Abstract: A system for monitoring brick in a rotary kiln includes an infrared sensor and a computing system configured to: obtain a digital model of a brick layer of a rotary kiln having a plurality of bricks, wherein the digital model of the brick layer is based on a measured brick thickness correlated with a measured infrared temperature for each brick; obtain infrared data of the rotary kiln with the at least one infrared imaging sensor; determine the measured infrared temperature for each brick; determine a brick thickness of a first brick in the brick layer of the rotary kiln based on the measured infrared temperature assigned to the first brick with the digital model of the brick layer; and provide the brick thickness of the first brick in a brick thickness report.

Abstract: A system for measuring temperatures of a preheater of a rotary kiln can include: at least one infrared imaging sensor for each level of the preheater; and an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor of each level of the preheater. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to: obtain a 3D model of a preheater level of the preheater; obtain at least one infrared image of a fixed field of view of the preheater level of the preheater; analyze all pixels in the fixed field of view of the at least one infrared image for each pixel temperature; generate a 2D temperature model of the preheater level; overlaying the 2D temperature model over the 3D model to generate a virtual 3D preheater level temperature model; and providing a visual representation of the virtual 3D preheater level temperature model.

Abstract: A system for detecting an hotspots can include: at least one infrared imaging sensor; and an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to control any infrared imaging sensor and acquire infrared images therefrom at any rate and in any duration. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to analyze the infrared images in order to detect temperatures and identify hotspots. The temperature and hotspot information can be used to control a cooling system that can spray water on and around hotspots for temperature control.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring an industrial process are disclosed. Some aspects of the system arrange multiple imaging sensors to image machinery associated with an industrial process. Regions of interest within images acquired by the multiple imaging sensors may be monitored for abnormal thermal conditions, and alerts generated as needed. Alerts may also be generated if temperatures within a region of interest exceed thresholds associated with that region of interest. Each region of interest may be independently monitored and have individualized alerting thresholds. In some aspects, images from the multiple imaging sensors may be stitched together, with the regions of interest based on the stitched image. In other aspects, regions of interest within images from separate imaging sensors may be linked together so as to share at least common alerting thresholds.

Abstract: A system for detecting an oil leak can include: at least one infrared imaging sensor; and an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to control any infrared imaging sensor and acquire infrared images therefrom at any rate and in any duration. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to analyze the infrared images in order to detect an oil leak. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to detect oil on a surface (e.g., solid surface or water surface) where oil should not be (or is not present in a baseline) in order to determine that there is an oil leak in the vicinity.

Abstract: A system for detecting a gas leak can include: at least one infrared imaging sensor; and an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to control any infrared imaging sensor and acquire infrared images therefrom at any rate and in any duration. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to analyze the infrared images in order to detect a gas leak. The imaging analysis computer can be configured to detect a gas where gas should not be (or is not present in a baseline) in order to determine that there is a gas leak in the vicinity. The gas can be a hydrocarbon gas or carbon monoxide, or other.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring an industrial process are disclosed. Some aspects of the system arrange multiple imaging sensors to image machinery associated with an industrial process. Regions of interest within images acquired by the multiple imaging sensors may be monitored for abnormal thermal conditions, and alerts generated as needed. Alerts may also be generated if temperatures within a region of interest exceed thresholds associated with that region of interest. Each region of interest may be independently monitored and have individualized alerting thresholds. In some aspects, images from the multiple imaging sensors may be stitched together, with the regions of interest based on the stitched image. In other aspects, regions of interest within images from separate imaging sensors may be linked together so as to share at least common alerting thresholds.

Abstract: Methods and systems for tank level management are disclosed. In some aspects, one or more regions of interest are defined within an image acquired from an imaging sensor. Histograms of pixel values within each region of interest are generated, and thresholds delineating two groups of similar pixel values within each region of interest are determined. In some aspects, the tank level within each region of interest is based on the corresponding threshold. In some aspects, rows of pixel values within each region of interest are thresholded. The thresholded rows may be used to determine the tank level within the region. Some aspects determine whether the pixel values are bimodal based on the generated histogram. Unimodal pixel values may represent either an empty or full tank. A similarity to preconfigured values associated with full or empty tank conditions may facilitate identification of whether the tank is full or empty.