What is Thermal Camera? How does it work?

Thermal Camera takes the image of the cameras we use in daily life from the light. It was first used in night vision systems and military areas. With the increasing area of ​​technology in our lives, these devices have also started to be used in industrial areas. The most widely used place today is engineering applications.

These devices allow to display the heat energy emitted by the infrared rays that are not visible to the eyes. When objects are -273 or higher, thermal energy ( heat ) begins to emit. Thermal camera is very important in energy production and distribution. It provides early intervention to problems that are normal when viewed by eye, but can have serious consequences when viewed with this device. Since the heat changes of the heat emitting objects are not visible, this device prevents malfunctions in the power plants.

How Do Thermal Cameras Work?

Since the thermal camera takes the image from the heat, the image reflected on the screen is not an image that can be distinguished by non-specialists. In the photo taken by this camera, light colors show warm regions and dark colors show cold regions. Blue indicates the coldest region, while yellow indicates the hottest region. Depending on the temperature value of the environment, red color also appears when changing from blue to yellow.

In which areas are thermal cameras used?

Our power plants operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Any tiny problem can leave a huge area without electricity, stopping the system. Thanks to the thermal cameras used, the problem is quickly determined, necessary actions are taken and loss is prevented. The areas where these devices are used the most are as follows:

• In the electricity sector; It is used in the determination of the cable connection problems in the heat density formed during the electric current.
• In the construction industry; It is used to detect metal fatigue in steel structures, to detect moisture and mold under the plaster, and to measure the energy rate of the houses.
• In the industrial sector; It is used to detect damages caused by friction due to the lack of lubrication of motors and rotating parts.
• It is used to determine where the error originated in the formation of illegal water.
• It is used in the firefighting area to see people among the fumes and to identify the starting point of the fire.
• In medicine, it is used to detect high fever diseases.

It is used in electronic optic devices to measure and detect temperatures with thermal cameras . These devices make it possible to see living things with the energy they emit from their bodies. In short, it determines the location based on body temperatures. These devices also have analysis software. Thanks to these software, all materials have infrared emissions. Each object has its own heat dissipation. This is called emissivity . Emissivity varies between 0 and 1. If the object is black, emissivity is 1, while another color other than black is below 1.

These devices make our life easier, like many technological products that have entered our lives. It makes life of people working in the electricity sector safer. In addition to all these, it ensures the security of residences, workplaces, schools and hospitals, and responds to problems that may arise in a short time. We have underground public transportation vehicles such as metro, marmaray, especially carrying thousands of passengers a day. Thermal cameras are actively used in these vehicles to prevent problems and thousands of people not to be victims .