Thermal image fusion

Illustrations of the benefits of thermal image fusion are provided in later chapters in the form of application examples. 

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Figure 7.4 is an example of the value of thermal image fusion in predictive maintenance applications. Here the heated connections are easily identified by fusing the thermal image and the visible image of an electrical panel. 

Figure 8.6 Insulation void on visibly featureless wall is pinpointed using thermal image fusion (courtesy of Fluke Corp.).

One benefit of thermal image fusion in building diagnosties is the ability to pinpoint the location of thermal anomalies on visibly featureless targets. One such example is illustrated in Fig. 8.6. Blending the visible and thermal images of an interior wall surface allows the thermographer to locate an insulation void (blue area) with precision. 

Figure 11.6 illustrates the fusion of a thermal and a visible image from a smoke trial to simulate battlefield conditions. The scene in the visible image (a) is obscured by the smoke. The thermal image (b) shows thermal events clearly but hides some of the visible details. The fused image (c) reveals both visible and thermal details with true registration. The fusion algorithm is proprietary to Waterfall Solutions. 

Infrared Solutions Ti series Portable lightweight (4 lbs) unit featuring uncooled microbolometer FPA detectors from 120 X 96 pixels to 320 x 240 pixels, 8-14 pm, wide selection of temperature ranges, incorporates image fusion feature for blending of thermal and visible images. 

Image fusion, thermal - The fully-registered combination of a thermal image with another mode of image for the purpose of providing an enhanced single view of a scene with extended information content. 

Fusion of a visible and thermal image of a complex electrical panel 83... 

Fig. 7.3 Microscopic image of a fiber HP I sensor made by thermal fusion...

Figure 8. SEM surface images of partly crystallized sections of an activated Fe Zr alloy used for ammonia synthesis [23, 24J The main image reveals the formation of a stepped iron metal structure with a porous zirconium oxide spacer structure An almost ideal transport system for gases into the interior of the catalyst is created with a large metal-oxide interface which provides high thermal and chemical stability of this structure The edge contrast in the 200 keV backscatlered raw data image arises from the large difference in emissivity between metal and oxide It is evident that only fusion and segregation-crystallization can create such an interface structure.

Apart from the simultaneous coupled thermoana-lytical techniques (TG-DSC and TG-DTA), residue analysis appears to have attracted fewer experimentalists than evolved gas analysis. Nevertheless, the ability to observe a sample by thermooptical methods, such as DSC-thermomicroscopy (or optical DSC), DTA-photometry or video microscopy imaging-TG (VMI-TG), as it is heated under conditions of controlled atmosphere and heating rate, provides a valuable supplement to thermal analysis techniques. In fact, DSC is non-specific and cannot distinguish between a phase change and a fusion reaction. Using thermomicroscopic methods... 

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