The optic design was challenging due to the high technical and aesthetic demands, and was developed with the aid of in-house programmed software. Optics in the new OSRAM LED classic portfolio radiate at angles of up to 300° and are based on a uniform optical concept across all lamp types.

This achieves a uniform design appearance, and also shorter development periods and lower costs because the optics of various lamp types are compatible with identical mechanical components. This modular construction principle has been consistently applied by OSRAM to all components in its new LED lamp portfolio.

Visit novelenergylighting.com for all your LED needs. We sell a range of Osram LED and others.

FADED LUSTRE

Shuttla

From domestic households and the catering sector to industrial applications – light emitting diodes (LED) are becoming ever more popular, because high quality LEDs in particular from renowned manufacturers such as the lighting expert Osram feature significant benefits compared to standard light sources.

They feature good colour rendering, high energy efficiency and durability, consequently reducing running costs such as power overheads or replacement costs.

The structure and principal of LEDs

Light emitting diodes consist of several layers of semiconductor material that generate light upon the application of DC voltage. In contrast to incandescent lamps an LED is a monochromatic light source, and according to its composition emits light with a specific colour. White-emitting LEDs also initially generate monochromatic light that must then be converted, and this is usually achieved with a combination of blue LEDs with a yellowish phosphor layer or by mixing the light of red, green and blue LEDs (RGB). Furthermore, specific RGB colours can be mixed to create an infinite number of colour tones by varying the mixing ratios. 

PET PCBs for greater flexibility

Typical LED modules consist of several combined LEDs, a fixed PCB and various other components. A practical alternative to fixed fibreglass PCBs are flexible materials based on polymers, as these enable the production of LED modules with a high diversity of forms, in turn opening the way to new designs and lighting solutions. Flexible light engines can also be manufactured on rolls, providing simpler handling as well as automatic manufacturing and the reduction of stock keeping overheads.

A robust, non-conductive material with a high optical reflection factor is ideal for producing such flexible PCBs, and the material should also be environmentally compatible and chemically stable. Such requirements are best fulfilled with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) versions. With regard to these advantages, the lighting manufacturer Osram developed its PrevaLED Flex Linear light engine that fully exploits the benefits of flexible PET PCBs. The light engine consists of a thin and pliable copper layer in which the requisite circuit has been etched and sealed between two PET layers. 

An efficient direct current solution

Due to the electrical properties of LEDs, their drivers should directly supply a constant current to the module. The reason for this is that in contrast to LED systems requiring constant voltage, other current control components on the module are not needed with systems supplied by constant current directly from the LED driver. This provides efficiency increases of 5 to 15 per cent. A sophisticated system for grouping and mixing the various LEDs (various bins) is used to achieve homogeneous voltage distribution in the LED lines various (also switched in parallel) with simultaneous constant current operation, thereby also avoiding brightness and colour deviations within the partly long and flexible systems. This in turn enables a uniform distribution of light colour and brightness, across each section and the complete module.

Light on a strip

In addition to flexibility, a special benefit of the strip solution is cutting the strip to suit the desired length, enabled by switching the LEDs in parallel. With the Osram PrevaLED for example, the strip can be cut after each segment without the module forfeiting any quality of light. One segment has a length of either 93.3 mm equipped with 10 LEDs or 140 mm with 12 LEDs, and the length itself is restricted merely by the supply of current, which must be as homogeneous as possible for all LEDs to create light with high uniformity. In this regard the distance between the current source and the LED is an important factor – the maximal length of a flexible LED module with single-sided power input is currently 1.5 metres, and module lengths of three metres can be achieved with central power input. As a consequence, the length of the light strip can be individually modified between approximately 10 cm and three metres, and installations that previously required the back-to-back switching of several modules can now be produced as one unit. 

PrevaLED also cuts installation costs by up to 30% compared to standard lighting solutions. The LED strip can be bonded simply into luminaires or luminous elements, enabling the saving of valuable work time. The broad flexibility of PrevaLED comes to the fore during simple installation and the implementation of sophisticated design projects, and the PET strip can for example be bent to form a circle with a radius of just 15 cm. With a colour temperature of 4000 Kelvin, a good colour rendering index of over 80 and up to 170 lumens per watt, PrevaLED Flex is not only a genuine alternative to fluorescent tubes but also opens up new possibilities for designing light.

PrevaLED Flex module. The flexible LED strip can be cut-to-suit after each segment to achieve precisely the required length.

New designs can be simply implemented with flexible PrevaLED Flex modules.

Light with savings potential

With regard to power consumption, the emission of greenhouse gases and maintenance costs, LEDs from quality suppliers such as Osram offer high potential for savings without any sacrifices in terms of light quality. If the significantly longer lifespans are also considered, the total calculation is distinctly positive. When upgrading to LEDs, power costs according to the specific system solution can be cut by up to 80%. Incandescent lamps in this regard are characterised by an efficiency of around 10 lm/W, halogen lamps have approximately 20 lm/W and fluorescent sources have 70 to 90 lm/W. Comparable white LEDs achieve an efficiency of between 70 and 100 lumens per watt according to type and light colour, with LED power consumption (according to type) being merely 0.1 to 15 watts. This means that even highly compact LEDs provide powerful lighting.

It’s a question of quality

In order to exploit the complete spectrum of advantages inherent in LED technology, when selecting the appropriate light source this mainly concerns the quality of components. The light source manufacturer Osram has upgraded its portfolio, helping consumers to more simply identify high quality LEDs at a glance, and will present its largest LED lamp spectrum until now in the Autumn of 2014. More than 90 LED lamp types will be available in the retail market with easy to recognise, uniform designs, and the consistent look of the popular candle, drop-shaped and mainly pear-shaped classic LED lamps will be characterised primarily by their smooth, white heat sinks. The uniform designs of the Osram lamps go beyond similar appearances to also provide a highly practical aspect – all lamps are based on identical modules used in different lamps.

Retrofit lamps are especially suitable for refurbishing classic lighting systems to energy efficient and durable LED technology. An example are lamps from the Osram Classic A40 series, featuring construction sizes and bases identical to classic incandescent lamps to enable easy replacement.

Light without shadowing

Decisive for the success of a lighting technology is whether the light from a lamp is perceived as being pleasant. This in turn depends on various factors, for example colour temperature and luminous intensity. The distribution of luminous intensity in the so-called far field is also important, meaning where light hits walls, floors or table surfaces for example. Of special importance in this respect is that light is distributed homogeneously and that minimum shadowing or linear structures are seen. The optics within LED lamps are responsible for this task. Because such optics can be seen from the outside with clear lamps, these are not only a functional element but must also be visually attractive. The optic also ensures that the “technology” of the lamp, meaning its LEDs and electronics, cannot be seen from the outside. 

Optics in the classic bulb-shaped lamps in the new Osram LED portfolio have been designed to largely exclude irregularities such as dark shadow lines in far field light and to achieve homogeneous light distribution, and this is achieved by the particular form of the plastic optic developed specifically for the new lamp generation. The design of the optic was developed with the aid of in-house programmed software due to these stringent technical and aesthetic requirements. Optics in the new Osram LED portfolio radiate at beam angles of up to 300° and also achieve a high level of uniformity in illumination. 

Retrofit lamp from the new Osram portfolio.

Highly diverse lighting solutions

In addition to high levels of efficiency, the inherent diversity of the compact diodes is also advantageous, ranging from applications for video walls in sports arenas to the illumination of refrigerators. Because of their specific properties such as low heat generation and flat constructions, LEDs can be used in locations where other luminaires may only be installed in compliance with strict conditions – such as in fire protection applications. LEDs also generate no infrared or ultraviolet radiation, making them ideal for use in foodstuff counters and hospitals, and thanks to their tough constructions, LEDs are the ideal light source for applications exposed to high loads such as in the automotive sector. Osram LEDs also achieve very good colour rendering values of up to Ra 95.

Novel Energy Lighting sells a range of Osram LED products. One of the more popular lamps is the Osram LED Star GU10 6.5W Dimmable.

Lux Magazine reports: The government is considering ways to slash demand for energy by encouraging homes and businesses to install low-energy lighting and controls.

A consultation on ways to reduce demand for electricity was launched yesterday together with the Energy Bill, and runs until the end of January.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) believes that a quarter of the potential energy savings to be made in homes by 2030 could come from getting rid of incandescent lamps, while lighting and controls could account for more than a third of savings in commercial properties and nearly half in the public sector (including streetlighting).

In the residential sector, the major barrier to adopting these technologies is a lack of awareness, the government believes, while in commercial buildings the main problems are the payback period on lighting upgrades and the fact that the person using a building and paying the bills is not always the one with the power to make changes.

The government is considering various financial incentives for energy-efficiency measures as well as voluntary and information-based approaches.

Engineering body Cibse has welcomed the consultation, saying it comes “better late than never”. Cibse said that simple improvements to building performance could make a huge difference to the amount of energy needed in the future.

Any new measures to promote efficiency will come on top of the Green Deal, set to be launched fully in the new year, which will provide finance packages allowing  households and businesses to pay for energy-efficiency upgrades from savings on their bills.

Energy minister Ed Davey said the Energy Bill and associated measures are designed to drive low-carbon economic growth and “keep the lights on”.

Last year 39TWh of energy (that’s 39 billion kWh) was used to light commercial and public sector buildings, while around 15TWh was used in homes.

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Lux Magainze report: Energy-efficient lighting has come out top in a survey of green technology investments for businesses.

Over three quarters of businesses (77 per cent) polled by the Carbon Trust said they had invested in energy-efficient lighting in the past year, while 59 per cent had invested in employee training and 57 per cent had invested in energy metering and monitoring.

Almost all businesses surveyed said energy efficiency was an important consideration when buying or upgrading equipment.

However, the survey also highlighted reservations about the transition to the new technology, with only half of respondents (51 per cent) saying they were confident about manufacturers’ energy-efficiency claims.

Hugh Jones, managing director of business advice at the Carbon Trust said: ‘Our survey showed that return on investment is the most important factor for organisations considering investing in energy efficiency and low carbon technologies.’

The survey comes as the Carbon Trust launches the Green Business Directory, which lists suppliers that have been vetted under the trust’s Accredited Supplier scheme.

 View our LED ceiling panel range here, ideal for offices:

Energy efficient controls from LightwaveRF have been used in conjunction with Megaman’s energy saving lamps in a demonstration house at the BRE (Building Research Establishment) in Hertfordshire. The house forms part of the seminal sustainable refurbishment project, the BRE Victorian Terrace, on BRE’s Innovation Park.

The park is a mini-community of demonstration homes and buildings that have pushed the boundaries of global knowledge on delivering sustainability in the built environment.  It features a range of unique and diverse approaches to sustainable design, construction and refurbishment and a host of innovative low carbon products, materials and technologies. The centre is available for events as well as offering the opportunity for networking and providing a basis for a knowledge sharing hub. Visitors will be able to see the latest state-of–the-art technology from LightwaveRF in the remote control of the lighting and heating in the facility and the benefits of using this in conjunction with Megaman’s energy saving lamps.

LightwaveRF products have been used throughout the house and include LED dimmers, mood lighting controllers, sockets, wire-free switches, inline relays for blind control, TRV’s for radiator control and magnetic switches. The LightwaveRF system is controlled via the Lightwave Link which simply plugs into the home broadband router. The LightwaveRF controls are used in conjunction with a variety of Megaman lamps to offer a complete sustainable housing solution with lamps. These include 6W GU10s for ceiling illumination, LED Classics in pendants over the kitchen worktop, 7W GX53 lamps highlighting the wardrobe shelves and Incanda-LED candles in a crystal chandelier to act as an attractive feature in the living area.

One of the world’s leading brands in energy efficient lighting, Megaman is also the UK wholesale and retail distributor for LightwaveRF who provide stylishly crafted, energy efficient wireless home automation lighting, power and heating devices. LightwaveRF is a range of intelligent dimmers, radiator valves, sockets and sensors that are just that little bit smarter. While they look and work just like ordinary dimmers, valves or sockets, they will change the way you control your heating, lighting and power in your home forever.

The LightwaveRF product range can be retro-fitted with no extra wiring required and controlled over an internet connection from a smartphone, tablet or from a hand held remote control making control simple and convenient from the home, office, or indeed anywhere in the world. The collaboration between Megaman and LightwaveRF means that a ‘smart’ home is now within everyone’s reach.

Megaman and LightwaveRF products are all available through Novel Energy Lighting – we supply lighting and home automation products to homes and businesses.