Sparks Electrical News February 2018

LIGHTING

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PHILIPS TO LIGHT UP FOUR SOUTH KOREAN WINTER SPORTS STADIUMS

UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES OF LED TRAFFIC LIGHTS PHILIPS LIGHTING has announced that its Philips ArenaVision flood- lighting will be installed in four South Korean stadiums to be used for ski, snowboard, hockey, skating and short track. The stadiums that will deploy the lighting are the Phoenix Snow Stadium, the Gangneung and Gwandong Hockey Centres and the Gangneung Ice Arena. Viewed as the global leader in sports lighting, Philips ArenaVision floodlighting has already been installed at numerous major stadia in South Korea and around the world. Philips ArenaVision floodlighting is designed to enable athletes to perform at their best and fans to enjoy the sport to the fullest. Delivering light with a colour temperature which is close to daylight (5600 K), it enhances the concentration of both athletes and audiences. Its high colour rendering index of 90 shows the real colour of an object, enhancing the visual performance, which is particularly relevant in sports such as figure skating. The embedded reflector skirt minimises glare, providing clear visibility on the field, and removing distractions that could hinder players’ performance. The lighting is durable and robust even in harsh conditions with a waterproof and dust proof rating of IP565. Philips ArenaVision floodlighting also allows broadcasters to deliver better quality to those viewing at home. It meets stringent 3D and Ultra High Definition broadcast standards to capture every detail and emotion, and its flicker-free technology allows replays to be shown in slow motion, showing every detail without any flickering. This clarity amplifies the beauty of ice events in which the outcome can be decided by a millisecond, and increases the viewers’ appreciation of the athletes’ skills. “Philips ArenaVision has built up its success and reputation over many years of being deployed at major global sports events. We are confident that it will help both the performance of athletes and the enjoyment of spectators and millions of home viewers during major sports events,” said Kees Klein Hesselink, Global Key Account Manager, Philips Lighting Arena Solutions. DURING A RECENT SNOWSTORM, the Minnesota State Patrol re- sponded to over 1 200 crashes and spinouts around the North American state. Fifty people were injured, and one woman was killed. Part of the problem, of course, was the slick roads. But there was another problem—an unexpected one. The state’s Department of Transportation has been in the process of replacing traditional incandescent traffic lights along state highways and roads with the much more energy efficient LED lights. The goal, of course, is to save money. But that transition has come at a safety-related cost. While incandescent lights generate enough heat to melt snow, sleet and ice that might hit the traffic light covers, the LED lights do not. As a result, snow, sleet and ice can accumulate on the covers, eventually obliterating the lights that are emanating from the LEDs. So, instead of seeing green, amber or red, motorists see white, white and white. And that has caused some problems with many motorists assuming they have green lights and moving through intersections, crashing into other vehicles whose drivers do (or also think they do) have green lights. “This is a common issue anywhere there are LED lights and snow and ice,” said Kevin Gutknecht, director of communications for the Minnesota DOT. The problem is not unique to Minnesota. It is becoming more common in most northern regions where governmental agencies are switching from incandescent to LED traffic lights. An article published by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) last year reported on a school bus in Windsor, Ontario, that ran a red light and broadsided a vehicle at the intersection. Six students, a school staff member, and the drivers of the car and bus were taken to the hospital. The bus driver reported that the red LED traffic light was covered in snow. There are a number of possible solutions, including heating the signal heads, installing shields or clear covers that prevent snow and ice build- up, or installing special circular guards around the lights to deflect ice and snow. In the meantime, most communities experiencing problems with snow-covered LED traffic lights simply arrange for work crews to drive to each light pole, remove the snow and ice by hand, or, if possible, simply shake the poles to loosen the snow. Communities also ask motorists, if they approach a snow-covered traffic light and are unable to see the colour that is in effect, to treat the intersection as a four-way stop. This story, by William Atkinson, appeared in the December 2017 issue of Electrical Contractor Magazine. Enquiries: www.lighting.philips.co.za

COMPAR PENDANT LUMINAIRES FOR MODERN WORLDS OF WORK

C ompar pendant luminaires from ERCO have a discreet look with a slender, suspended profile. The light effect is placed to the fore with two linear downlight modules in each lumi- naire along with an optional uplight component. The indirect light of the uplight component creates a pleasant atmosphere in a room, available on request with the variable ‘tuneable white’ light colour. This is ideal, for example, with concepts aiming to bring the rhythm of daylight into offices. The luminaire body makes the luminaires ideal for architectural lighting, for example, in public buildings and prestigious offices. The profile corresponds in width and height to the familiar ERCO Hi-trac track, thus providing lighting designers with interesting combination options. Each luminaire has two direct distributions, linear lighting technology modules each with six LEDs, whilst the direct/indirect variants feature additional diffuse, soft distribution LED units on the upper side of the profile. The pendant luminaires offer high visual comfort and a wide selection of light distributions: two of these, i.e. rotationally symmetrical wide flood distribution (beam angle approx. 60°) and axially symmetrical oval wide flood distribution (beam angle approx. 90° x 55°) meet the stipulations of standard- compliant workplace lighting thanks to appropriate UGR values. The extra wide flood rotationally symmetric distribution with approximately 85° beam angle allows the especially efficient illumination of ancillary areas and circulation areas with economically wide luminaire spacing. Another practical detail for office applications – Compar

© ERCO GmbH, www.erco.com

pendant luminaires are available in two lengths of 1200 mm and

1600 mm. This enables the axis distances of both downlight modules to be perfectly matched to the office layout. The larger distance is suitable for typical desk dimensions, and the smaller distance for reception desks, for example. Integrated anti-dazzle louvres increase visual comfort and are available in highly specular silver or matt black.

Enquiries: www.erco.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

FEBRUARY 2018