LED Luminaire: Alternative and Interesting Uses for the LED Luminaire
The LED luminaire is well known for its versatility, and the diversity of uses to which it can be applied. LED’s, or light emitting diodes, have been around for several years and were originally used on indicators of open/closed circuits in everyday appliances such as alarm clocks and coffeepots. Over the last few decades, technological innovations have produced LED’s in different colors, including those capable of producing ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
This article will report on LED luminaire performance in three different settings:
- Aquarium lighting. An LED luminaire will have a great number of advantages for this application: low power consumption, practically no infrared or ultraviolet radiation transmitted to the aquarium, long-term savings and environmental correctness. LED technology is especially useful for aquarium coral, since it doesn’t generate excessive heat that would damage the delicate life forms.
- Stage lighting. Manufacturers are putting a lot of effort into the color range of stage flood lighting, adding amber and white to the red, green and blue LED luminaire, and reports are that the market has been receptive to it. At least one company has worked to create absolute color in their calibrations.
- Street lighting. Many major cities across the world are now using luminaires LED for streetlights. When the city of Welland, Ontario, installed theirs in 2007, their mayor stated that this was a move to “protect and enhance the environment.” LED luminaires are eco-friendly because they save taxpayer dollars since they use about 47% less electricity than standard streetlights, and need less maintenance and are replaced less often.
For commercial lights especially, shifting to LED technology can have a profound effect on energy consumption. For example, if you were to replace the 125,000 fluorescent tubes in the Sears Tower with an LED equivalent, it would reduce power consumption by four million kilowatt hours or almost half a million dollars over a span of one year based on normal usage.