Analyzing precise current temperature and transitions is essential to monitoring weather and the physical environments for humans, animals, and crops. Rugged, durable fire detection is a key requirement for safety of our homes, work places, medical centers, and combat vehicles and aircraft.
In most such examples, remote sensing and non-contact temperature sensing is a requirement, either because the temperatures being measured would destroy the monitoring equipment, or because a direct probe would damage or otherwise affect the subject, or because we wish to monitor large geographic areas from the skies. That’s why our remote detector and non-contact infrared temperature sensors are classified as nondestructive testing techniques by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing.
Remote sensors and non-contact sensors are both less expensive and much faster for data collection on the ground, while leaving their targets or objects undisturbed. Dexter temperature sensors also offer the ability to detect movement in a target area by sensing changes in temperature. In this way, they can be used as motion detectors.
For 40+ years, our thin-film infrared sensor technology has been the most reliable and durable platform for non-contact infrared temperature measurement. Withstanding up to 1,000G’s of mechanical shock and 30G’s of random vibration, these tiny wonders can provide non-contact temperature sensing accuracy up to 0.1 degrees C.
Recently, intensive MIL-STD-883H testing performed by Trialon Corporation, an independent testing facility, confirms that our silicon-based temperature sensor detectors meet the rugged requirements of 1,000G for mechanical shock and 30G in random vibration, delivering the class standard for ruggedness at a significantly lower price. Because of their accuracy, sensitivity, and rugged durability, Dexter infrared detectors are the detectors of choice for military and combat aviation fire sensing, for NASA space missions and for patient health and safety in a hospital operating room.
Remote sensing generally refers to the use of aerial sensors to identify and classify objects on the surface of the Earth or in its atmosphere and large bodies of water (oceans and lakes) with the data transferred through a wireless or radio frequency strategy. The infrared temperature detectors of Dexter are also employed in remote sensing, detecting the horizon in many space missions, and more famously for helping to map the ozone layer of the Earth.
Our non-contact infrared temperature detector sensors also are used to monitor industrial and biological targets where direct contact could damage or alter the subject or where the heat of the monitored target would destroy equipment coming into direct contact, such as monitoring the temperature of molten steel for optimum process control and to measure final product quality.
There are a few basic types of infrared detectors; two of these are photonic and thermal. Photonic detectors sense light or other electromagnetic energy. Their response time may be faster and their sensitivity higher, but photonic detectors must be cooled to reduce thermal noise to acceptable levels and require more complex and more expensive engineering. For this reason, they may also be significantly less rugged and durable. For more details about thermal detectors, contact us.
In any application, Dexter’s remote non-contact thermal temperature detectors are passive thermocouple sensors. Our detector sensors use the self-powering thermoelectric effect to detect natural radiation that is continuously emitted or reflected by the target. Unlike photonic technologies, our infrared detectors are world famous for their low thermal noise.
Beautiful in their simplicity, Dexter thermopiles self-power to respond to absolute temperature and to changes in local temperature or temperature gradient from which they generate an electric output signal. This is the thermoelectric effect. There are many applications across a wide range of fields, including industrial process control, environmental monitoring, medical patient care, fire suppression systems, and for manufacturing product assurance.
Dexter infrared thermopiles are used by medical professionals to measure body temperature, and by operating room anesthesiologists to measure the exhaled gases of the patient. Dexter infrared detectors are also used in industry as heat flux sensors and gas burner safety controls.
Other uses include: continuously monitoring temperatures and chemistry throughout the steel making process. Another use of Dexter Research thermopiles may occur at the end of this process, as molten steel cools, to measure the cooling curve to determine its carbon content.
In many gas-fed home and office appliances, such as ovens and water heaters, the infrared thermopile could continuously monitor the pilot light for safety – if the pilot light goes out the dropping temperature of the thermocouple closes the gas valve in the unit. No unburned gas, no potential for explosion.
Incident radiation as low as a few μW/cm2 may be effectively measured by thermopiles, and it is here that Dexter’s proven ruggedness adds important safety and reliability. Because of their acute sensitivity, some laser power meters also use infrared thermopiles. In manufacturing, Dexter thermopiles can test prototype electrical and mechanical apparatus – for example, to confirm that the temperature rise of switchgear under the specified current remains within design limits.
If you want to understand explore the wide-ranging benefits of infrared sensors for temperature sensing, please contact us today.