Dynamic thermal deformation measurement of large-scale, high-temperature piping in thermal power plants utilizing the sampling Moiré method and grating magnets

Fast and accurate deformation measuring techniques show promising potential for monitoring high-temperature piping and other machinery in the energy sector, such as in thermal, steam, or nuclear power plants. Optics-based, nonintrusive, and real-time monitoring systems are critical for preventing high-temperature steam leaks, unexpected accidents, explosions, and other failures that can have catastrophic consequences for the power supply, the workers, and the public. In this study, a dynamic thermal deformation measurement technique utilizing the sampling Moiré method and grating magnets is developed for large-scale, high-temperature piping in a thermal power plant. Because of the high temperature of the piping of nearly 300 °C several 100 mm by 100 mm ferrite magnets were placed to select locations of the high-temperature piping. In each ferrite magnet, a regular, two-dimensional binary grating pattern with a pitch of 15 mm was painted on the surface, and the grating magnets were used as the reference grating to analyze the small in-plane displacement distribution using the sampling Moiré method. A compensation method of misalignment angle is also proposed to improve the measurement accuracy. The effect on vibration remove, mirage due to conversion in air, wide angle of camera lens, and compensation of misalignment angle, are discussed. The experimental results showed that our measurement technique is suitable for evaluation of high-temperature, large-scale infrastructure. © Society for Experimental Mechanics 2013.