In nature, all objects above absolute zero (-273.15℃) constantly emit electromagnetic radiation correlated with their physical properties and temperatures. This phenomenon is known as thermal radiation. Objects emit thermal‑radiation waves of different wavelengths at different temperatures. Thermal‑imaging technology uses infrared‑sensitive detectors and optical imaging objectives to capture the infrared‑radiation‑energy distribution pattern of measured targets and project it onto the photosensitive elements of infrared detectors, so as to obtain infrared thermal images corresponding to the thermal‑distribution field on object surfaces. Simply put, thermal imaging converts invisible infrared thermal‑radiation energy emitted by objects into visible video images. What, then, are the applications of thermal imagers? The editor from Kaimorui will elaborate below.

Its applications are listed as follows:

1. It can be used for maintenance and inspection of electrical equipment. It also proves useful in security and anti‑theft operations, roof leakage detection, environmental inspection, energy‑saving testing, non‑destructive flaw detection, forest‑fire prevention, medical examination, quality control and other scenarios.
2. It monitors problems of generators and motors, such as unbalanced loads, excessive bearing temperatures, overheating of carbon brushes, slip rings and collector rings, short‑circuits or open circuits in windings, blockages in cooling pipelines, and overheating caused by overloads.
3. It monitors transformers for abnormal conditions including overheating of bushings, overloads, loose connectors, poor circulation in blocked cooling tubes, bad contacts and unbalanced three‑phase loads.
4. It can monitor sudden natural‑environmental changes such as volcanic eruptions and landslides.
5. It detects potential hazards of electrical installations, such as poor contacts, overloads, loose connectors, overheating and unbalanced loads.

The security‑monitoring sector has witnessed rapid domestic development. A major selling point of thermal imagers lies in their immunity to lighting conditions, enabling round‑the‑clock monitoring. During the COVID‑19 outbreak, for instance, thermal‑imaging technology was deployed at key transportation hubs and delivered solid technical support for epidemic prevention and control.