ABSTRACT The objective of this research is the development of two methodologies by which heat sources contained in underground storage tanks (USTs) can be remotely characterized. A problem statement is established based upon the restrictions of UST robotic capabilities and basic infrared (IR) pyrometer operation. The first analysis is designed to provide real time information to a robot operator about the UST interior. The other analysis is designed to calculate an estimated temperature distribution using a least-squares solution after a data survey. A mock UST designed by Sandia National Laboratories and New Mexico State University was build to provide a test bed for data collection. Two data sets are graphically presented to show the positions of known heat sources and their thermal responses. The results of the two analyses on the data sets are graphically presented to illustrate the correlation between known heat sources and estimated thermal targets. In conclusion, the estimated temperature distribution provides a higher resolution image of the UST surface, as compared to the measured temperature distribution, such that individual heat sources may be located.
KEYWORDS: infrared, pyrometer, Hanford, tanks, characterization
This paper is from the Proceedings of the HSRC/WERC Joint Conference on the Environment, May 1996, published in hard copy and on the Web by the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center.
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