Enhancing Critical Infrastructure Reliability Through Thermal Imaging: A Proactive Approach to Battery Room Monitoring

Battery rooms are critical to ensuring uninterrupted power in data center operations (DCO) and industrial facilities. Traditional monitoring methods, which rely on reactive fault detection through electrical measurements, often fail to identify early-stage anomalies such as internal cell degradation, loose connections, and ventilation deficiencies. This study presents a proactive monitoring framework that integrates thermal imaging technology for continuous, non-contact observation of battery room environments. High-sensitivity infrared cameras, combined with integration into Facility Monitoring Systems (FMS), enable early fault detection, real-time alerting, and targeted maintenance interventions. The proposed approach enhances operational safety, extends battery lifespan by up to 25%, reduces maintenance costs by 20– 30%, and minimizes the risk of catastrophic failures. The findings demonstrate that thermal imaging offers a cost-effective, scalable, and reliable solution for predictive maintenance, significantly improving the resilience and efficiency of critical power infrastructure.