and monitoring technologies will present its newest products and innovative solution for gas detection and monitoring from booth 11600 in Hall 11 at ADIPEC 2022 one of the largest events of its kind from the 31 October to 3rd November at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates hosting more than 150,000 energy professionals and visitors worldwide.

The oil and gas industry faces many maintenance issues, from invisible gas leaks to failing electrical or mechanical systems. Teledyne products and solutions help survey facilities faster, troubleshoot failures, target the source of leaks, and maintain regulatory compliance and help inspectors, managers, and technicians around the world solve problems quickly and avoid expensive shutdowns

FLIR optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras are used throughout the Oil and Gas industry to detect methane and other hydrocarbon emissions from the extraction, transmission, and processing of petroleum and natural gas. These cameras visualize hundreds of invisible gases, allowing inspectors, engineers, and maintenance crews to identify leaks safely without having to shut down critical systems.

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At the booth will be displayed the FLIR GFx320 representing ground-breaking technology for visualizing fugitive hydrocarbon leaks at natural gas well sites, offshore platforms, liquid natural gas terminals, and more. Its certifications for use in hazardous locations allow surveyors to work confidently while maintaining safety. FLIR designed the GFx320 with the user in mind, offering ergonomic features such as the articulating LCD screen to help you avoid fatigue during all-day surveys.

In the spotlight will also be he FLIR GF77 is a ground-breaking uncooled optical gas imaging camera with interchangeable lens options that detect methane, sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), ethylene, ammonia, and other gas emissions. Capable of both gas detection and radiometric temperature measurement for thermal inspections, the GF77 is ideal for electric power utilities, oil and natural gas operations, chemical/manufacturing facilities, the food and agriculture industry, and first responders.

To be showcased are the FLIR T-Series thermal cameras for efficient condition monitoring offer the flexibility, precision, and features needed to inspect equipment safely and prevent breakdowns. This includes the T865, T518 and T1020 (service Demo).

On the booth, ADIPEC visitors will also view a big range of Extech products including the RH250W, a compact hygro-thermometer and the AN250W, a compact airflow meter with Bluetooth® connectivity, which allows building and maintenance professionals to view and share relative humidity, air velocity and temperature data directly from a mobile device using the free ExView app. Others in the range include LT250W, SL250W , RPM250W, HDV640W and many more.

Visitors will also have the great opportunity to view the Teledyne FLIR Test and Measure products from clamp meters, Multimeters, Moisture Meters, IR thermometers and IR windows known for their great accuracy and durability.

For more information, please visit https://www.flir.com/applications/industrial/

About Teledyne FLIR
Teledyne FLIR, a Teledyne Technologies company, is a world leader in intelligent sensing solutions for defense and industrial applications with approximately 4,000 employees worldwide. Founded in 1978, the company creates advanced technologies to help professionals make better, faster decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.teledyneflir.com or follow @flir.

Published in Oil & Gas
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