WHAT IS INFRARED (IR) THERMOGRAPHY IR Thermography is the technique of producing pictures called from the invisible thermal radiation that objects emit. This is a non-contact means of identifying electrical and mechanical components that are hotter than they should be, often an indication of impending failure; it also indicates excessive heat loss which is normally a sign of faulty or inadequate insulation. ELECTRICAL SURVEYS Electrical distribution systems are the most critical items within office buildings and industrial sites. There are considerable benefits to be gained by protecting these systems and reducing unplanned stoppages See pages 4-5
BUILDING SURVEYS IR Surveys of commercial, industrial and domestic buildings allow you to ensure compliance with Part L of the building regulations (2010), or ISO 18436 for Energy Efficiency purposes, effectiveness of insulation, the detection of leaks in Flat roofs and the penetration of moisture in structures See pages 6-7 MECHANICAL SURVEYS Wear, fatigue and friction are major factors which often lead to failure of components and complete systems resulting in expensive remedial action and costly downtime. Regular surveys as part of your maintenance program can substantially reduce expensive losses and unscheduled downtime See pages 8-9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SURVEYS To ensure compliance with the regulations, or to satisfy the policy requirements for your building insurance company, for fire risk mitigation or, as part of a predictive maintenance programme, IRISS is able to offer a fast, reliable and professional service. Insurance statistics reveal that associated with electrical equipment damage, loose connections cause 25% of all failures to switchboards, switches, circuit breakers and cables. This type of fault is easy to detect using Infrared cameras, trained operatives can now trace, quantify and trend the fault, this then allows the management of the site to plan repairs during planned stoppages instead of the panic reaction involved when sudden failure occurs, yet alone the possible risk of fire.
All commercial electrical installations should be inspected and tested regularly to comply with the requirements of the IEE Regulations 2008-17th Edition, which in July 2008 brought testing into line with European standards and introduced Electrical Installation Condition Reporting. Additionally, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 also requires those in control of part, or all, of an electrical system to ensure that the system is safe to use and that it is maintained in a safe condition. As an added safety measure IRISS also conducts an Ultrasound check of the electrical equipment to see if there is any Arcing, Tracking or Corona presents and also where applicable a Partial discharge test is conducted to see if there is any Transient Earth Voltages Present.
BUILDING SURVEYS Infrared inspections of buildings are now an established field of expertise with specialised training courses available for building envelope inspections, roof inspections, damp and mould identification, etc. A thermal image makes it simpler to see where insulation is missing or air is leaking in or out of a building. Any object that is not transmitting, generating or absorbing heat will take on the surrounding air temperature, so cold air leaking into a building (or missing insulation on a heated building) will cause cold patches on the wall, floor or ceiling. Conversely, warm air leaking from a building will cause warm patches on the outside of a wall or roof. The Benefits of Infrared Thermography Are: Quick inspections Results are easily shown visually Identifies the areas of air leakage Shows thermal insulation defects Reveals the efficiency of heating and cooling installations.
Part L2 of the Building Regulations, which applies to commercial buildings, require that reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of fuel and power in buildings or parts of buildings, other than dwellings by limiting the heat losses and gains through the fabric of the building. Heat losses through the roof, wall, floor, windows and doors must be limited by suitable means of insulation. Heat gains in summer must also be limited and heat losses should be limited through unnecessary air permeation by providing building fabric which is reasonably airtight. IRISS offers their professional, high-standard services to meet the requirements of Building Regulations Part L2 (b) for commercial or domestic projects by investigating insulation continuity, paths of air leakage, under floor heating inspections or for general building energy efficiency reports.
CRITICAL MECHANICAL SURVEYS As with electrical inspections Thermography has proved invaluable in a number of industries for mechanical inspections. The principal behind mechanical inspections is that when in operation all mechanical equipment will generate certain thermal patterns, these patterns can change significantly due to friction, lack of lubrication, lack of efficient cooling, etc. At IRISS we also utalise vibration analysis and ultrasound inspections in our mechanical inspection regimes. When all these technologies are used together for an inspection they ensure any diagnosis is verified by three sources and allow for much more accurate predictions regarding maintenance shutdowns, etc the IRISS Plant Condition Report gives you all of the readings from these inspections in one easy to read report.
Typical Faults That Can be Identified Using Thermography Are: Misalignment, unbalance Machine and component looseness Damaged shafts, vanes and blades Bearing defects, cracks and spills Gear defects Improper lubrication Tank level measurements
IRISS OVERVIEW About IRISS IRISS industrial-grade Infrared (IR) windows give customers an efficient way to safely inspect electrical equipment without exposure to the risk of a hazardous arc flash or electrocution. Our unique window designs feature a durable, clear polymer lens that allows visual, UV and short/mid/longwave IR spectrum inspections and are available in custom shapes and sizes to fit the needs of any application. Through our Safety and Maintenance Academy of Reliability Technologies, IRISS offers many unique training and certification classes that provide the practical experience and knowledge necessary to complete electrical maintenance inspections safely and efficiently. IRISS Limited IRISS Limited surveys are conducted by fully qualified thermographers who are also qualified electrical or mechanical engineers. With many years of experience, each surveyor is equipped with the highest standard of thermal imaging equipment available today. All cameras carry valid calibration certificates and we only use the most current analysis software to provide you with a professional, accurate report. IRISS Limited is a proud members of the UKTA, BINDT and is Lloyds and UL registered for ISO 9001:2008. IRISS is proud to be the preferred providers of thermographic services to leading facilities management companies, telecommunications, airports, data centres, paper mills and manufacturing sites with some of the best known global brands.
IRISS for Safer, More Efficient Infrared Surveys Full Report IRISS recommends an annual full report for Electrical and Mechanical Surveys. Electrical Systems Survey Full Reports can include: Bus bars & Tap-offs Distribution boards & LV switch panels Critical Mechanical Survey Full Reports can include: Pumps & Motors Gearboxes Other critical components IRISS supplies a detailed report in an electronic and hard copy format which include a summary of actions required on an immediate, earliest opportunity & next maintenance basis. Mechanical surveys also include vibration analysis. Images obtained provide trend analysis on the performance of each asset. Report by Exception Recommended bi-annually, this shorter survey report includes all electrical and mechanical assets but only reports on areas of concern. Domestic Building Blower Door Test Report This special test report allows for detailed diagnostics of the following: Air tightness Air leakage & Duct leakage Natural air infiltration rates Air sealing effectiveness The short report confirms the effectiveness of insulation, highlights areas of heat loss, water ingress and penetration through walls, moisture courses in flat roofs, and defects present in under floor heating. IRISS IR Windows and Training IRISS also offers industrial-grade IR windows that provide an efficient way to safely inspect electrical equipment without exposure to a hazardous arc flash. IRISS SMART Academy offers several training & certification classes that deliver the knowledge & practical experience to complete electrical inspections safely.