China Aerospace Science and Technology successfully developed a high-end refrigeration infrared thermal imager

[ China Instrument Network Instrument R&D ] A few days ago, 25 China Aerospace Science and Technology Institutes independently developed a new generation of small-size, high-performance, high-resolution, low-power cooling infrared thermal imagers. According to reports, the product has reached the leading domestic level.

(Photo courtesy of the Second Astronautics Institute)

In nature, as long as the temperature is higher than the absolute zero (-273 °C) objects can radiate electromagnetic waves. Infrared is the most widespread form of electromagnetic waves in nature. It is an energy that is invisible to the naked eye. Any object in the normal environment will produce its own molecules and atoms moving in a random manner, constantly emitting thermal infrared energy.

Infrared thermal imaging technology is to turn invisible infrared radiation into visible thermal imaging technology. Infrared thermal imaging cameras mainly use infrared radiation that is used to detect target objects, and then undergo photoelectric conversion, electrical signal processing, and other means. The temperature distribution image of the object is converted into a high-tech product of the video image.

In the field of industrial automation, infrared cameras can play an irreplaceable role in five applications including automated inspection, process control, condition monitoring, fire prevention and monitoring, and continuous optical gas imaging. For example, in the food production line quality control automobile windshield defrosting inspection, controlling the location of pipelines in automated welding machines, thermal inspection of high-voltage equipment and hot spots on the ladle show that there may be fault continuous monitoring warehouses, etc., have a very important role.

In the face of the enormous potential for development of infrared thermal imagers, it has been developed in various fields and the scale of the industry is constantly expanding. According to incomplete statistics, the potential demand for the infrared thermal imaging technology market in China can reach 500 to 60 billion yuan, and the current market situation is only in its infancy. By 2020, the infrared imaging market will grow by more than 20%.

Based on the needs of localization, autonomy, and market, China Aerospace Science and Technology has innovatively developed a small-scale, high-performance, general-purpose cooling infrared thermal imager based on existing infrared imaging technology. This high-end cooling infrared camera adopts high-performance medium-wave focal plane infrared detector and highly integrated drive imaging circuit, featuring high sensitivity, high resolution, ultra-long distance detection and other features, as well as on-chip non-uniformity correction , Blind flash element judgment compensation, advanced image processing and other functions, even in the large dynamic range infrared scene, it can output a clear, sharp image quality.

This high-performance photoelectric sensor product can be used in fields such as security monitoring, intelligent transportation, power security, forest fire prevention, resource remote sensing, etc., and will have significant economic and social benefits.

In recent years, under the background of military-civilian integration, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation has successively launched a number of products based on military-to-civilian technology, and many products have been applied. At present, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's second-generation thermal imager based on infrared imaging SoC chips is also under development.

(Source: China Aerospace Science and Industry Second Institute, China Measurement & Control Network, Pacific Internet)