Infrared thermography and its role in rural utility environment

The thermal energy emitted from an object can be seen and measured as a thermograph with the help of infrared imaging and measurement camera. This process of measuring heat emission is known as infrared thermography. From a one arrester to a transformer, nearly every piece of equipment on a utility system gets hot before failure. This makes infrared thermography not only a cost effective mean but also a valuable diagnostic tool in improving system efficiency, power quality, workers' safety, and averting outages, valuable equipment failure and line losses. This paper looks at the process of setting up an infrared thermography program, thermography process; describe its advantages, and its usage by rural cooperatives. The paper also accentuates the advancements in infrared technology.