Rotary kiln preheater thermal monitoring systems

A system for measuring temperatures of a preheater of a rotary kiln, comprising:

• at least one infrared imaging sensor for each level of the preheater, wherein the preheater includes at least two preheater levels;
• and
• an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor of each level of the preheater, wherein the imaging analysis computer is configured to perform the following for each preheater level:
• generate at least one baseline infrared image of a fixed field of view of the preheater level;
• obtain at least one subsequent infrared image of the fixed field of view of the preheater level;
• identify at least one variable temperature region in the at least one infrared image based on a plurality of pixels in the at least one subsequent infrared image having a variable difference in temperature from a corresponding plurality of pixels in the at least one baseline infrared image, wherein the at least one variable temperature region includes the plurality of pixels having a baseline temperature from the at least one baseline infrared image and having a subsequent temperature that is the variable distance in temperature;
• generate a visual representation of the at least one variable temperature region;
• and
• display the visual representation that identifies the presence of the at least one variable temperature region in the fixed field of view.

A system for measuring temperatures of a preheater and rotary kiln, comprising:

• at least one infrared imaging sensor for each level of the preheater, wherein the preheater includes at least two preheater levels;
• at least one infrared imaging sensor for the rotary kiln;
• and
• an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor of each level of the preheater and rotary kiln, wherein the imaging analysis computer is configured to perform the following for each preheater level and rotary kiln:
• obtain a 3D model of a preheater level of the preheater;
• obtain a 3D model of the rotary kiln;
• obtain at least one infrared image of a fixed field of view of the preheater level of the preheater;
• obtain at least one infrared image of a fixed field of view of the preheater level of the preheater;
• analyze all pixels in the fixed field of view of the at least one infrared image of the preheater level for each pixel temperature;
• analyze all pixels in the fixed field of view of the at least one infrared image of the preheater level for each pixel temperature;
• generate a 2D temperature model for the preheater level;
• generate a 2D temperature model for the rotary kiln;
• overlay the 2D temperature model of the preheater level over the 3D model of the preheater level to generate a virtual 3D preheater level temperature model;
• overlay the 2D temperature model of the rotary kiln over the 3D model of the rotary kiln to generate a virtual 3D rotary kiln temperature model;
• and
• provide a visual representation of the virtual 3D preheater level temperature model and a visual representation of the virtual 3D rotary kiln temperature model.

A system for measuring temperatures of a preheater of a rotary kiln, comprising:

• at least one infrared imaging sensor for each level of the preheater, wherein the preheater includes at least two preheater levels;
• at least one infrared imaging sensor for the rotary kiln;
• and
• an imaging analysis computer operably coupled with the at least one infrared imaging sensor of each level of the preheater and rotary kiln, wherein the imaging analysis computer is configured to perform the following for each preheater level and rotary kiln:
• generate at least one baseline infrared image of a fixed field of view of the preheater level;
• generate at least one baseline infrared image of a fixed field of view of the rotary kiln;
• obtain at least one subsequent infrared image of the fixed field of view of the preheater level;
• obtain at least one subsequent infrared image of the fixed field of view of the rotary kiln;
• identify at least one variable temperature region in the at least one infrared image of the preheater level or rotary kiln based on a plurality of pixels in the at least one subsequent infrared image of the preheater level or rotary kiln having a variable difference in temperature from a corresponding plurality of pixels in the at least one baseline infrared image of the preheater level or rotary kiln, wherein the at least one variable temperature region includes the plurality of pixels having a baseline temperature and having a subsequent temperature that is the variable distance in temperature;
• generate a visual representation of the at least one variable temperature region of the preheater level or rotary kiln;
• and
• display the visual representation that identifies the presence of the at least one variable temperature region in the fixed field of view of the preheater level or rotary kiln.