Eight FLIR AX8s Adopted for Power Facility Online Real-Time Monitoring System
Effective in preventing power-related accidents and proactively responding by predicting accident timing.

FLIR Systems Korea (Korea Representative Andrew Carlton Tyke) announced that it supplied FLIR AX8 thermal imaging cameras to the online monitoring system for power facilities at LG Chem’s Ochang Plant 1.

The AX8 thermal imaging camera is small (54 x 25 x 95mm) and easy to install, making it suitable for monitoring critical electrical and mechanical equipment in processing and production workshops, data centers, power plants and substations/distribution facilities, transportation and public transport facilities, cold storage warehouses, and various storage facilities.

This product not only provides real-time streaming of continuous status monitoring videos of the facility but also automatically emits an alarm sound if a part overheated above the temperature set by the user is detected. Through this, users can detect temperature-related issues in facilities at an early stage, enabling them to proactively address unexpected power outages, service interruptions, equipment failures, and various safety accidents.


[Central control center at LG Chem's Ochang Plant 1 (left) and equipment inspection using a FLIR thermal imaging camera]

LG Chem’s Ochang Plant 1 has introduced the FLIR AX8 thermal imaging camera into a real-time monitoring system for online Condition Base Management (CBM) of power facilities with a high risk of accidents, such as abnormal heat generation equipment, intermediate cable connections, and oil-filled capacitors.

A total of eight AX8 thermal imaging cameras were supplied; six are used for monitoring major power facilities, and two are used for fire monitoring. All data collected by each device is transmitted to a central control center via the factory's CCTV network for real-time verification, and the system is configured to trigger an alarm if an abnormal temperature is detected.

Kim Hong-kyun, a manager in the Electrical Technology Part of the Energy Team who oversees the power supply facilities at Ochang Plant 1, said, “Through online monitoring using the FLIR AX8 thermal imaging camera, we can not only prevent accidents but also predict the expected timing of accidents, allowing us to determine the timing for planned power outages and parts replacements.” He continued, “As a representative example, we discovered abnormal heat generation caused by internal varistor failure in the SA (Surge Arrester) and received significant help from the AX8 thermal imaging camera in operating the facility stably until the planned shutdown.”

Currently, Ochang Plant 1 is ensuring a stable power supply to all facilities within the plant by detecting an average of more than 5 problems per month through facility inspections using FLIR thermal imaging cameras and taking necessary measures.

LG Chem’s Ochang Plant 1 is equipped with large-scale production facilities on a 123,000-square-meter site within the Ochang Science Industrial Complex in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and produces various display and optical materials, as well as secondary batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS). In particular, regarding the production of electric vehicle batteries, it boasts the world's largest production capacity for a single plant and is currently producing 50 million cells annually.