Thermography to survey pipe internal wall loss 3

[mariolucas75]

Dear Forum,

Can anyone share with me the experience or knowledge or advise - is it possible to use thermography imaging to locate potential internal metal loss on piping ?
Different internal surface of piping should have different thermal signature ? What thermography image devise to use ....
There some industrial approaches - but if any of you have any experience ? If I buy for example some flir camera may it work may not it work ?

Thank you

 

[bimr]

What is the issue with using an ultrasonic device to measure wall thickness?

 

[LittleInch]

Given that the thermal conductivity of metal pipe is very high compared to many other materials, I can't see any temperature difference is going to be measurable in terms of temperature difference. You might notice it for a very accurate temp device, but its a new one on me. As bimr says, if you can see the outside, use a U/T probe. Far better and more accurate.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[EdStainless]

The real issue is how would you calibrate?
How much hotter is too much?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[NovaStark]

You'd have too many unknowns and like EdStainless suggests, unless you have some specific way to calibrate against a known standard, you're mostly going to be guessing.

Depending on the process fluid and temperature, wall profile radiography might give some useful results.

 

[Andrew ONeill]

Not reliably, technically it could work, but the temp change is orders of magnitude lower than background noise levels (think issues like different surface colors, sun vs shade, and a whole host of other factors related to how thermal cameras work). But have seem it done extensively to locate scaled / blocked pipelines, vessels and tanks.

Andrew O'Neill
Specialist Mechanical Engineer
Australia