While purchasing the thermal imager, most of the people struggle to differentiate between the cooled thermal imager version and the uncooled thermal imager version. The thermal imaging camera is widely used in the research institute, by scientists, R&D specialists, material testing, aerospace, nondestructive analysis, and for military defense purposes.
The thermal imaging cameras are usually designed with the capability of high-speed motion required for measuring the target option in a more precise manner. This noninvasive powerful thermal imaging tool helps to estimate the repair caused by the targeted objects.
Uncooled Thermal Imager
The camera imager which does not make use of the cryogenic cooler is referred as the uncooled thermal image such that the design of the uncooled thermal imager is based on the microbolometer. The microbolometer is one of the tiny structured vanadium oxide resistors which constitute the silicon element on large temperature coefficient measures so that it acts as a good thermal insulator and low heat thermal isolator.
The incident temperature over the bolometer tends to affect its temperature which is transferred to electrical signals that are further processed to form an image. The sensors inbuilt in this uncooled thermal imager function only over the long wave infrared band in which most of the targeted terrestrial temperature is emitted by the infrared energy.
The uncooled thermal imager is normally cheaper when compared to the cooled thermal imager because of the low ranging of movable components. Based on the similar operation state, uncooled thermal imager constitutes the ability to last over long duration for its service ranging than the cooled thermal imager.
Cooled Thermal Imager
The compact cooled thermal imager constitutes the imaging sensor, which is highly equipped with the cryocooler unit. In this cooled thermal imager, the minimized temperature of the sensor is used to reduce the thermal noise power range to create the image formation. This cooled version of thermal imager helps to reduce the temperature of the sensor below the temperature of the cryogenic limit.
The cryocoolers inbuilt in the cooled thermal imager is useful against the mechanical tolerance, strong sealing over helium gas and wear out capability. The cooled thermal imager is considered as the high sensitive camera device which helps to estimate the difference between the cameras temperature.
The cooled thermal imager includes the thermal contrast of high range which is used to determine the differentiation of objects to that of its background to estimate the hot spot and cool spot of the targeted image. It is designed to overview the long wave infrared and mid-wave infrared band of the spectrum imaging.
Differentiation Of Cooled And Uncooled Thermal Imager
There are several factors that differentiate the cooled thermal imager and the uncooled thermal imager which are downlisted as follows.
Cooler-The uncooled thermal imager does not constitute the Cryocooler, whereas the cooled thermal imager consists of the cryocooler to reduce the temperature of the sensor to produce an imaging.
Sensitivity- The sensitivity of uncooled thermal imager is 50mK which is higher than that of the cooled thermal imager sensitivity of 20mk ranging.
Imaging type-The cooled thermal imager is well suited for the high dynamic range of low contrast type imaging whereas uncooled thermal imager is not suited for this type of imaging.
Surveillance-These two long ranging thermal imagers are perfect over the surveillance of the borders and properties over the large environmental space.
Bolometer-The uncooled thermal imager does not constitute any cryogenic cooler which is based on the principle of the micro bolometer design whereas cooled thermal imager does not works based on this micro bolometer design.
The thermal isolation-The uncooled thermal camera includes the good thermal isolation over the lower range of heat capacity whereas the cooled thermal camera is not fitted with the low heat capacity.
Range-The cooled thermal imager is more cost effective than the uncooled thermal imager since the standoff range of the cooled thermal imager is above 5km. The lens of the uncooled thermal imager is much cost effective due to the increase in the necessary effective ranging condition when compared to that of the cooled thermal imager.
Lens-The uncooled thermal imager uses the bulky and expensive range of lens whereas the cooled thermal imager makes use of the cheaper camera lens which is similar to the focal length lenses.
Sensor-The cooled thermal imaging camera constitutes the imaging sensor for reducing the sensor temperature to produce perfect imaging whereas the uncooled thermal imaging camera does not constitute of this imaging sensor.
Spectral filtering-The cooled thermal imaging camera is more capable for spectral filtering technique that takes the revealed measurement details for imaging which is impossible with the uncooled thermal imager.
Magnification-The capability of magnification feature in the cooled thermal imager is higher than the uncooled thermal imaging camera which is possible to detect the shorter wavelength of infrared imaging.
Imaging speed-The imaging speed of the cooled thermal imager is higher with the ranging of 62000 fps when compared to that of the uncooled thermal imager.
Thermal signature-The cooled thermal imaging camera remains with the thermal signature of the handprints whereas the uncooled thermal imaging camera tends to remain the partial signature of the handprints.
Picture cauterization-The uncooled thermal imaging camera tends to capture the lower image whereas the cooled thermal imaging camera captures the upper range of an image.
These are the most common differences between both the detector types. Purchase the one according to your necessities.