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Jonathan Bastian How to Use the New Features of T3MAX
Get The Picture, April 2005
by Jonathan Bastian


How to Use the New Features of T3MAX

Super Red Hot Within the past two years, a number of new features have become available on Bullard Thermal Imagers. The TI Commander, introduced early in 2004, offers digital 2X zoom, digital image capture and a Relative Heat Indicator. Bullard is now shipping the new T3MAX, which offers two new features that deserve further explanation and exploration: Super Red Hot colorization and an exclusive Electronic Thermal Throttle. This article concentrates on how these features can help make your job easier and safer.

Super Red Hot

Bullard first introduced Red Hot colorization on its MX Thermal Imager in 2000. Since then, colorization has become common on higher-performance microbolometer-based thermal imagers. The new T3MAX Super Red Hot (SRH) offers a significant improvement over previous colorization processes.

SRH uses three color levels to help firefighters identify dangerous temperatures. The software that creates these colors also incorporates special logic that allows it to shade in and show details behind the color. As a result, it is one of the few colorization systems that actually gives depth and texture to the image, allowing firefighters to see structural details within the area being colored. In short, the color in SRH does not obscure details like earlier color systems.

The T3MAX uses yellow, orange and red color to indicate increasing levels of heat (and danger). Objects that the TI estimates at 500°F (260°C) or hotter are colored in shades of yellow. At 800°F (427°C), the T3MAX begins to color (or “paint”) objects shades of orange instead of yellow. The orange transitions to red at 1000°F (538°C), and any object over about 1120°F (600°C) will be solid red. During fire suppression, in situations where the seat of the fire is not easily identified, the SRH system should colorize the greatest density of fire as red. This can help with hose placement as well as proper aiming of streams.

While the thermal imager normally only sees surface temperatures, superheated gases have special properties that make them visible on a TI. Previously, users of microbolometers had to look for faint white clouds in the thermal image to determine where the thermal layer may be. Since these gases frequently give a high heat signature to the TI, the new SRH feature will normally colorize thermal layers in shades of yellow or orange. This can help new users or less experienced users identify the thermal layer more rapidly, and potentially make better decisions about how far to advance or how quickly to ventilate a structure.

Keep in mind that the temperatures indicated by the SRH colorization are estimations, just like the relative heat indicator (RHI). A number of factors, most importantly the type of material, affect the accuracy of the estimation. In general, if you can “see” a gas layer on your TI, even if it is white and not colorized, treat it as a superheated layer.

Electronic Thermal Throttle

Electric Thermal Throttle The Electronic Thermal Throttle on the new T3MAX is a feature that greatly improves the usability of microbolometers in overhaul. Because the sensitivity of the microbolometer is automatically controlled by the circuitry inside the TI, the fact that the user has no control over its adjustment has traditionally made overhaul difficult. Most microbolometers change sensitivity when they view areas of significant heat. In a fire room, post-knockdown, the software is unable to select the proper sensitivity level for the heated room. As a result, traditional microbolometers have shown the room with an over-abundance of white, or as many areas of gray. Firefighters could not easily pinpoint areas of concern.

The Electronic Thermal Throttle (ETT) solves this dilemma. When the firefighter uses ETT, the T3MAX paints the hottest objects in the scene blue, leaving other hot objects white. By holding down the proper switch, the temperature for blue colorization is lowered and more objects are painted blue. The hottest items are dark blue, with lighter shades of blue representing slightly cooler items.

This blue colorization can help a firefighter identify which portion of a wall is hotter than the rest, enabling him to focus his initial overhaul efforts. The feature can also help a firefighter identify fluorescent light ballasts or other electrical equipment that is overheated and causing an odor of smoke. By highlighting the heat from a human to make it stand out from the background heat of the area being searched, the ETT might also help rescuers involved in an exterior search and rescue operation.

The ETT places a counter in the lower left corner of the display, which shows the “percentage” the ETT is engaged. The symbol “TT” precedes the number to indicate the Thermal Throttle is engaged and gives the user an idea of how hot the blue spot may be, in comparison to the overall scene. For example, an item that is painted blue at “TT10” is much hotter than an item that is painted blue at “TT50.” The number should not be used as an absolute figure, but as a relative figure to help firefighters evaluate a scene as a whole. A “TT” number nearer to zero indicates an object whose temperature is near 500°F (260°C); as the “TT” number approaches 100, the object’s temperature is closer to 32°F (0°C).

For firefighter safety, the ETT blue feature does not operate when the T3MAX detects it should be operating the Super Red Hot feature. The warning colorization of SRH is more important to the user if environmental temperatures demand it. Bullard selected blue as the ETT color so that firefighters do not confuse the highlighting effect of ETT with the danger-indicating colorization of SRH.

Conclusion

One initial attraction of thermal imaging in the fire service was the simplicity of the white-gray-black system used on the TI display. As firefighters have demanded more colorization systems, Bullard has developed the T3MAX specifically to address these demands. The Super Red Hot feature, when properly used and understood, can add to firefighter safety by helping you understand the fire environment better. The Electronic Thermal Throttle will dramatically improve the ability of the T3MAX to help in overhaul situations or exterior rescue situations. Be sure to practice with these features and train all members on proper safety procedures and image interpretation.

Use your TI often, wisely and safely.



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