LED industrial lights keep pace with fast evolution of technology

Improved heat sinks for better heat dissipation, perfect optical systems for uniform illumination and better distribution for maximised light utilisation have all made LED industrial lights more energy and power efficient

By Kartiki Negi

Tuesday, October 07, 2014: Realising the immense benefits of LED lighting solutions, more and more industries are shifting to these, as they help in bringing down operational costs by up to 80 per cent. LED lights also last up to five times longer than conventional lights, resulting in less maintenance and downtime. Today, there is a wide range of LED industrial lights in the market like high bay lights, floodlights, industrial tubelights, well glass lights, facade lights, high-wattage down lights, etc.

What’s new in the market

There has been continuous development and upgradation in LED industrial lights with advances in the technology. Today, we have lights that are water-proof, rust-proof and explosion-proof. “With the use of high lumens/watt LEDs, that is, around 145 lumens/watt, the weight of the luminaire has come down considerably. This has made these lights easy to handle, especially in industrial buildings, where they are typically mounted at a height of 8-12 m,” says G Gururaja, managing director, Avni Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd.

According to Rajat Behal, VP, sales and marketing, Greenstar Research and Development India Pvt Ltd, the latest LED industrial lights have high electrical efficiency as the LED drivers are more efficient, and have higher power factors and lower THDs. “Moreover, the PCB is mounted to a finned, aluminium heat sink using a patented, zero air-gap technology, which maximises heat transfer and provides a long operating life for the LED. Secondary lenses are also available in select models to provide multiple beam patterns for various applications,” he adds.

Bay lights: Launched in March 2013, Avni Energy Solutions’ 200 W high bay lights deliver a luminous flux of 20,000, come with internal surge protection of 4 KVA and can replace 400 W conventional metal halide lamps. They are mounted at a height of 8 to 10 metres.

The modular bay lights in NTL Lemnis’ existing series, called Nimbus, are durable, energy efficient bay luminaires offering good performance, high technical specs, aesthetic appearance and the flexibility to suit varied industrial applications. The modules are available in 40 W low bay, 80 W mid bay, 120 W and 160 W high bay lights and come in various lens options—120°, 90° and 60°. “The lights in this series come with a modular construction so as to meet the light output requirements at any given height. The luminaire has been designed in such a way that it is user-friendly in terms of installation and maintenance,” says Arun Gupta, global CEO, NTL Lemnis.

Karvin Power Systems’ LED high bay light is available in the 30 W to 120 W range. It comes with a protection level of IP-65 and is highly efficient. “It is made up of a unique heat sink design for better heat dissipation and has the perfect optical system for uniform illumination. Saving up to 80 per cent energy, the product is environment friendly with non-toxic mercury lead or non-toxic phosphor power,” says Sanjay Agarwal, managing director, Karvin Power Systems.

GE Lighting Solutions’ existing series, the Albeo LED luminaires for modular high and low bay lighting, utilises an innovative heat sink and cutting-edge LED technology to deliver a wide range of light outputs that replace 250 W-1, 500 W HID and four-to-eight lamp T5/T8 high intensity fluorescent fixtures in high bay applications. This series offers more lumens from fewer LED modules than previous generations. It can be matched with motion, daylight and wireless controls for increased energy savings, lower maintenance costs and shorter payback time periods. The series is designed to meet the recommended luminance and illuminance requirements for high and low bay lighting applications in industrial and commercial buildings.

Tubelights: Avni Energy Solutions offers industrial tubelight fixtures that have a lumen efficacy of 100 lumens/watt with a minimum 80 CRI, a power factor of > 0.9, a THD of < 10 per cent, and controlled CCT with an external driver that will help to replace the defective driver easily. Launched in January 2014, this product is designed to meet high CRI, which is required for the garment industry and retail showrooms.

Floodlights: In March 2014, Greenstar launched its Vega floodlight. It is a high performance luminaire for façades, billboards, high masts, flood lighting, clean room and security applications, and offers more than 50 per cent energy savings. The lights have a high efficiency of over 90 lumens/watt, which helps to reduce the cost of the power and, hence, the return on investment period. The fixtures have moisture control vents that prevent the condensation on the toughened glass surface, which is usually caused by differential temperatures. “The dry, clean surfaces ensure the lumens/watt level is maintained and lead to a longer life since there is less chance of the rusting caused by moisture accumulation. Moreover, Vega comes with a distributed pattern for maximum utilisation of light, and has 10 KV/10 KA surge protection against the erratic Indian power conditions,” says Rajat Behal.

Well glass lights: In August 2014, Avni Energy launched a well glass fixture, which is dust-proof and is specially made for very dusty environments like cement factories. “A 70 W HPSV well glass light can be replaced by a 30 W LED well glass light, just as a 150 W HPSV well glass light can be replaced by a 60 W LED variant,” informs Gururaja.

Philips has launched its EnduraLED, an LED well glass which is hassle-free and offers long lasting performance. This model is suitable for direct replacement of 70 W HPSV conventional fixtures. EnduraLED has the potential to save > 40 per cent of the energy normally consumed, without compromising on the lighting parameters in the existing installation.

Flame-proof LED luminaires: These are designed to replace conventional fluorescent tubelights and are suitable for the gas group I IIA/IIB. They are designed to be suspended from the ceiling. These luminaires carry a warranty of three years (the normal life span is 12-15 years).

They come with features such as intelligence auto on/off and a power saving mode. The bulbs are flame-proof, with a built-in temperature control system to monitor internal and external temperatures. The maximum temperature possible is 100°C. These can be used in open spaces or in industries where the environmental conditions are not favourable. The bulbs have an operating life of 50,000 hours, which is nearly 10 times more than what any other lighting product offers.

Cold room luminaires: Cold rooms have very specialised lighting requirements due to their low temperature and high moisture content. A solid state solution is ideal for low temperature cold room applications such as cold storages, freezers and large scale refrigeration plants. To combat the high moisture in such environments, these lights are fitted into a rust-proof and corrosion-resistant powder coated aluminium housing, with stainless steel hardware.

Buying tips

Since one tends to make heavy investments while buying LED industrial lights, there are several parameters one should evaluate before zeroing in on any specific model. The following are some of the points that a buyer should keep in mind:

Application: One must be aware of the environment that these industrial lights have to be installed in. The user should inform the manufacturer about the environment—whether it is chemical-laden, dusty or hazardous, so that the manufacturer can provide an appropriate fixture.

Robustness: The product should come with IP66 and IK08 ratings so as to ensure a long life and protection against environmental impact.

Product performance: Luminous efficacy and other colour characteristics of the entire luminaire are assured by LM-79 test reports, and the performance of LED arrays or modules are guaranteed by LM-80 test results. ISTMT(in-situ temperature measurement test) reports also ensure long life.

Energy efficiency: Buyers should look for products with suitable specs such as a power factor of >0.9, LED driver efficiency of > 85 per cent, efficacy of > 85 and THD of < 20 per cent.

Power line suitability: The LEDs should have external surge protection of ≥10 KV/10 KA to ensure long operating life and trouble-free operation.

Warranty: There should be a minimum five-year warranty to justify the higher initial investment.

User safety: Certifications for the luminaire and LED drivers are a must.