INTEPS - INtegrated optical ThErmal Phosphorescence System

Sensor Coating Systems Ltd (SCS) are developing an innovative technology for measuring temperatures in harsh industrial applications. This is a unique thermal mapping technology for high value markets such as power generation and aerospace industries. The technology is based on a smart-memory material that has been developed by SCS and it is applied as a paint or a coating on the surface of the components to be measured. The coated components are then used in standard operating conditions where they exposed to high temperatures. After the process, once the components have cool down, they are interrogated with a laser-probe instrument also developed and protected by SCS (patent pending). From the luminescence properties of the material and by performing a sophisticated calibration method, the past maximum temperature of the component can be measured.

The calibration method relies on measuring the Lifetime Decay (LTD) of the coating material, which can be directly corelated to the past maximum exposure temperature of the coating. SCS has developed a bespoke optical measurement system to perform these LTD measurements. It has more recently shown that additional spectral measurements can greatly enhance the temperature accuracy. Separate instrumentation for spectral measurements has been developed by SCS and is currently in use for commercial projects. However, the overall measurements process is now considerably longer and can also be subject to spatial inaccuracies, as each measurement point needs to be measured twice.

The objective of this project is therefore to integrate the two measurement systems (LTD & Spectra) into one and perform the two measurements simultaneously. That would effectively reduce the measurement time by 50%, which can be several days for large industrial projects. Operational costs will also be reduced and measurement uncertainty due to spatial accuracy tolerances will be eliminated. For this project SCS is looking forward to collaborate with NPL and take advantage of their expertise and state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.