Application of an IR Thermographic Device for the Detection of a Simulated Defect in a Pipe

Abstract: An infrared (IR) temperature sensor module developed for the detection ofdefects in a metal plate is modified for defect detection in a pipe. A module giving closesensor arrangement and maintaining a constant distance between sensor and measuredobject is developed and utilized in the present modification of the IR thermographic device.The defect detection performance is experimentally investigated, and the measuredtemperature is compared with the computed temperature distribution and with a previousexperimental result. The outcome of this experiment indicates that detection of a simulateddefect is readily obtainable, and the measured temperature distribution is better for defectdetection than with the previously utilized device. The comparison of standard deviations ofdifferent sensors clearly indicates an improvement in the location of defects in this study.Also, the measured temperature distribution is comparable to the one calculated using a heatconduction equation. The device developed for defect detection here is suitable forimplementation in chemical processes, where most vessels and piping systems arecylindrical in shape.