Time to decide

It is important to note that NFPA 70E stands for minimum safe practices, not recommended procedures. Any qualified person wishing to perform a task that exposes them to electrical hazards must carry out a full risk assessment, including an assessment of the risk of electric shock and electric arcing. At first glance, this may seem confusing and contradictory. On the one hand, NFPA 70E does not mandate spark arc-resistant PPE and clothing while performing an infrared scan. On the other hand, the technician may find that PPE may be required in his or her specific case even though it is not required by NFPA 70E.

The 70E Committee considers that as long as the equipment is live, the risk of arcing remains. In Table 130.7(C)(15)(A)(a), we note that spark-arc resistant PPE may or may not be required depending on the tasks and conditions. Spark-resistant PPE may be required for personal safety even though it is not required by NFPA 70E. As mentioned earlier, 70E represents the minimum acceptable requirements and there is a possibility that these requirements may need to be exceeded. This is an example of why the user of NFPA 70E should know the entire Chapter 1 if performing tasks on electrical equipment.

There are no exceptions: ignoring the risks associated with a task under NFPA 70E will only result in you ending up in a burn centre sooner. Nobody wants to end up there. This is an area where being lazy can change the thermographer's life forever.

In addition, the person removing the enclosure must wear full spark-resistant clothing and PPE. Once the enclosure has been removed, the area secured and checked for potential hazards, the thermographer can enter and perform the scan with the PPE required for that level of risk.

Summary

Wearing spark-resistant clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for thermographers may now become a personal decision in some cases. Remember that OSHA requires employers to provide PPE and employees to wear such PPE if there are hazards. A hazard/risk analysis can indicate whether such PPE is necessary and this analysis should be properly recorded.

Consider the following questions when deciding whether or not to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for thermographers:

• What would your life be like after a serious spark incident?
• What would follow for your family and friends? How would your life change if you were maimed or disabled?
• How sure are you that there are no defects in the equipment you are about to scan?

The NFPA 70E committee (and I) sincerely hope (hope) that no one ever finds themselves in a situation where they have to answer these questions because of an electrical incident. If it is really inconvenient to wear the required PPE or if there is simply no room, a viewing window can be considered.

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What are electrical parameters?

Every piece of equipment that uses or moves electricity has a set of electrical parameters. These are classifications and codes, such as CAT specifications and protection classes (IP codes), which are aligned with standards set by specially appointed teams of professionals. Understanding the electrical parameters of a device will help you better understand how to test its performance and how to keep it and yourself (and those around you) safe. Some examples of electrical parameters are impedance, inrush current, power factor and voltage drop.

What are the CAT specifications of the multimeter?

Digital multimeters are suitable for different electrical parameters, so you should check for proper CAT specifications, IP codes and independent verification symbols to ensure that the meter you select has been tested by an independent laboratory and is safe for your measurements.

When determining the correct overvoltage category (CAT II, CAT III or CAT IV) of the installation, you should always select an instrument that is suitable for the highest category in which you can potentially use the instrument and select a voltage standard that is suitable for or exceeds these situations. Meters with a CAT specification are designed to minimise the risk of an arc in the meter. Ratings are usually located near the inputs.

To give an example: if you are preparing to measure a 480-V power distribution panel, you should use a meter that is at least CAT III-600 V compliant. This means that a CAT III-1000 V or CAT IV-600 V may also be suitable in this situation.

The two-digit IP code indicates your meter's resistance to dust and water. It describes the size of dust particles that are retained and to what depth your multimeter can be submerged while continuing to function.

Degree of protection against ingress of solids

The second digit of an IP rating indicates the level of protection against water.

Degree of protection against water ingress

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At Fluke, we test our products for safety so that they go to the limit. Only when the test team is no longer able to interfere with the instrument's operation can the instrument be released for production. The goal is to ensure that a Fluke digital multimeter can withstand the most demanding real-world conditions time and time again. And that you, the user, remain safe and can return home every day. We also ensure that our products are independently tested to back up our claims.

What are security measures for multimeters?

Safe use of digital multimeters is important. Before taking a measurement with your multimeter, inspect it visually. Check the meter, measurement probes and accessories for signs of physical damage. Make sure that all plugs are tightened securely and look for exposed metal or cracks in the housing. Never use a damaged meter or damaged measuring probes.

After the visual inspection is done, check if your multimeter is working properly. Never just assume it is. Use a known voltage source or a monitoring device, such as the Fluke PRV240, to check that your meter is working properly. This is a requirement of NFPA70E (US) and GS38 (Europe).

Working with electricity always involves risk. Know what these hazards are and take appropriate precautions before you start taking measurements. Be aware of the possibility of spikes such as momentary overvoltages and arcing or sparking.

1. Always assume that any electrical component in a circuit is live until you have taken the steps to positively discharge it. Shock occurs when the human body becomes part of an electrical circuit. So pay attention to the position of your body when working in electrical environments.
2. Make sure you use the right personal protective equipment (PPE) in every situation. This means both on the body (i.e. gloves, headgear) and near the body (i.e. insulated rubber mats). These are required when working on or near live and exposed electrical circuits of more than 50V.
3. Never work alone on or near exposed and live equipment. Stay safe and make sure you and your partner are also aware of the surroundings. If possible, do not perform measurements in damp or wet environments and make sure there are no atmospheric hazards nearby (i.e. combustible dust or vapour).
4. Finally, keep an eye on the display of your digital multimeter for any visual warnings. It can alert users to irregularities such as unsafe voltages (30 V or higher) at the measurement probes.

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1. Communicate

Part of a successful business is how we communicate with each other and building a strong culture of safety. Looking at a climate of safety communication can include things like goal setting and incentive programmes. Instead of looking at accident and injury rates, Dr Pettinger suggests focusing on the positive. By focusing on accidents and injuries, “a lot of safety reporting goes underground. And it can unintentionally damage the culture.” Instead, try focusing on the quality of safety inspections or the number of employees participating in a safety initiative. In general, people are more motivated when they try to improve something, rather than avoid or reduce something (e.g. injuries).

Instead, focus on setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, which are more useful and have a positive impact on the climate of safety within the company. Dr Pettinger says: “[The goal] should be an actionable, observable behaviour that you want to reinforce, versus, for example, ‘Do your best.’ So make it specific. Make it achievable. Make it relevant to the people around you and not just you. And visualise it, make people see its importance.”

It is also important to be aware of how you talk about certain processes. This can also affect how the climate is perceived throughout the company. Dr Pettinger gave an example of how climate can affect employees negatively: “If you hear, ‘We need to get this machine running.’ There is a certain time pressure. There is a slight pressure and nobody is literally telling you ‘Skip things’, but you feel that pressure of climate compared to other cultures that say, “I don't care how long it takes. Take your time. Do it safely. Don't get hurt.”

2. Make it personal

Creating a safety plan that focuses on the individual will keep you engaged with it throughout the working day. Dr Pettinger has seen success in changing the way meetings are held at the beginning of the shift and making training more customised.

More employee engagement at the beginning of the shift has had a positive effect for many companies. Instead of just looking at what needs to be done and what the previous shift left out, Dr Pettinger recommends taking time during each meeting to discuss potential risks and how they can be mitigated. “Make sure you get those answers from the people in your group. As a good manager, it is important to let them find the solution themselves,” says Dr Pettinger.

When it comes to training and teaching, different approaches are possible. Michael Brooks, a Fluke customer, has had success with one-to-one training at his company, Great Southwestern Fire and Safety. Taking the time to go through the safety steps and ensuring that the knowledge and experience one employee has is transferred to the next. Brooks said, “What they learnt, they themselves could transfer to another new colleague. It's not the same people instructing and learning and growing all the time. We have really worked hard to maintain this positive attitude among our staff.” This has not only contributed to employee safety, but has allowed the company to grow over the years.

3. Keep building

Building a strong culture of safety does not happen overnight. Many companies fall under the so-called ‘toxic cycle’. In this cycle, new initiatives start strong, but eventually lose momentum and are completely ignored after some time. Then another new initiative is started and the cycle repeats itself. However, no real change is seen based on these initiatives and both the climate and culture of safety remain the same.

Instead, companies must find a way to achieve the “virtuous cycle”. This is all about patience and perseverance. “Culture is something that is very difficult to influence. It sometimes takes three to five or even 10 years to change,” Dr Pettinger said.

Once a new initiative has started, set short-term goals to make it feel more like progress is being made. Not only will individual employees feel they can be more influential, but management can also keep track of what changes have been initiated. Once people see the value of the new process, it will become self-perpetuating, ingrained and help your organisation create a culture of safety.

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Myth 2: The more personal protective equipment, the better

Whether to wear personal protective equipment, and how much, is not a matter of personal choice. A component can fail at any time. Perfectly working circuit breakers can suddenly malfunction while troubleshooting. If an arc occurs just by opening a cabinet, wearing the right personal protective equipment can mean the difference between life and death. Electricians and technicians should follow the detailed personal protective equipment requirements in European standard EN 50110 “Operation of electrical installations”, which defines electrical safety in the workplace. However, requiring workers to wear personal protective equipment classified for a much higher risk level than required by the environment does not necessarily make them better protected.

“More personal protective equipment is not necessarily better,” says Kevin Taulbee, Electrical Engineer and Safety Trainer at Power Studies, Inc. “It's all about using the right personal protective equipment. Doing a proper hazard analysis before the job is important to equip employees with the right PPE. Too many people just buy arc-resistant moon suits and thick high-voltage gloves for cable workers for their in-house maintenance workers and electricians. Class 2 electrical gloves are not necessary if they never come into contact with a voltage of more than 480 V, and they offer much less freedom of movement. As a result, an electrician is more likely to drop tools or test leads when working on a live panel.”

In addition to choosing the right PPE, it is possible to choose hand tools designed to make it easier to operate buttons and dials when heavy gloves are worn. It is also possible to reduce the number of personal protective equipment required in some cases by equipping workers with non-contact infrared instruments (IR instruments), such as thermal imaging cameras, infrared thermometers and wireless monitoring sensors. These tools allow workers to capture data from outside the arc zone. Removing the need to work within an arc boundary, especially when switching or troubleshooting, increases the overall level of safety for workers.

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Myth 3: All test leads and fuses are the same

Often technicians consider test leads and fuses as basic components without paying much attention to quality. Regardless of the quality of the multimeter, it is only as safe as the test leads used and the fuses inside. These components provide essential protection against current and voltage spikes that can cause serious injury to the user.

Choosing the right test leads

The main task of test leads is to connect the digital multimeter to the device to be tested, but they are also a first line of defence against electrocution. Measurement leads that are poorly made, worn out or not suitable for the work to be performed can produce inaccurate readings and pose a serious shock hazard if touched with the wrong wire. When choosing measurement leads, pay attention to the following:

• High-quality materials and robust construction
• Classification for the relevant measurement category as specified in EN 61010 and the voltage level of the application. The category (CAT) of the measuring leads and accessories must match or exceed the category of the DMM.
• Exposed metal corresponding to the energy potential of a specific measurement.
• Retractable measuring pins, measuring pin sleeves or measuring pins with shorter ends to prevent accidental short circuits.

Choose high-quality replacement fuses

Current safety standards require that digital multimeters are equipped with special high-power fuses designed to keep the energy generated by an electrical short circuit within the fuse housing. This protects the user from electric shock and burns. When it is time to replace fuses, always choose high-power fuses approved by the meter manufacturer. Cheaper generic replacement fuses increase the risk of serious injury.

Myth 4: The only way to accurately measure voltage is to make contact with a test lead.

In the past, connecting test lead probes or crocodile clips directly to electrical conductors was the best way to obtain accurate results. However, this requires metal-to-metal contact, which increases the risk of arcing and possible injury to the person measuring or damage to the equipment being measured.

Recently, a novel technology introduced that detects and measures voltage without metal-to-metal contact. This technology isolates the measuring instrument from the voltage source under test. To measure voltage, electricians and technicians slide only one conductive wire into the open fork of the hand-held measuring instrument. Because they are not exposed to live contact points, there is less risk of electric shock and arcing.

The myths mentioned above are just a small selection of the safety issues that should be considered when working on live equipment. The best way for a facility to ensure that employees fully understand and comply with all relevant electrical safety regulations is to develop and maintain a solid safety culture based on the needs and environment of that particular facility.

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Anyone who makes a living working with electricity soon develops a healthy respect for anything that could be even remotely live. Yet time constraints and stress due to the critical nature of the equipment can lead to carelessness and uncharacteristic mistakes even in the most experienced electrician. The list below provides a quick overview of what not to do when measuring electricity.

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1. Replacing the original fuse with a cheaper one. If your digital multimeter meets current safety standards, that fuse is a special sand-filled fuse that will burn out before an overload can reach your hand. If you change the fuse on your DMM swapped, always replace it with a fuse approved for the instrument.
2. Use a piece of wire or metal to bridge the complete fuse. This may seem like a quick fix for when you unexpectedly do not have a spare fuse with you, but that fuse is the only thing separating you from the voltage spike coming your way.
3. Using the wrong tool for the specific job. It is important that your DMM is suitable for the work you will be performing. Always ensure that your measuring instrument has the correct safety specification for the work you are doing, even if this means changing DMMs throughout the day.
4. The cheapest DMM choose. You can always switch to a more expensive model later, right? Maybe not, either, if you become the victim of an accident. This is because the cheap measuring instrument did not have the safety features indicated. Always look for statements from independent testing laboratories.
5. Leaving your safety glasses in your breast pocket. Get those glasses. Put them on. It's really important. The same goes for insulating gloves and flame-resistant clothing.
6. Working on a live circuit. If at all possible, de-energise the circuit. If you do have to work on a live circuit, use properly insulating instruments, wear safety goggles or face shield; and insulating gloves, remove watches and jewellery, stand on an insulating mat and wear flame-resistant clothing instead of ordinary work clothes.
7. Failure to provide proper safeguards and texts against reactivation of the installation.
8. Use both hands when measuring. Do not do this! When working on live circuits, use the following trick: Keep one hand in your pocket. This reduces the risk of a closed circuit through your chest and heart. Hang the measuring instrument if possible, or place it somewhere. Touch the instrument with your hands as little as possible to minimise exposure to the effects of transients.
9. Neglecting your test leads. Measurement leads are important for the safety of the DMM. Make sure your measurement leads also have the right safety specification for the work you are doing. Preferably use measurement leads with double insulation, insulated input connectors, finger protection and non-slip surface.
10. Keep using your old measuring instrument. Today's measuring instruments have safety features no one had heard of a few years ago; features that are worth modernising your equipment and are a lot cheaper than a visit to the emergency room.

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What does measurement have to do with energy saving? It's all about efficiency and the end result.

Industrial facilities need to consume energy to stay in operation, produce or generate data, whatever it is, and most facilities waste too much electricity in the process. They are inefficient users of energy. Twenty years ago, facility managers did not worry about energy efficiency - energy was cheap. As energy became more expensive, managers became increasingly interested in reducing their energy bills, but the measures had to be translated into business terms.

Where is the tipping point where waste is so great that it makes sense to address it?

To answer this question, you need to measure how much energy you consume for the different types of labour (systems) in your building and compare it with the standards. This will give you a good overview of how much wastage is taking place. By taking multiple measurements, you can determine what the root cause of the wastage is. The three points of an efficiency comparison are: 1) the amount of wastage combined with 2) the cause and 3) the cost to address it.

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When does saving energy make sense?

Energy conservation makes sense for facilities that want to reduce overheads to increase productivity - facilities that want to do more with less, not just spend less.

Inspection of energy use helps identify opportunities to increase efficiency and gives the facility manager the tools to understand which energy-saving activities make sense, given the facility's primary objectives, and which energy savings do not yield enough return or are too far out of priorities. The greatest opportunities are usually found in facilities with old, large, energy-consuming systems that have not been optimised. Other good candidates are production facilities where not much automation or controls have been implemented, as well as facilities with large steam or compressed air systems.

How much can be saved?

According to the US Department of Commerce (DOE), facilities can reduce their energy bills by up to 25%, but how much can actually be saved depends on a number of things. First, it is necessary to look at what systems are in place and what activities take place in the facility. In particular, large loads that have never been mapped to the utility's tariff schedule, in order to take advantage of the cheapest dayparts, may well yield significant savings. A facility that processes mainly small taxes may not be able to benefit from this option. Secondly, it is necessary to assess how inefficient the building's systems are. A newer, well-maintained facility will not offer as many savings opportunities as an older facility, where systems and equipment no longer meet recommended settings and maintenance procedures.

When you think of energy waste at home, you probably think of draughts penetrating through gaps or old light bulbs being replaced by LEDs. But what kind of “energy waste” occurs in a mixed-use factory or facility?

Using energy to heat or cool air and forcing the ventilation system, which then leaks out of the window, forces the system to overproduce and thus overconsume. How many other systems in the facility work harder than they should because of clogged filters, oversized motors and so on?

So yes, waste can certainly occur in a factory or mixed-use facility, both in terms of lighting and the building envelope. But are these the first types of waste to be addressed?

You can only answer that question if you record energy consumption at all major loads, link it to both the tariff schedule and the operating schedule, and calculate efficiency. Often, so much can be saved in a facility on maintenance and operating processes for major equipment that enough money is saved within a few years to accelerate the replacement of this equipment with a less wasteful model.

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Reducing energy consumption when budgets, time and resources are limited

Work from a baseline.

The starting point is to identify where and when energy is used and by what. Once the facility's owners, managers and technicians know exactly how much energy is needed to run the business, relative to the amount of energy being wasted, they can make decisions and determine a strategy. To achieve this status, it is advisable to check the latest utility bills and look for any penalties and charges related to demand during peak hours. Download a copy of the tariff schedule from the utility's website so that you know what energy units cost at different times of the day, compared to your operating schedule. If necessary, contact the utility company directly; they will be happy to help you.

Then instruct your own electricity team or an electrical engineer to log power at main utility entrances and at feeders to the largest systems and loads. Record kW, kWh and power factor over a representative time period. This gives you a very accurate picture of actual energy consumption at three-phase circuits and loads. The biggest savings are often made by shifting load processes to dayparts with cheaper energy costs.

Which systems cause the biggest energy waste?

Assess not only the electrical supply system, but also look at your electromechanical, steam and compressed air systems. These systems are usually full of energy waste, which is nevertheless easy to solve.

Electromechanical
There are five common types of energy waste in an electromechanical system: 1) electrical, 2) mechanical/friction, 3) scheduling, 4) control and 5) sizing/efficiency.

A Fluke 1738 use advanced Power Energy Logger to investigate the energy consumption of a mechanical system

1. Voltage/current overload and unbalanced phasing are two of the most common energy wasters in electromechanical systems. Both electrical problems can be detected with Power Quality Analyzers and thermal imaging cameras.
2. Energy waste in mechanical systems manifests itself as overheating, as well as excessive vibrations. These can be detected with thermal imaging and vibration meters. Possible causes range from cooling and airflow to bearing alignment and other causes of friction. So perform a thermal scan on couplings, shafts, belts, bearings, fans, electrical components, termination/connection box and windings - all options that may be operating inefficiently and thus wasting energy.
3. As mentioned earlier, one of the simplest solutions for saving energy is to log energy consumption at large electromechanical loads during a full operating schedule. Determine when equipment consumes the most energy (often at start-up) and check whether usage times can be shifted to dayparts when consumption rates are cheapest.
4. Using the same consumption log, compare the operating schedule with the frequency at which the appliance consumes energy. How much energy does the appliance consume when not in operation? Without automatic switches, most appliances have to be switched off manually to stop energy consumption, and manual operations are often not performed. Not all appliances can be switched off, but most appliances can be put on standby. Operation can vary, from simple to fully automated; and from operation using sensors and timers to flexibly inactive machines and capturing business processes in a PLC.
5. Scaling and efficiency levels. Especially in older facilities, it is common for business processes to change but loads to remain unchanged. This means that a large, expensive, start-up motor sometimes drives a system that does not need that much power at all. Branch managers are naturally inclined to use large equipment for as long as possible. However, it is worth looking at how much power the motor uses, compared to the actual load requirements and compared to a new, highly efficient unit of the right size. Calculate how much excess power is consumed and multiply that value by the rate payable. Also determine how long it will take for a new motor to pay for itself: sometimes it makes sense to replace equipment before it breaks down. If not, consider whether you can set the controls to regulate output.

Steam
Process heating accounts for a significant proportion of controllable operating costs and the system should be inspected regularly to avoid various energy waste scenarios.

To start with, record energy consumption at the boiler to establish a baseline for energy consumption. Next, inspect the distribution system, including steam traps, manometers, insulation, pumps and valves. Use a thermal imaging camera to detect faulty steam traps, leaks, blockages, value problems and condensate failures: the aim is to return as much pre-heated condensate as possible to the boiler.

You can also use a thermal imaging camera to check for steam leaks. Check for loose or missing insulation and the proper functioning of all steam traps; clean the inside of boilers and check steam transport pipes for blockages. By performing all these actions, you can detect energy waste and help your team plan energy-saving solutions. Many of these can often already be implemented through maintenance, rather than capital expenditure.

Compressed air
A 100-hp air compressor can consume about $50,000 in electricity annually, and 30% of that electricity goes to pressurising air that is never used due to distribution leaks and waste during operation. However, many facilities have never assessed the efficiency of their compressed air processes. When more air pressure is needed, many facilities will purchase and deploy an additional compressor, not realising that they can get more pressure from their existing system.

Compressed Air Challenge studies show that only 17% of compressed air users see efficiency as the goal of compressed air system management, but 71% simply want a consistent, reliable air supply. That philosophy manifests itself during operation: facilities with pneumatic equipment often lack even simple solenoid valves, which drive the compressor continuously. Staff on the shop floor often see compressed air as a free resource, using it to clean the work area and even to cool down.

To identify and quantify the level of waste, you can start by logging energy consumption over a full duty cycle across all air compressors. This will give you an insight into how much energy is needed to produce current air pressure levels. Also, using a pressure calibrator record the psi at the compressor output and compare it with the point of use. This allows you to determine the pressure drop and check that the psi required by the manufacturer for pneumatic equipment use is achieved; do not “just use” too much pressure. By connecting a pressure module to a logging multimeter to perform these tests, you don't need to invest in specialised equipment right away. Finally, you can still use a sonic Industrial Imager to scan as much of the air pipe surface as possible to determine the location and extent of air leaks. Find out how great the returns are with these air leakage calculator.

Conclusion

Ultimately, you can make great strides to improve energy efficiency at plant level with these simple and logical best practices. Individually, they already add value, but in combination they can be a treasure trove of energy savings.

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Reducing energy waste

Air leaks cause compressed air-powered equipment to have to work harder, leading to energy wastage. The likelihood of air leaks in the factory is further increased by the presence of older equipment accumulated over the last few decades due to consolidation of several factories. In such a noisy environment, any leaks are difficult to hear, so most leak detections are carried out outside factory hours.

“We usually wait until it is very quiet in the building, outside working hours or during a maintenance shutdown, and try to detect air leaks by listening as closely as possible,” says the maintenance manager. “We also use bottles of soapy water to spray on an area where we think there is a leak and then see if air bubbles form.” This spray-and-see method requires members of the maintenance team to be close enough to the potential leak to hear it and then spray the soap solution on the right area.

The other method used to detect compressed air leaks is detection with ultrasonic air leak detection equipment. This method can only be carried out by a well-trained person and detecting all leaks takes quite some time. Small leaks can be very difficult to hear with the human ear and not all leaks are in easily accessible places. So detection can be a difficult task.

Make visible what you cannot hear

When Fluke approached this manufacturer about whether it would cooperate in testing the Fluke ii900 Sonic Industrial Imager, which can detect leaks up to 50 metres away in a noisy environment, this one was rather sceptical but very willing to try it.

The testing involved both the head of maintenance and the maintenance engineer, who alternately examined the entire plant for leaks for eight hours with two ii900 Sonic Industrial Imagers. The ii900 allowed them to ‘see’ sound while checking hoses, fittings and connections for leaks. The leak survey had a surprising outcome for the production team.

Within one working day, they found around 143 leaks, both large and small.

“I did have some doubts about the leaks the tool found, so I sprayed those spots with soapy water and indeed saw that there was a leak where the tool indicated there was one,” says the maintenance engineer.

The maintenance manager was particularly impressed by the ii900“s ability to find even the smallest leaks. ”Small leaks are very difficult to find,“ he says. ”I noticed there were leaks that the ii900 detected that we would never have found by spraying soapy water on them. We found one leak in an air pipe in the paint room that we could not feel by holding our hand above it or by listening, but it was clear that this leak had been there for some time."

The ii900's built-in acoustic array of sensitive microphones generates a spectrum of decibel levels for each frequency. Based on this output, an algorithm calculates a sound image called a SoundMap™ and this is projected onto a visible image. The SoundMap is automatically adjusted to the selected frequency level to filter out background noise. The SoundMap is updated 10 to 20 times per second on the screen.

Long-range air leak detection

The team quickly detected a leak at 26 feet in an upper air line.

“I was amazed at how easy it was to pick up the Fluke sound imaging camera and walk through the aisles to scan spaces overhead and still detect leaks very quickly,” says the maintenance manager.

The production team recognises that not only are very hard-to-detect leaks now easy to detect, but the ii900 can save significant time and costs. “Once we have found and fixed most of the leaks the first time, we can probably do a follow-up and scan the whole plant in one shift of about eight hours.” That way, huge savings can be made on overtime costs because they can already scan for air leaks during the normal day shift, instead of outside working hours.

It also leads to less energy wastage and wear and tear on equipment. “Air leaks also cause the company to lose a lot of money,” says the maintenance manager. “They are very hard to detect, so it is also difficult to send the maintenance team to the right place. Now we can take a picture of the leak with the Fluke sound imaging camera and send it to our maintenance teams as part of the work order, and it is much more cost-effective. We think it will save us a significant sum of money, both on labour and energy costs.”

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A partner in air leak detection

How do you make sure you are not behind the curve in controlling air leaks when you have so many other priorities? That is the question a leading heavy equipment manufacturer recently saw answered when it discovered a new partner in the field of air leak detection.

This manufacturer uses between 3058 and 4417 m3/h of compressed air daily. That volume of compressed air serves up to 200 instant tools per line, as well as the process equipment responsible for moving large sheets of steel half an inch thick and positioning parts. Even if there is a leak in one line, it can affect production and increase energy wastage. And that's just one leak...

When Fluke offered the company the chance to develop the new Fluke ii900 Sonic Industrial Imager (Acoustic Imager), they immediately agreed. The ii900‘s array of small, super-sensitive microphones detects sounds in both the range of human hearing and the ultrasonic range and, even more uniquely, allows the user to actually ’see' sound for air leak detection.

“That we can now visualise where the problem is, adds a whole new dimension,” says the company's maintenance manager. “You can identify which thread, coupling or hose the leak is in. It's great to be able to identify on screen exactly where the leak is coming from.”

The ii900 can visually scan large areas up to a distance of 50 metres, speeding up detection of air leaks in the plant and significantly reducing the number of hours previously spent on that task.

“Sometimes we can find and repair as many as 30 to 40 leaks in a few hours,” says the manager. “And we can use the ii900 during production time, when extreme noise is produced, and still find leaks at the roof level 6 to 9 metres away.”

Scanning for leaks without affecting production offers a big advantage for the manufacturer. “Before, it didn't occur to us to test for air leaks during production because we couldn't cordon off the aisles and get people out of a certain area to go up and look at a possible leak,” says the manager. “Now we can stand along the sidelines and scan the air ducts above us while carts and people move underneath. We don't affect their operations and it's better for everyone.”

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Detecting and fixing leaks is not easy

Unfortunately, the most common leak detection practices are rather primitive. An old-fashioned method is to listen for hissing sounds, which are almost impossible to hear in many environments, and spray soapy water on the area of the suspected leak, which is messy and could potentially be a slip hazard.

The current tool for detecting compressor leaks is a ultrasound detector, a portable electronic device that recognises high-frequency sounds related to air leaks. Typical ultrasonic detectors help find leaks, but their use is time-consuming and repair staff can usually only use them during scheduled downtime, while servicing other critical machinery may be a better use of time. These instruments also require the operator to be close to the equipment to find leaks, making the instruments difficult to use in hard-to-reach places such as ceilings or behind other equipment.

In addition to the time required to detect gas and vacuum leaks with suds or ultrasonic detectors, there may be safety issues with these techniques regarding finding leaks above or below equipment. Climbing ladders or crawling around equipment can be hazardous.

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Pioneering for gas and vacuum leak detection

What if there was a leak detection technology that could determine the exact location of a leak up to 50 metres away, in a noisy environment, without having to turn off equipment? Fluke has developed an industrial thermal imaging camera that does just that. Industrial maintenance managers call the ii900 Sonic Industrial Imager “Pioneering” for compressed air leak detection.

This new acoustic industrial camera, which can detect a wider frequency range than traditional ultrasonic devices, uses the new SoundSight™ technology to provide enhanced visual scans of air leaks, as well as thermal imaging cameras detect hotspots.

The ii900 features an acoustic array of small, super-sensitive microphones that detect both sonic and ultrasonic sound waves. The ii900 recognises a sound source at a potential leak location and then applies algorithms that interpret the sound as a leak. The results produce a SoundMap™ image, a colour map overlaid on top of the visible-light image, - showing exactly where the leak is. The results are displayed on the 7-inch LCD screen as a still image or real-time video. The ii900 can store up to 999 image files or 20 video files for documentation or compliance.

Large areas can be scanned quickly, detecting leaks much faster than other methods. Filtering can also be done by intensity and frequency ranges. A team at a large factory recently used two ii900 prototypes and detected 80 compressed air leaks in one day. The maintenance manager said that using traditional methods it would have taken weeks to find that number of leaks. By quickly detecting and fixing leaks, the crew also avoided potential downtime, which can cost an estimated $100,000 an hour in lost productivity at this plant.

Where to find leaks:

• Links
• Snakes
• Tubes
• Fittings
• Threaded pipe connections
• Shortcuts
• FRLs (combinations of filter, regulator and lubricator)
• Condensate traps
• Valves
• Flanges
• Gaskets
• Air supply boilers

How much air do you waste?

The first step in controlling gas and vacuum leaks is to estimate the leakage rate. Some leakage (less than 10%) is to be expected. Anything more is considered wastage. The first step is to determine your current leakage load so that you can use it as a benchmark against which to compare improvements.

The best method for estimating leakage load is based on your control system. If you have a system with start/stop control, simply start your compressor when there is no demand in the system - after working hours or shifts. Then measure a number of compressor cycles to determine the average time before the loaded system is unloaded. If there is no equipment in operation, the unloading of the system is due to leakage.

Leakage (%) = (T x 100) ÷ (T + t)T = load time (minutes), t = relief time (minutes)

To estimate the leakage load in systems with more complex control strategies, place a pressure gauge downstream of the volume (V, in cubic metres), including all secondary boilers, mains and pipes. If there is no demand in the system, except for leakage, bring the system to normal working pressure (P1, in psig). Select a second pressure (P2, about half the value of P1) and measure the time (T, in minutes) it takes the system to drop to P2.

Leakage (cfm free air) = [(V x ( P1 - P2) ÷ (T x 14.7)] x 1.25

The multiplier 1.25 corrects leakage to normal system pressure, taking into account lower leakage as system pressure decreases.

Efficiently fixing and repairing leaks can lead to significant cost savings for air-dependent businesses. Companies can not only save on energy consumption by repairing leaks, but can also improve production and extend the life of equipment.

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Curious about what solutions Fluke has to offer regarding power quality issues and energy savings?

Belgium is electrifying. Solar panels, inverters, home batteries and heat pumps are here to stay. Via the charging station, the electric car also gets a place in the network, as a consumer, but also as a buffer capacity and energy supplier.

All this makes the challenges of managing generation, storage and consumption of electrical energy in homes and buildings enormous. Electrical components are being added and distribution boards expanded.

With safety first, we need to take the necessary action to have a clear understanding of the constantly changing situation. Fluke must -and is- going along with this. Adhering to the time-honoured ‘measuring is knowing’ adage. But ‘what’ should I measure to know ‘what’.

In this half-day seminar, you will learn what Fluke can offer as measurement solutions.

Retrospective

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Programme

09.00-9.45:

• PQ – Power Quality

10.00-10.45 am:

• EV - Charging stations

11.00-11.45 am:

• Decentralised generation systems

12.00 -12.45 pm:

• Thermography

12.45pm:

• Sandwich lunch

Fluke has the tools to give you insight into the puzzle of the electricity network within your company. LHM has the expertise to assist you in the various aspects of this.

From the perspective of the T&M expert - we take you through a helicopter view with what Fluke measurement solutions can do for you.