The so-called infrared thermal imaging technology may be understood as requiring two factors, namely infrared and thermal differences, in order to ultimately form an image. It is understood that all objects above absolute zero (-273 ℃) emit infrared radiation, and due to the different temperatures of different parts of the object, different energies of infrared radiation are radiated outward. Then, a special electronic device is used to convert the temperature distribution on the surface of the object into an image visible to the human eye, and the surface temperature distribution of the object is displayed in different colors. If we consider this process as a pipeline operation, the overall process is roughly as follows:
Analysis of the Application and Development of Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology
An infrared thermal imaging device contains multiple components, such as infrared detectors, optical imaging objectives, optical scanning systems, etc. Each component has a different division of labor, and they are all indispensable roles on this assembly line.
Application Status of Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology
In the past, infrared thermal imaging technology had significant limitations in its application areas due to its high cost, mainly used in non civilian fields. Although infrared thermal imaging technology began to be applied in both industrial and civilian fields in the 1960s.
At present, infrared thermal imaging technology has been widely applied, mainly divided into two categories: non civilian and civilian, with a non civilian/civilian ratio of approximately 7:3. For a long time, except for industry professionals, this technology has been extremely unfamiliar to most people.
Recently, with the new model being reported domestically and spreading globally, it has gradually entered the public eye and become well-known to the public.
For a technology, no matter how cool or flashy it is, what we care most about is its practical application. As for China, although infrared thermal imaging technology has developed rapidly, due to its weak foundation, both non civilian and civilian fields are in a stage of catching up with the level of other countries.
So next, we will provide a detailed introduction to the application and development of infrared thermal imaging technology:
Civilian field
With the development and maturity of infrared imaging technology, the cost and price of infrared imaging products continue to decline, and various low-cost infrared imaging devices suitable for civilian use have emerged. They are widely used in various fields of the national economy and play an increasingly important role. According to Maxtech International, the global civilian infrared market is expected to reach $7.465 billion by 2023.
Even though the growth rate of the civilian sector has far exceeded that of the non civilian sector, the application of infrared thermal imaging technology in multiple industries in the civilian sector is not very extensive, and the future development prospects are very optimistic, which deserves high attention from the infrared thermal imaging industry.
We will observe the application of this technology in the civilian field from various segmented industries or actual application scenarios as follows:
Construction industry:
Analysis of the Application and Development of Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology
At present, although there are many construction enterprises in China, the popularity of infrared thermal imagers is extremely high. If every construction enterprise is equipped with an infrared thermal imager in the future, it will not only promote a significant increase in the demand for infrared thermal imagers in the market, but also greatly improve the work efficiency of construction enterprises and reduce costs.
Medical industry:
Analysis of the Application and Development of Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology
Thermal imagers can accurately display and record the temperature distribution of the human body, which is helpful for pathological analysis. Nowadays, medical thermal imagers have become effective tools for diagnosing superficial, vascular, and skin diseases.
Power industry:
At present, the power industry is the most widely used industry for civil infrared thermal imaging in China. As the most mature and effective online detection method for power, infrared thermal imaging can greatly improve the reliability of power supply equipment operation.
Petrochemical industry:
Practical thermal imagers can detect information related to product transportation and pipelines, refractory and insulation materials, corrosion, rupture, thinning, blockage, and leakage of various reaction furnaces. They can quickly and accurately obtain the two-dimensional temperature distribution of equipment and material surfaces, thereby reducing potential hazards in petrochemical production.
Airport security check:
Airports are typical places where visible light cameras can easily capture targets during the day, but at night, visible light cameras have certain limitations. The airport environment is complex. Poor image quality may result in some alarm times being ignored, but using an infrared thermal imaging camera can easily solve this problem.
Forest fire prevention:
The direct property damage caused by fires every year is enormous, so it is urgent to carry out fire monitoring in some important places such as forests, gardens, etc. According to the overall structure and characteristics of different scenarios, thermal imaging monitoring points are set up at key locations that are prone to fire, and real-time monitoring and recording of the main locations are carried out 24/7 and in all directions, which facilitates timely detection and effective control of fire situations.
Port waterway:
In the application of inland waterways, it is often necessary to calculate the flow of ships, but traditional methods cannot achieve high-precision statistics, and can only measure 50% -70%. Thermal imaging provides the possibility for such applications, which can use thermal imaging to sense temperature, determine the position, speed, quantity, and even intrusion detection of ships.
Border Defense Applications:
Border defense is a very difficult task. If personnel patrol is used and telescopes are used for observation, the observation effect is often poor due to the short wavelength of visible light, resulting in missed, erroneous, and lost detections. Infrared thermography can detect short wavelength infrared radiation, allowing for remote observation and achieving high efficiency even in harsh weather conditions.
Industrial monitoring:
Infrared thermal imaging technology can be used for almost all industrial manufacturing process control, especially for monitoring and temperature control in the production process under smoke conditions. With the help of this technology, the quality of products and production processes can be effectively guaranteed.
Assisted driving:
Infrared thermal imagers are installed on vehicles such as cars, ships, and aircraft, displaying infrared thermal images through infrared technology to provide drivers with auxiliary observation information on the road conditions ahead. Car mounted thermal imagers will be an indispensable civilian market in the future.
Personal consumption:
Consumer thermal imagers are widely used in outdoor exploration, scientific research, and other activities. Currently, some manufacturers have developed mobile phone plug-in imaging cameras that can be used for daily temperature measurement, personal entertainment, and more.
Conclusion
Infrared radiation, a beam of light that exists outside the red spectrum and is invisible to the naked eye, has silently entered reality, from non civilian to civilian fields. The new explosion has further brought infrared thermal imaging technology into the sight of the general public. However, the epidemic prevention battle is only the first wave of practical use of infrared thermal imaging technology, and it will only truly enter the second half under the wave of "AIoT new infrastructure".