WE CLAIMS
1. A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system comprising:
a lamp assembly having a lamp configured to be positioned within an
internal cavity of a target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior
surface of the internal cavity, wherein the lamp includes at least one curved
portion, the at least one curved portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of
the lamp, and a first curvature of the curved portion is selected to substantially
correspond to a second curvature of the internal cavity.
2. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein the lamp is substantially u-shaped.
3. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the lamp is selected based at least in part on an
inner cross-sectional area of the internal cavity.
4. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein a cross-sectional shape of the lamp is selected based at least in part on an
inner cross-sectional shape of the internal cavity.
5. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein a first length of the lamp is selected based at least in part on a second
length of the internal cavity.
6. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 5,
wherein the first length is less than the second length.
7. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein the lamp assembly comprises a support structure configured to position
the lamp is a desired location relative to the target object.
8. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein the lamp assembly comprises a plurality of lamps, and each lamp is
configured to be positioned within the internal cavity of the target object and to
emit a respective energy pulse toward the interior surface of the internal cavity.
9. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
wherein the lamp assembly comprising:
a self-contained power supply configured to supply the lamp with
sufficient electrical power to emit the energy pulse; and
a mounting assembly configured to selectively couple the lamp to the
target object.
10. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 1,
comprising:
a focal plane array camera configured to capture a plurality of images
corresponding to evolution of heat due to an impact of the energy pulse on the
target object; and
an image acquisition system for capturing data corresponding to the
plurality of images from the focal plane array camera.
11. A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system comprising:
a lamp assembly having a lamp and a self-contained power supply,
wherein the lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a
target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal
cavity, and the self-contained power supply is configured to supply the lamp with
sufficient electrical power to emit the energy pulse.
12. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 11,
wherein the self-contained power supply comprises a battery and electrical
circuitry configured to control operation of the lamp.
13. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 11,
wherein the lamp assembly comprises a support structure configured to position
the lamp is a desired location relative to the target object.
14. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 11,
comprising a mounting assembly configured to selectively couple the lamp to the
target object.
15. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 11,
wherein the lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved
portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature
of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature
of the internal cavity.
16. A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system comprising:
a lamp assembly having a lamp and a mounting assembly, wherein the
lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a target object and
to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal cavity, and the
mounting assembly is configured to selectively couple the lamp to the target
object.
17. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 16,
wherein the lamp assembly comprises a support structure extending between the
mounting assembly and the lamp, and the support structure is configured to
position the lamp in a desired location relative to the target object.
18. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 16,
wherein the mounting assembly is configured to selectively couple to an opening
in the target object.
19. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 16,
wherein the lamp assembly comprises a self-contained power supply configured
to supply the lamp with sufficient electrical power to emit the energy pulse.
20. The thermographic nondestructive evaluation system of claim 16,
wherein the lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved
portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature
of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature
of the internal cavity