Increasing demands in areas such as security, surveillance, search and rescue, and communication, has promoted the research and development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as such technologies can replace manned flights in dangerous or unfavorable conditions. Lighter-than-air UAVs such as blimps can carry higher payloads and can stay longer in the air compared to typical heavier-than-air UAVs such as aeroplanes or quadrotors. One purpose of this thesis is to develop a sensor suite basis for estimating the position and orientation of a blimp UAV in development with respect to a reference point for safer landing procedures using minimal on-board sensors. While the existing low-cost sensor package, including inertial measurement unit (IMU) and Global Navigation System (GPS) module, could be sufficient to estimate the pose of the blimp to a certain extent, the GPS module is not as precise in the short term, especially for altitude. The proposed system combines GPS and inertial data with information from a grounded infrared (IR) camera. Image frames are processed to identify three IR LEDs located on the UAV and each LED coordinate is estimated using a Perspective-n-Point (PnP) algorithm. Then the results from the PnP algorithm are fused with the GPS, accelerometer and gyroscope measurements using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to get a more accurate estimate of the position and the orientation. Tests were conducted on a simulated blimp using the experimental avionics.

The overall heat transfer coefficient of a building wall, the U value, is an interesting parameter to deduce the heat loss rate through the wall. The current method to determine this U value is well known, but is requires a lot of time to be performed. In this work a new idea of methodology is presented to get an accurate idea of the U value in a really smaller time, using an IR camera. IR thermography is a non destructive method that is mainly used today to carry out qualitative observations. In this work it is used as a quantitative tool to determine the conductivity of a wall knowing the external heat transfer coefficient. The error obtained on homogeneous and heterogeneous walls are smaller than 10 %, which is accurate enough for a fast measurement. The thermal mass of the wall can also be estimated with errors between 5 and 20 %, but only if the user has a good first guess of the real value. Finally some ideas are proposed when the heat transfer coefficient is not known, leading to less reliable results. More work is necessary to transform it as a usable method in everyday life. A part of the report concerns some attempts done with a simulation of the experiment, leading to no concrete results but it is still presented as it took some time to be studied.

Current manufacturing process controls are principally based only on statistical performance. The next evolution is to make physics based models combined with the state of the art sensors and actuators to control the manufacturing processes. In this paper, metal inert gas welding is used as an example of how the first steps in developing a reliable estimation technique to implement a physics based controller. The weld bead geometry will be the main focus because it is crucial to creating a quality weld. This paper uses an IR camera to generate and evaluate multiple weld bead width estimation techniques and characterizes their corresponding standard deviations. Also a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is used to fit the temperature linescan data to fit an analytical function to the numerical data. The GMM is then used to estimate the weld bead width. Finally, the optimal linescan location is calculated to produce the best possible weld bead estimation. The result is that only one of the estimation techniques actually follows a step input and vi the optimal linescan location is 4 mm from the back of the arc. Furthermore, the GMM provides an excellent fit to the temperature linescan, but does not increase the accuracy of the estimate. / text

This study evaluated the applicability of remote sensing instrumentation for site- specific management of abiotic and biotic stress on cotton grown under a center pivot. Three different irrigation regimes (100%, 75%, and 50% ETc) were imposed on a cotton field to 1) monitor canopy temperatures of cotton with infrared thermometers (IRTs) in order to pinpoint areas of biotic and abiotic stress, 2) compare aerial infrared photography to IRTs mounted on center pivots to correlate areas of biotic and abiotic stress, and 3) relate yield to canopy temperatures. Pivot-mounted IRTs and IR camera were able to differentiate water stress between the irrigation regimes, however, only the IR camera was effectively able to distinguish between biotic (cotton root rot) and abiotic (drought) stress with the assistance of groundtruthing. The 50% ETc regime had significantly higher canopy temperatures, which were reflected in significantly lower lint yields when compared to the 75% and 100% ETc regimes. Deficit irrigation up to 75% ETc had no impact on yield, indicating that water savings were possible without yield depletion.

This study evaluated the applicability of remote sensing instrumentation for site- specific management of abiotic and biotic stress on cotton grown under a center pivot. Three different irrigation regimes (100%, 75%, and 50% ETc) were imposed on a cotton field to 1) monitor canopy temperatures of cotton with infrared thermometers (IRTs) in order to pinpoint areas of biotic and abiotic stress, 2) compare aerial infrared photography to IRTs mounted on center pivots to correlate areas of biotic and abiotic stress, and 3) relate yield to canopy temperatures. Pivot-mounted IRTs and IR camera were able to differentiate water stress between the irrigation regimes, however, only the IR camera was effectively able to distinguish between biotic (cotton root rot) and abiotic (drought) stress with the assistance of groundtruthing. The 50% ETc regime had significantly higher canopy temperatures, which were reflected in significantly lower lint yields when compared to the 75% and 100% ETc regimes. Deficit irrigation up to 75% ETc had no impact on yield, indicating that water savings were possible without yield depletion.

Värmelära upplevs ofta som ett abstrakt område i gymnasiefysiken och elever tenderar att tolka känseln som en termometer. Värmelära kan därmed bli en tuff utmaning för många elever. Genom att introducera värmekameror i undervisningen ges elever möjligheten att se annars osynliga värmefenomen. Eftersom värmekameran inte ännu blivit etablerad i undervisningen finns det ett intresse att studera elevernas interaktion med värmekameran. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur interaktionen ser ut och hur värmekameran kan hjälpa elever i begreppsbildandet av värmerelaterade fenomen. Denna studie har gjorts på ca 140 elever som går sitt första år på det naturvetenskapliga programmet på en gymnasieskola i Mellansverige. Eleverna fick utföra en laboration designad enligt prediction-observation-explanation-metoden. Laborationen innehöll tre stationer där de centrala begreppen var värmeledning, stöt och friktion. Eleverna använde en värmekamera som hjälpmedel för att förklara de olika fenomenen. Elevernas interaktioner vid laborationen dokumenterades med video- och ljudupptagning i syfte att ge grund för en kvalitativ analys. Analysen av materialet kom att handla om tre delar: hur eleverna resonerar kring värmeledning, respektive friktion och stöt, och hur värmekameran kan stimulera det kreativa tänkandet hos eleverna. Det visade sig att många elevgrupper kom långt i det makroskopiska och en bra bit i det mikroskopiska resonemanget kring värmeledning genom att tillämpa en modell av fria elektroner i metall de hade lärt sig från kemin. De flesta grupperna hade svårt att resonera kring energiomvandlingar vid stöt både på en makroskopisk och mikroskopisk nivå. Det kreativa undersökandet resulterade i en röra. Värmekameran lockar elevernas nyfikenhet, ger ”disciplinary affordance” och stimulerar dem till ”instant inquiry”. När eleverna gick utanför instruktionerna och bedrev egna undersökningar resulterade det i en röra då de prioriterade bort sina nykonstruerade hypoteser. / Thermodynamics is often perceived as an abstract field in secondary school physics. Thermodynamics can thus be a tough challenge for many students. By including thermal imaging cameras in teaching, students are given the opportunity to see otherwise invisible thermal phenomena. Since the infrared camera has not yet been established in teaching, there is an interest in studying the interaction between students and the thermal imaging camera. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interaction between student and the infrared camera and to see how the infrared camera can help students in the conceptual formation of heat-related phenomena. The study included about 140 students attending their first year on the science program at an upper secondary school in central Sweden. The students had to perform laboratory experiments designed according to the prediction-observation-explanation method. The laboratory experiments consisted of three stations where the key concepts were heat conduction, collision and friction. Students took help of an infrared camera to explain the various phenomena. The students' interactions at the lab were documented with video and audio recording in order to set the basis of a qualitative analysis. The analysis of the material consisted of three parts: how students reason concerning heat conduction, their reasoning concerning dissipative processes as friction and collision, and how the infrared camera can stimulate the students' creative thinking. Many student groups were successful in the macroscopic and quite successful in the microscopic reasoning regarding heat conduction by applying a model of free electrons in the metal which they had learned in chemistry class. Other studies have shown that students find it hard explaining heat conduction and that they tend to interpret the physical touch as a thermometer. The group that examined friction and collision found it difficult explaining the transformation from kinetic energy into thermal energy in collision at both the macroscopic and microscopic level. The creative investigation resulted in a mess. The infrared camera attracts students' curiosity, gives ”disciplinary affordance” and stimulates them to ”instant inquiry”. When the students went beyond their instructions and conducted own investigations it resulted in a mess when they prioritized away the recently created hypotheses.

Cycling of the relative humidity (RH) levels in the reactant streams of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells has been reported to decay fuel cell performance. This study focuses on the accelerated durability testing to examine different modes of membrane failure via RH cycling. A single PEM fuel cell with an active area of 42.25 cm2 was tested. A Greenlight G50 test station was used to establish baseline cell (Run 1) performance with 840 hours of degradation under high-humidity idle conditions at a constant current density of 10 mA cm-2. Under the same conditions, two other experiments were conducted by varying the RH. For the H2-air RH cycling test (Run 2), anode and cathode inlet gases were provided as dry and humidified gases. Another RH cycling experiment was the H2 RH cycling test (Run 3): the anode inlet gas was cycled whereas keeping the other side constantly at full humidification. These two RH cycling experiments were alternated in dry and 100% humidified conditions every 10 and 40 minutes, respectively. In the experiments, the fuel cells contained a GoreTM 57 catalyst coated membrane (CCM) and 35 BC SGL gas diffusion layers (GDLs). The fuel cell test station had been performed under idle conditions at a constant current density of 10 mA cm-2. Under the idle conditions, operating at very low current density, a low chemical degradation rate and minimal electrical load stress were anticipated. However, the membrane was expected to degrade due to additional stress from the membrane swelling/contraction cycle controlled by the RH. In this work the performance of the 100% RH humidified cell (Run 1) was compared with that of RH cycling cells (Run 2 and Run 3). Chemical and mechanical degradation of the membrane were investigated using in-situ and ex-situ diagnostic methods. The results of each measurement during and after fuel cell operation are consistent. They clearly show that changing in RH lead to an overall PEM fuel cell degradation due to the increase in membrane degradation rate from membrane resistance, fluoride ion release concentration, hydrogen crossover current, membrane thinning, and hot-spot/pin-hole formation.

Cycling of the relative humidity (RH) levels in the reactant streams of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells has been reported to decay fuel cell performance. This study focuses on the accelerated durability testing to examine different modes of membrane failure via RH cycling. A single PEM fuel cell with an active area of 42.25 cm2 was tested. A Greenlight G50 test station was used to establish baseline cell (Run 1) performance with 840 hours of degradation under high-humidity idle conditions at a constant current density of 10 mA cm-2. Under the same conditions, two other experiments were conducted by varying the RH. For the H2-air RH cycling test (Run 2), anode and cathode inlet gases were provided as dry and humidified gases. Another RH cycling experiment was the H2 RH cycling test (Run 3): the anode inlet gas was cycled whereas keeping the other side constantly at full humidification. These two RH cycling experiments were alternated in dry and 100% humidified conditions every 10 and 40 minutes, respectively. In the experiments, the fuel cells contained a GoreTM 57 catalyst coated membrane (CCM) and 35 BC SGL gas diffusion layers (GDLs). The fuel cell test station had been performed under idle conditions at a constant current density of 10 mA cm-2. Under the idle conditions, operating at very low current density, a low chemical degradation rate and minimal electrical load stress were anticipated. However, the membrane was expected to degrade due to additional stress from the membrane swelling/contraction cycle controlled by the RH. In this work the performance of the 100% RH humidified cell (Run 1) was compared with that of RH cycling cells (Run 2 and Run 3). Chemical and mechanical degradation of the membrane were investigated using in-situ and ex-situ diagnostic methods. The results of each measurement during and after fuel cell operation are consistent. They clearly show that changing in RH lead to an overall PEM fuel cell degradation due to the increase in membrane degradation rate from membrane resistance, fluoride ion release concentration, hydrogen crossover current, membrane thinning, and hot-spot/pin-hole formation.

Motorcyclists are more often involved in accidents with severe harm or even fatal outcome compared to other road users. An experienced motorcycle driver is well familiar with the problem when the day light is reduced. The visibility is of course highly decreased. Allight International develops a light bulb that through a gyroscopic feature allows the light image to always be projected in the same axi-symmetric plane. The low beam head light usually accompanies the drivers movement when cornering, creating a black void ahead that leads to decreased vision. The light bulb has not yet been tested in a headlight and the LED is assumed to have high working temperature, which can lead to a shortened service life and technical errors due to the heat. By comparing empirical tests such as infrared camera and thermocouples on the prototype with theoretical tests such as computer aided design, finite element method, and computational fluid dynamics, a better understanding of how the model can be adapted to counteract the high temperature has achieved. Empirical analysis show that at a lower current of where the light bulb produces a brightness around the lower region of an automotive low beam headlight, the existing solution seems to work with the help of the fan creating forced convection. The improved and evaluated prototype, makes it possible to increase the current for the light bulb when more of the generated heat dissipates from the heat source. / Motorcyklister är mer involverade i olyckor med allvarlig eller dödlig utgång jämfört med generella trafikanter. En erfaren motorcykelförare är väl bekant med problemen som uppstår vid mörkerkörning. Givetvis blir sikten kraftigt försämrad. Allight International utvecklar en typ av lampa som med hjälp av ett gyroskop tillåter ljusbilden att alltid projiceras i samma axialsymmetriska plan. Vanligtvis följer lampan med förarens rörelse när denne svänger vilket skapar ett svart tomrum frammåt som leder till skymd sikt. Lampan har inte testas än i strålkastare och värmen antas ge en för hög arbetstemperatur, vilket kan leda till en forkortad livslängd samt tekniska fel på grund av värmen. Genom att utföra empiriska tester på prototypen som infraröd kamera och thermoelement tillsammans med teoretiska verktyg som computer aided design, finita elementmetoden och computational fluid dynamics fås en bättre förståelse för hur modellen kan anpassas för att motverka den höga temperaturen. Empiriska analyser visar att vid en lägre strömstyrka som motsvarar den ljusstyrka som är kravet för fordonsändamålsenliga halvljus, fungerar den nuvarande prototypen tillsammans med en fläkt som ger forcerad konvektion. Den förbättrade och utvärderade geometrin gör det möjligt att öka strömstyrkan då mer värme kan föras bort från värmekällan.

Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse se focalisent sur l'étude de l’effet de dégradations des composants de puissance, plus particulièrement au niveau de l’environnement proche des puces (métallisations, connexions, brasures puces/DCB), sur le comportement électrique et thermique des puces ainsi que de leur assemblage. Pour ce faire nous avons cherché à étudier la répartition des courants et des températures à la surface de la puce à l’aide d’un modèle électrothermique 2D distribué. Nous avons aussi évalué l’effet de la dégradation des brasures dans le volume de l’assemblage, à l’aide cette fois d’un modèle thermique relié à la constitution de l’assemblage. La première partie de cette thèse consiste à mettre en place un modèle électrothermique distribué de puce MOSFET, qui tient compte à la fois du caractère distribué de la dissipation de la puissance et du couplage électrothermique en régime transitoire. Ce modèle électrothermique s’appuie sur un modèle électrique aux variables d’états et un modèle thermique par éléments finis couplé au modèle électrique. Les modèles électriques et thermiques ont été développés respectivement sous Matlab et sous CAST3M, et le couplage des deux modèles a été fait sous Simulink. Dans une deuxième partie, pour la validation des résultats des températures et pour l’analyse de l’effet du vieillissement et des dégradations (sur la distribution et la dynamique de température de la surface supérieure de la puce), une méthodologie de mesure rapide de température et un banc expérimental pour thermographie infrarouge ont été mis en place. Les difficultés rencontrées lors des mesures thermiques IR sous variation rapide de la température nous ont poussé à envisager d’autres méthodes d’analyse thermique. Enfin, nous avons cherché à évaluer la réponse impulsionnelle du composant testé en estimant, par des simulations thermiques, la fonction de transfert dans le domaine fréquentiel à l’aide du logiciel COMSOL Multiphysics. Nous avons également étudié la pertinence de modèles RC équivalents (réseau RC de Cauer). Ces modèles ont ensuite été utilisés pour rendre compte de différents modes de dégradation notamment cette fois au niveau des couches de brasures entre puce et DCB et entre DCB et semelle. Mots clef : Modules de puissance à semi-conducteur, Vieillissement, Métallisation, Modélisation électrothermique, Court-circuit, Distribution de courant et de température, Problème inverse, Caméra IR, Réseaux de Cauer. / The work presented in this thesis focus on the study of the effect of degradation of power components, especially at the near environment of chips (metallization, connections, solder chips / DCB), on the electrical and thermal behavior of the chips and their assembly. As a consequence, we studied the distribution of currents and temperatures on the chip surface with a 2D electrothermal distributed model. We also evaluated the effect of solder degradation in the volume of the assembly. Firstly, we developed an electrothermal distributed model of the MOSFET chip, which takes into account both the distributed power dissipation and the electrothermal coupling transient. This electrothermal model is based on an electrical model of state variables and thermal finite element model coupled to the electric model. Electrical and thermal models were developed respectively in Matlab and CAST3M whereas the two models coupling was done in Simulink . In the second part, to validate the results of temperatures and to analyze the effect of ageing and degradation on the distribution and dynamics of temperature of the upper surface of the chip, methodology rapid temperature measurement and an experimental bench for infrared thermography were established. The difficulties encountered in IR thermal measurements with rapid temperature change led us to consider other thermal analysis methods. Eventually, we assessed the impulse response of the tested component by estimating with thermal simulations, the transfer function in the frequency domain using the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Moreover we evaluated the relevance of RC equivalent models (RC Cauer network). These models were then used to account for different modes of degradation this time especially on the solder layer between the chip and DCB and between the DCB and sole. Keywords: Power Modules semiconductor, Ageing, Metallization, electrothermal modeling, Short Circuit, Power and temperature distribution, inverse problem, IR Camera, Cauer networks.