Megger Acoustic Imaging Cameras & Imagers

About Megger Acoustic Imaging Cameras & Imagers

Megger Acoustic Imaging Cameras, such as the MPAC128 and MPAC128-ATEX models, are advanced devices designed to detect and visualise sound sources, particularly ultrasonic sounds, to identify issues such as gas leaks, pressure leaks, vacuum leaks, and electrical partial discharge (PD). These devices utilise a combination of microphone arrays and optical cameras to create a visual representation of sound sources, enabling precise fault detection and localisation.

What Do They Measure and How?

Megger Acoustic Imaging Cameras and Imagers are focused on detecting and analysing sounds related to electrical phenomena and some mechanical issues. This is how they do it:

• Microphone Array: A matrix of sensitive microphones captures sound waves from multiple directions.
• Sound Waves (Primarily Ultrasonic): They detect pressure variations in the air caused by sound, particularly focusing on frequencies above human hearing (ultrasonic). These ultrasonic sounds are often associated with electrical discharges and mechanical anomalies.
• Acoustic Image Overlay: The processed sound data is translated into an acoustic image (colour map) and overlaid onto a visual image captured simultaneously. This visual representation allows for direct identification of sound sources on equipment.
• Intelligent Analytics: The device uses algorithms to filter out background noise, focus on specific frequencies, and provide detailed diagnostics, such as leak quantification and PD classification.

Applications

• Gas Leak Detection: The cameras effectively identify leaks of various gases in both compressed and vacuum systems, even in noisy industrial environments. This capability helps prevent safety hazards and reduces resource wastage.
• Partial Discharge Detection: Partial discharge is a precursor to major electrical insulation failures in high-voltage equipment (switchgear, transformers, cables, insulators). PD emits ultrasonic sounds. Megger imagers are used to scan electrical assets in substations, power plants, and industrial facilities to detect PD early, enabling preventative maintenance before failures occur.
• Industrial Maintenance: The devices assist in locating mechanical issues such as bearing failures or electrical partial discharges in equipment, enabling predictive maintenance and reducing downtime.
• Overhead Power Line Inspections: Inspecting overhead lines for corona discharge or other sound anomalies from the ground or using drones equipped with acoustic imagers.
• Hazardous Areas: The ATEX-certified version (MPAC128-ATEX) is specifically designed for use in explosive environments, such as oil refineries and chemical processing plants.