PI 450i CM

Maintaining distribution grids is crucial for sustaining our current way of life. Everything depends on power grids, from food and water supplies to factories, networks, security systems, banks, and all electrical devices. Our modern society cannot function without electricity, placing increasing pressure on energy supply companies. Aging infrastructure and growing demand for low-cost energy have heightened the stress on substations and grids, raising the risk of costly and potentially damaging brownouts and blackouts. To prevent the collapse or destruction of utilities, reliable solutions are needed to increase capacity, maintain reliability, and control costs.

Understanding the thermal distribution of components in a substation is critical. Electrical resistance in these components causes them to degrade, sometimes rapidly, over time. When electrical current flows through these degraded areas, energy is dissipated as heat. Thermal imaging allows for the visualization of these challenges and the identification of potential failures. Utilities are increasingly recognizing that field-based infrared scanning with handheld devices is not the most effective way to monitor temperatures on critical substation components. Positioning thermographers in each substation during peak loads, when problems are most likely to become visible, is challenging.

As part of a preventive maintenance program, thermal imaging cameras can detect failures in electrical utilities before they occur, helping to keep costs under control. If a critical substation component, such as a transformer, overheats and fails, it can be devastating to the power utility. Fixed-install infrared cameras monitor critical components 24/7, maximizing the opportunity to identify components that may need repair or replacement due to temperature increases. However, the broad deployment of infrared cameras has been limited until now due to their high unit costs.

The PI 450i CM package meets the need for continuous monitoring in industrial outdoor environments. This comprehensive package integrates all essential components to effectively monitor equipment and fire hazards, providing early alarms when equipment overheats or when ignition temperatures indicate the onset of a fire. The package includes an infrared camera, an outdoor enclosure with a fan and heating element, a front window air purge, a high-definition video camera, and a USB Gigabit Server for long-distance video transmission.

A key characteristic of the PI 450i CM Package is its wide operating temperature range of -40 °C to 60 °C. This capability ensures the system can be reliably used in both extreme cold and hot climates, making it ideal for applications in harsh environments such as deserts. This flexibility allows the PI 450i CM package to be deployed in diverse settings, ensuring continuous monitoring and protection in the most challenging conditions.

By consolidating and standardizing these elements into a single package, the PI 450i CM Package can be marketed at an affordable price, offering substantial savings compared to custom installations. Enhanced fire safety is achieved by monitoring more areas from multiple mounting locations. The cost-effective nature of this system supports comprehensive area coverage and more effective early fire detection solutions.

Central to the PI 450i CM Package’s detection strategy is the utilization of every pixel in the high-resolution 382 x 288 infrared camera to identify hot spots. The high-speed processors within the PI 450i thermal imager continuously scan the field of view for hot spots that exceed user-defined temperature thresholds. The PI 450i infrared camera includes a process interface port capable of sending alarm signals to external control devices or sprinkler systems. Additional process interface modules can be incorporated to set fire alarm temperatures in various locations within the camera’s field of view, enhancing the system’s ability to detect and respond to potential fire hazards.

The system also supports transmitting high-resolution thermal and video images to a control room PC equipped with PIX Connect Software. This software can be configured to display multiple images from various mounting locations, providing real-time thermal video reviews to identify false positives, such as excavator exhaust pipes or solar reflections on shiny metal surfaces. This feature is crucial in preventing unnecessary activation of fire control systems or emergency evacuations.

Engineered and manufactured in Germany, the PI 450i CM Package is a comprehensive and affordable early fire detection solution. Engineers worldwide are available to assist with installation questions, ensuring the system is effectively implemented and operational in various industrial settings. The reliability, affordability, and advanced features of the PI 450i CM Package make it an ideal choice for utilities looking to enhance their monitoring capabilities and maintain the integrity of their distribution grids.

Thermography software optris PIX Connect is included and license-free.All infrared cameras are delivered with the thermography software optris PIX Connect, developed specifically for the extensive documentation and analysis of thermal images. The Windows-based PIX Connect software enables users to tailor the infrared cameras to meet specific requirements. It analyses live and recorded temperature data and triggers alarm signals for process integration.The key to leveraging the Optris infrared camera is a correct configuration. This includes detailed device-specific configurations such as frame rate, measurement range adjustments, external communication settings, and USB/Ethernet configurations. Moreover, PIX Connect facilitates firmware updates and the download of configuration files over the Internet. PIX Connect Optris offers several different SDKs for our Xi and PI thermal imaging cameras. Depending on the operating platform, the infrared camera, the coding language, and the hardware platform, different software interfaces can be utilized: SDK The Optris IRmobile allows users to set up and commission an Optris infrared pyrometer or infrared camera with an Android smartphone or tablet. This tool becomes handy for commissioning and aligning the infrared camera’s field of view or adjusting the configuration. The app analyzes the connected infrared camera’s live infrared image stream with auto hot and cold spot detection. For pyrometers, a temperature-time diagram or the video signal is displayed. This app works on most Android devices running 5.0+ with a USB port supporting USB-OTG (On The Go). Google Play

Is the PI 450i CM export controlled?

The PI 450i’s high resolution qualifies it for export control in the EU and US markets. Check with local compliance authorities for procedures to manage exports outside the U.S. or European markets.

Can I use the PI 450i CM to measure metal temperatures?

Most metal targets have low emissivity and tend to reflect heat temperatures from any area incident upon the target. IR cameras with long wave detectors like the PI 450i are particularly vulnerable to this low emissivity effect. For this reason, it is best to use a short wavelength camera like the Optris PI 1M (link here) when measuring metal targets unless it is possible to coat or paint the metal part to improve surface emissivity. Emissivity can also be improved on metal surfaces when rough textured or when there are holes or crevices where measurements can be made inside the cavity.

Where is the PI 450i CM made, and do its memory components come from outside the U.S. or the European Union?

The PI 450i CM is designed, manufactured, and calibrated in Berlin, Germany. Some electronic components may be sourced from outside the EU or the US. Still, it is important to note that the PI 450i does not store any thermal images or temperature values in volatile memory. The PI 450i only stores full thermal images, thermal video (.ravi files), and temperature values in the customer PC hosting the PIX Connect software necessary to operate the camera. The camera uses memory components inside the camera electronics, which may be sourced outside the EU or the US to store a reference picture (also called dark picture) of the non-uniformity correction paddle or flag and some reference temperatures used to correct temperature drift. All these memory elements are deleted when the power to the camera head is terminated.

Can the PI 450i CM operate without a connection to a computer?

The PI 450i must be connected to a PC loaded with Optris PIX Connect software to produce thermal images and remote temperature measurements. By eliminating processing in the camera head and leveraging PC processing power, the camera head size can be reduced, and the ambient operating temperature can be increased. Autonomous operation (without the use of a PC) is supported in Optris Xi-series infrared cameras.

Can the PI 450i send temperature information from spots or areas to my PLC?

The PI 450i can send temperature information or temperature alarms from the Process Interface connection on the back of the camera. A cable with integrated electronics and a terminal block is included with the camera. It can be programmed in PIX Connect software as an Analog Input (AI) and Digital Input (DI) to control the camera or as an Analog Output (AO) to control the process. The signal level is always 0-10 V (DI = 24 V). An optional industrial process interface is also available, delivering up to three independent temperature values or alarms to a user-supplied PLC. USB-RS485 adapters are available for applications with output requirements for more than three areas.

Is temperature measurement important for infrared camera-based early fire detection systems?

Yes, particularly when automatic alarming is required. In some markets, accreditation bodies are establishing requirements for temperature measurement capabilities that accurately signal temperature increases of 20°C.

Can I use a thermal security imager and alarm on the hot spots?

While it may be easy for thermal imagers developed for security applications to identify a hot spot on an image, it can be more challenging for cameras not designed to measure temperature to deliver alarms on a series of targets with unique temperature alarm thresholds. Because some potential ignition areas will get warm before they ignite, it may be prudent to establish lower alarm or “pre-alarm” temperature thresholds in some cases. A camera designed and calibrated to deliver accurate temperature measurements on ambient temperature targets may be a better solution when even subtle temperature increases can signal a potential fire threat.

Is infrared camera resolution important?

Almost always. Most infrared cameras can be programmed to deliver an alarm when a pixel or grouping of pixels has exceeded a user-set threshold. If the target to be monitored (e.g., a small wood chip) is very hot but comprises only a portion of the thermal imager pixel, the camera will report a temperature measurement that is the average of the wood chip temperature and the surrounding ambient temperatures.

When will a lower resolution and more affordable infrared camera work for a given application?

When the spot size to be monitored is the same size as a pixel or group of pixels, an example may be a measurement on the side of a large furnace, where it is important to understand the average temperature but not necessary to measure a small spot on the furnace wall.

How do I know the pixel is too large for an accurate measurement?

Infrared camera suppliers who make thermal imagers for temperature measurement will typically host a spot size calculator on their website. The calculator should present the geometric size of a single pixel (IFOV) when the camera, the optics, and the distance from the target are input into the optics calculator.

Will a single pixel or IFOV always be large enough for an IR camera to deliver a measurement consistent with the camera specification?

No. While it is possible to detect a temperature increase with a single pixel, all infrared cameras need more than one pixel to measure temperatures accurately. A 3 x 3-pixel matrix has been used as a rule of thumb to define the pixel coverage necessary for a measurement compliant with specified camera accuracy. However, this can vary significantly depending on the camera and the infrared detector pitch (size). To determine the true Measurement Field of View (MFOV), use the Optris Optics Calculator or check with the manufacturer to determine MFOV.

I have used handheld cameras to measure the temperatures of important mechanical and electrical equipment in my facility. Can I use the PI 450i CM system for these applications?

Yes. Many facilities use fixed-install infrared cameras to monitor critical electrical and mechanical systems, reducing manpower and providing more comprehensive temperature data. Infrared temperature measurements on transformers, fuses, cable trays, rotating equipment, power cables, motor control centers, and switch gear are routinely measured with infrared cameras. They can be measured with properly calibrated fixed-install infrared cameras. In the U.S., the NFPA 70B-2023 Standard for Electrical Maintenance covers important details about using infrared equipment to monitor these systems. It is an excellent guide for any company or facility interested in establishing an internal standard for electrical equipment maintenance. The document references the importance of properly calibrated infrared camera equipment and the use of comparative thermography and small temperature rise to indicate equipment health or future fire hazards. The PI 450i CM is developed and produced in Germany and is calibrated according to government standards. Calibration certificates are available for customers requiring traceability on calibration standards.

Can I connect Optris Infrared cameras to the Video Management System I use for my security cameras?

The signal produced by the camera and converted to ethernet in the USB converter is not formatted for display on standard video management system.

• Process imager PI 450i
• HD video camera
• Outdoor protective housing
• USB Server Gigabit HT
• Air purge collar
• Software package optris PIX Connect
• Outdoor Protective Housing Manual