Condition Assessment of Low-Voltage Electrical Equipment Based on Thermal Imaging Control

The paper presents a method of monitoring the technical condition of electrical equipment on the basis of thermographic control. This method is also effective in monitoring the contacts of most switching devices. With timely detection of defects in the contact connections of electrical equipment, the probability of preventing emergencies increases. For the control assessment of defectiveness of electrical equipment, it is suggested to use thermal indicators of the state, which depend on the contact heating temperature. The values of contact heating temperatures from applied materials and type of contacts have been investigated. The optimum values of loading factors of circuit breakers and contactors are presented. Also analyses of industrial accidents have been carried out, which prove the necessity of using indicators and thermal imaging inspection. The proposed method of assessment and control of the technical condition of contacts in real time using the proposed method allows to obtain data in real time and increase the reliability of electrical equipment.