Energies, Vol. 19, Pages 766: Thermographic Diagnosis of Corrosion-Driven Contact Degradation in Power Equipment Using Infrared Imaging and Color-Channel Decomposition

Energies doi: 10.3390/en19030766

Authors:
Milton Ruiz
Carlos Betancourt

This study presents a measurement–modeling pathway for diagnosing corrosion-driven contact degradation in power equipment using infrared thermography and color-channel analysis. Thermal data were acquired with a Fluke Ti450 (LWIR, 7.5–14 μm) under typical high-altitude, temperate conditions in Quito, Ecuador. Radiometric parameters (emissivity, distance, ambient/reflected temperature, and humidity) are reported explicitly, and images are processed with a reproducible pipeline that combines adaptive thresholding, morphology, and region-of-interest statistics, including ΔT relative to a reference region. A worked example links an observed hotspot to emissivity-corrected temperature and discusses qualitative implications for the effective contact resistance Reff. Uncertainty is summarized through a per-case template that propagates uΔT to u(Reff) and Weibull characteristic life η. Environmental influences (solar load, wind, and emissivity variability) are acknowledged and mitigated. Two field cases illustrate the approach to substation assets. Because the dataset comprises single-visit inspections, formal parameter estimation (e.g., EIS-validated Reff and full Weibull/Arrhenius fits) is reserved for longitudinal follow-up. By making radiometry, processing steps, and limitations explicit, the study reduces ambiguity in the transition from temperature contrast to physics-based interpretation and supports auditable maintenance decisions.

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Milton Ruiz www.mdpi.com