Fluke: Thermal Process Monitoring

Temperature monitoring can detect overheating delivery system components, help solve irregularities in electrical power supplies, predict operational machinery failure, detect blockages in supply pipes, and identify product inconsistencies. Given the number of process industries and associated equipment variations, the possibilities for thermal monitoring are endless. One approach is to monitor critical assets the most often, followed by equipment in harsh environments. For example, the sludge, solvents and particulates found in many processes puts extra stress on motors, affecting bearings, windings and insulation. That stress shows up as heat detectable by a thermal imager. Consistent, high quality power is essential for process manufacturing. Thermal imagery can identify bad electrical connections, imbalances, overloads, harmonics, and other impending electrical equipment failures and prevent both uneven or inadequate power supply as well as downtime. Thermal inspections of the bearings, shafts, casings, belts, gearboxes and other components that emit heat before failure can prevent unexpected equipment breakdowns on moving equipment.