Technological development has focused primarily on such things as the fluorescent lamp and the ballast and has chiefly been geared to boosting their luminous efficacy. The chart “Milestones to energy conservation with modern lighting” shows how much has been achieved in reducing power requirements. The first breakthrough came with the development of new low-loss ballasts …
Power supply of luminaires with magnetic ballasts
The magnetic ballast Fluorescent tubes and discharge lamps require the intensity of the arc to be limited, and this function is fulfilled by a choke (or magnetic ballast) placed in series with the bulb itself (see fig. 5 ). This arrangement is most commonly used in domestic applications with a limited number of tubes. No …
Lighting quality, how to achieve?
Achieving the required illuminance level does not necessarily ensure good lighting quality. The quality as well as the quantity of illuminance is important to produce a comfortable, productive, aesthetically pleasing lighting environment. The quality of the lighting system refers, but is not limited to, aspects of lighting such as proper color, good uniformity, proper room …
Lights up, the facts about lighting!
Illuminance is light falling on a surface measured in footcandles or lux. Distributed with an economic and visual plan, it becomes engineered lighting and, therefore, practical illumination. A lighting designer has four major objectives: Provide the visibility required based on the task to be performed and the economic objectives. Furnish high quality lighting by providing …
Dual nature of light
Light has intrigued humankind for centuries. The most ancient theories considered light as something emitted by the human eye. Later on, it was understood that light should come from the objects seen and that it entered the eye producing the feeling of vision. The question of whether light is composed by a beam of particles …
Colour classification and temperature
Colour is a subjective psycho physiologic interpretation of the visible electromagnetic spectrum. Luminous sensations or images, produced in our retina, are sent to the brain and interpreted as a set of monochromatic sensations which constitute the colour of the light. The sense of sight does not analyze each radiation or chromatic sensation individually. For each …
What Light Source To Choose?
One of the first decisions in the design of a good lighting system is the choice of a light source. A number of light sources are available, each with its own unique combination of operating characteristics. A few of the lamp characteristics that a lighting designer should consider when choosing a light source include efficacy, …
What is the vertical illuminance?
Vertical illuminance is a component of lighting design that is vitally important to architecture. Its primary purpose is to make spatial proportions and spatial limits visible. The opposite is the conventional horizontal illuminance, which is frequently the result of a purely functional, utilitarian and quantitative approach to design. In this latter case, the spatial experience …
Energy Efficency In Hospitals – Lighting (part 5)
Lighting is one of the large energy consumers in hospitals, just as in many other kinds of utility buildings. Various studies have shown that some 20% of the total energy consumption in a hospital is accounted for by the lighting installation. When it comes to the energy savings that can be made on lighting, these …
Distribution Of Energy For Lighting – History
Edison planned his first installation for New York City, and decided that an underground system of distribution would be necessary. This took the form of a network supplied by feeders radiating ftom a centrally located degenerating station to various feed points in the network. Pilot wires were taken back to the generating station from the …
