Sensors, Vol. 24, Pages 6696: Research on Through-Flame Imaging Using Mid-Wave Infrared Camera Based on Flame Filter

Sensors, Vol. 24, Pages 6696: Research on Through-Flame Imaging Using Mid-Wave Infrared Camera Based on Flame Filter

Sensors doi: 10.3390/s24206696

Authors: Fengxun Zheng Guodong Sun Yanpeng Suo Hao Ma Tengxiao Feng

High-temperature furnaces and coal-fired boilers are widely employed in the petrochemical and metal-smelting sectors. Over time, the deterioration, corrosion, and wear of pipelines can lead to equipment malfunctions and safety incidents. Nevertheless, effective real-time monitoring of equipment conditions remains insufficient, primarily due to the interference caused by flames generated from fuel combustion. To address this issue, in this study, a through-flame infrared imager is developed based on the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) radiation characteristics of the flame. The imager incorporates a narrowband filter that operates within the wavelength range of 3.80 μm to 4.05 μm, which is integrated into conventional thermal imagers to perform flame filtering. This configuration enables the radiation from the background to pass through the flame and reach the detector, thereby allowing the infrared imager to visualize objects obscured by the flame and measure their temperatures directly. Our experimental findings indicate that the imager is capable of through-flame imaging; specifically, when the temperature of the target exceeds 50 °C, the imager can effectively penetrate the outer flame of an alcohol lamp and distinctly capture the target’s outline. Importantly, as the temperature of the target increases, the clarity of the target’s contour in the images improves. The MWIR through-flame imager presents considerable potential for the real-time monitoring and preventive maintenance of high-temperature furnaces and similar equipment, such as detecting the degradation of refractory materials and damage to pipelines.