System for monitoring a switchgear

A method for monitoring a switchgear, the method further comprising:

• acquiring at least one infrared image of the switchgear, wherein the at least one image comprises a first infrared image and a second infrared image acquired after the first infrared image;
• determining a pixel in the at least one infrared image associated with a hottest temperature, wherein the determining the pixel further comprises determining a pixel in the first infrared image associated with a hottest temperature of the first infrared image and determining a pixel in the second infrared image associated with a hottest temperature of the second infrared image;
• determining pixels in the at least one infrared image associated with a temperature that is within a threshold temperature of the hottest temperature, wherein determining the pixels further comprises determining pixels in the first infrared image associated with a temperature that is within the threshold temperature of the hottest temperature in the first infrared image and determining pixels in the second infrared image associated with a temperature that is within the threshold temperature of the hottest temperature in the second infrared image;
• determining that a hot spot exists in the switchgear as a determination, the determination comprising a utilization of the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image, wherein determining that the hotspot exists further comprises determining that the hot spot exists in the switchgear based on a comparison of the determined pixels in the first infrared image with the determined pixels in the second infrared image, and wherein determining that the hot spot exists comprises an analysis of one or more of:
• a shape of at least one region within the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image;
• a size of the at least one region within the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image;
• a position of the at least one region within the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image;
• a number of the at least one region within the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image;
• a number of pixels within the determined pixels in the at least one infrared image;
• wherein determining that the hot spot exists comprises determining that a region in the second infrared image is smaller than a corresponding region in the first infrared image;
• and
• outputting an indication of a fault in the switchgear based on the determined hot spot.