Hydrogen fires emit very little radiation in the visible band, indeed in daylight they are effectively invisible. This is a serious safety hazard particularly in the aerospace field where hydrogen is widely used as a rocket propellent. A practical imaging system has been developed to detect the non-visible radiation that these fires do give off. The emission spectrum,atmospheric transmission, background emission and reflection have been quantified under various conditions. This shows thermal wavelengths are well suited for this application. A low cost, uncooled, staring array TV compatible thermal imager has been optimised for this. The resultant image is 'punched through' to super-impose the flame on a bore-sighted visual TV image. Finally the integration of this equipment into the sophisticated C.C.T.V. observation system on the N.A.S.A. space shuttle launch pad is discussed.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Hydrogen-fire detection using thermal imaging and its application to space launch vehicles


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Thermosense XII: An International Conference on Thermal Sensing and Imaging Diagnostic Applications ; 1990 ; Orlando,FL,United States


    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1990-03-01





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English