Application of Infrared Thermography in an Adequate Reusability Analysis of Photovoltaic Modules Affected by Hail

Infrared thermography, in the analysis of photovoltaic (PV) power plants, is a mature technical discipline. In the event of a hailstorm that leaves the PV system without the support of the power grid (and a significant portion of the generation potential), thermography is the easiest way to determine the condition of the modules and revive the existing system with the available resources. This paper presents research conducted on a 30 kW part of a 420 kW PV power plant, and demonstrates the procedure for inspecting visually correct modules that have suffered from a major natural disaster. The severity of the disaster is shown by the fact that only 14% of the PV modules at the test site remained intact. Following the recommendations of the standard IEC TS 62446-3, a thermographic analysis was performed. The thermographic analysis was preceded by an analysis of the I-V curve, which was presented in detail using two characteristic modules as examples. I-V curve measurements are necessary to relate the measured values of the radiation and the measured contact temperature of the module to the thermal patterns. The analysis concluded that soiled modules must be cleaned, regardless of the degree of soiling. The test results clearly indicated defective module elements that would result in a safety violation if reused. The research shows that the validity criterion defined on the basis of the analysis of the reference module can be supplemented, but can also be replaced by a statistical analysis of several modules. The comparison between the thermographic analysis and the visual inspection clearly confirmed thermography as a complementary method for testing PV-s.

Thermal regions in Sri Lanka

The need for an objective classification of the thermal regions of Sri Lanka is emphasised. A brief account of the thermal climate of Sri Lanka is given. Regionalization based on thermal factors has been attempted quantitatively using factor, cluster and discriminant analysis. Three groups of cluster have been selected and mapped. The results are interpreted and related to the known thermal patterns of Sri Lanka.

Concentrated Thermomics for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Thermography has been employed broadly as a corresponding diagnostic instrument in breast cancer diagnosis. Among thermographic techniques, deep neural networks show an unequivocal potential to detect heterogeneous thermal patterns related to vasodilation in breast cancer cases. Such methods are used to extract high-dimensional thermal features, known as deep thermomics. In this study, we applied convex non-negative matrix factorization (convex NMF) to extract three predominant bases of thermal sequences. Then, the data were fed into a sparse autoencoder model, known as SPAER, to extract low-dimensional deep thermomics, which were then used to assist the clinical breast exam (CBE) in breast cancer screening. The application of convex NMF-SPAER, combining clinical and demographic covariates, yielded a result of 79.3% (73.5%, 86.9%); the highest result belonged to NMF-SPAER at 84.9% (79.3%, 88.7%). The proposed approach preserved thermal heterogeneity and led to early detection of breast cancer. It can be used as a noninvasive tool aiding CBE.

Use of Infrared Thermography during Ejaculation Process and Its Link with Semen Quality and Freezability in Dogs

This study aimed to describe the thermal variation of external reproductive tracts during ejaculation in relation to sperm quality in dogs. Forty-six adult fertile dogs were monitored using a thermal camera before, during and after the semen collection, taking into account penile and scrotal temperatures as reproductive thermal patterns while eye and perianal temperatures were recorded as complementary thermal patterns of behavioral response. The parameters were classified depending on age (≤4 years and >4 years), body weight (BW) (≤75 kg and >75 kg), sperm concentration (CON) (≤300 million and >300 million), total testicular volume (TTV) (≤600 cm3 and >600 cm3) and total ejaculation time (TET) (≤800 s and >800 s) of the animals from which semen was collected successfully. Heavier males (p < 0.05) that have more consistent testicles (p < 0.01) as well as quicker ejaculate responders (p < 0.001) and lower scrotal temperature had better semen (Δ motility) freezability. The lower eye temperature prior to the ejaculation (p < 0.01), lower scrotal temperature following ejaculation (p < 0.01), and conversely, higher penile temperature during the ejaculation (p < 0.001) had a higher sperm concentration. Furthermore, the sperm freezability was negatively correlated with total ejaculation time (r = −0.39, p < 0.05) and sperm abnormalities were lower in the ejaculate of dogs having a higher temperature of the scrotum, bulbus and penis. In conclusion, infrared monitoring throughout semen collection in dogs can provide information on behavioral reactions during human manipulation, as well as semen quality and testicular functionality.

Fine-scale variation in microhabitat conditions influence physiology and metabolism in an Antarctic insect

Microhabitats with distinct biotic and abiotic properties exist within landscapes, and this microhabitat variation can have dramatic impacts on the phenology and physiology of the organisms occupying them. The Antarctic midge Belgica antarctica inhabits diverse microhabitats along the Western Antarctic Peninsula that vary in macrophyte composition, hygric qualities, nutrient input, and thermal patterns. Here, we compare seasonal physiological changes in five populations of B. antarctica living in close proximity but in different microhabitats in the vicinity of Palmer Station, Antarctica. Thermal regimes among our sample locations differed in both mean temperature and thermal stability. Between the warmest and coldest sites, seasonal mean temperatures differed by 2.6˚C and degree day accumulations above freezing differed by a factor of 1.7. Larval metabolic and growth rates varied among the sites, and adult emergence occurred at different times. Distinct microhabitats also corresponded with differences in body composition, as lipid and carbohydrate content of larvae differed across sites. Further, seasonal changes in carbohydrate and protein content were dependent on site, indicating fine-scale variation in the biochemical composition of larvae as they prepare for winter. Together, these results demonstrate that variation in microhabitat properties influences the ontogeny, phenology, physiology, and biochemical makeup of midge populations living in close proximity. These results have implications for predicting responses of Antarctic ecosystems to environmental change.