IR Scanning to detect deep-seated hot spots 1

[LouG06103]

I work as a consultant in the property insurance field. Some of my clients are involved in the refuse disposal industry. One problem the industry is having is the issue of "hot loads", a trash hauler that carries a load of solid waste with the beginnings of a deep-seated fire located deep inside of the load. This load gets dumped at a transfer station or recycling facility and, due to increased oxygen as the load spreads out, ignites into a full-blown fire. In many instances, the fire erupts several hours later, when everyone has gone home for the day, resulting in multi-million dollar fire losses.

The question has been asked as to how these deep-seated hot spots can be detected before they turn into uncontrolled infernos. Thermographic scans of the loads, before they are dumped inside of the building, is a suggestion that some people have made. Is there equipment out there that can detect a heat source deep inside of a solid mass? It seems that all of the scanners commonly used can only detect temperature variations on the surface of an object, not deep inside.

Is thermal scanning a viable solution or should I redirect my focus in a different direction?

 

[IRstuff]

While the IR sensors can only see the surface, any interior heat source must manifest itself in an increase in surface temperature, however subtle. Since a decent infrared camera can detect temperature differences of well less than 1ºC, a scan of a load in a hopper will reveal a slightly warmer center if there is an internal source, when compared with a load that has no internal heat.

TTFN

 

[eyec]

This load gets dumped at a transfer station or recycling facility and, due to increased oxygen as the load spreads out, ignites into a full-blown fire.

this is the place to mount IR scanner/monitor.

 

[LouG06103]

IRStuff,

Thanks for the input. Do you know, or could you direct me to someone who could suggest what type of camera would be best suited for this type of application? Detecting a heat source, perhaps no bigger than the size of a dime, buried deep inside of a 40 cu. yd. garbage truck could be rather difficult, especially when trying to scan through the 80 gauge steel truck body.

Once again, thanks for your input. It's encouraging to know that there might be a solution out there.

 

[jabonet]

It sounds to me that IR thermography is not the right tool to detect you "dime", maybe you can detect the fire, when the trash is already out and spreaded over.

there are early fire alert systems, that are able to detect by smeling the posible cause of fire. something like

http://www.safefiredetection.com/,

there are others, the technology has been around for 60 years.

the amount of heat coming from a small heat source (the size of a dime) in something so irregular as trash, will be very dificult to detect, detecting the fire, some minutes before is out of control sounds better for using thermography, they use this in forest fire control.

hope its been useful.

Javier Bonet
Spain

 

[IRstuff]

You won't actually see the source, since its effects are diffused by the intervening material. However, I would suggest that the additional heat load will manifest itself as a slight surface temperature. Whether it's high enough to be a discriminant is not clear.

TTFN