Infrared Reflectance Imaging for Environmentally Friendly Corrosion Inspection Through Organic Coatings

Abstract

This report documents and presents the results and theory of both Infrared Reflectance Imaging Technique (IRRIT) and Blackbody Illumination Methods, which produce high fidelity images of corrosion and other structural defects under coatings. The technology exploits the difference in infrared (IR) reflection properties between corroded and non-corroded metallic surfaces. The IR energy passes directly through the coating and then reflects off the metallic substrate back through the coating and into an IR camera. Since the corroded areas do not reflect the IR energy as well as the non-corroded areas, a picture or image is generated by the IR camera much the same as observing the corrosion under standard visual techniques. The demonstration and validation measurements at NAVAIR Jacksonville (P-3 Outer Mold Line) and Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (KC-135 Inner Mold Line and B-52 Inner Mold Line) illustrate clearly that the IRRIT is an improved method of corrosion inspection compared to the current baseline visual inspection method. IRRIT will give an engineering and corrosion control staff the capability to make sound engineering decisions as to whether to remove coatings or not to remove the coatings based on the reliable detection of corrosion through coatings.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 15, 2008
Accession Number
ADA608417

Entities

People

  • Brian Pollock
  • Dennis Leyble
  • John Benfer
  • John Weir
  • Matthew F. Campbell
  • Mike Miller
  • Nils Fonneland
  • Steven Chu

Organizations

  • Naval Air Systems Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Corrosion Inhibition
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Fungi
  • Imaging Techniques
  • Maintenance
  • Materials
  • Materials Engineering
  • Measurement
  • Optics
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Methods

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Facility/Structural Engineering.
  • Spectroscopy.