In 1991 ESKOM (Electricadora de Suda Africa) approached the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and co-funded the development of the first camera designed specifically for corona imaging.

This camera was named CoroCAM® (Corona Camera) and was made to order by this research organization.

UViRCO Technologies (Pty) Ltd. was registered in 2008 as a spin-off of CSIR.

Why do you need a corona camera?

The corona effect is visually indicated by a small blue glow around the HV hardware, which is only visible in very dark conditions.

What is not seen is the invisible ultraviolet light generated by the discharge.

CoroCAM creates an image of the ultraviolet light and superimposes it on a visible image, allowing the user to locate corona discharges.

A corona camera is used throughout the power supply chain to visualize the UV emitted by external partial discharges (Corona, Sparks and Arcs) which are an indication of equipment or facility degradation and potential failure.

Corona cameras can be used in:

• Generators.
• Transmission lines.
• Distribution lines.
• Electrical Substations.

The loss of energy from a single discharge is not costly, but if the discharge occurs at multiple locations, it quickly registers.

The ultraviolet light produced by the discharge can degrade nearby rubber and polymer components (insulators and line spacers), reducing their service life.

A variety of compounds are also produced during the ionization process that can attack various metallic components or cause arcing when they hydrate, The noise (audible and radio) produced during the ionization process can be annoying to nearby people and can interfere with various electronic devices.

What types of cameras do we offer?

Cameras for manual use: CoroCAM 6HD, CoroCAM 7, CoroCAM8

Cameras for mounting or drone: CoroCAM 6HD, CoroCAM UVS1, CoroCAM 8 UAV