Feature Hazardous Area Equipment
Turn to LEDs when the going gets tough A
Willi Steckel of Cooper Crouse-Hinds demonstrates the advantages of using LED lamps in hazardous offshore oil and gas environments
round 67% of all lighting cur- rently installed today is based on traditional, less energy effi- cient technology that was most probably developed before 1970. However, there is now more pressure than ever on companies to reduce energy usage and as such, many are now considering or have already switched from traditional forms of lighting to the latest LED technology which can deliver savings in energy costs but also in total cost of owner- ship of lighting installations. For an offshore oil and gas plat- form, which may have hundreds or even thousands of different light fit- tings installed, reducing the total cost of ownership of lighting is critical. Typically the lighting will be installed in Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous gas areas and will include floodlights , fluorescent light fittings, pendant and bulkhead light fittings, hand lamps, safety torches and chargers, safety and escape sign luminaires, signal and vessel lights. So, for many offshore oil and gas installations, replacing traditional HID or fluorescent light fittings with LED alternatives is a solution. However, prior to deciding whether traditional light fittings should be replaced with LED lighting, first of all light fitting performance, system effi- ciency, reliability, availability of replacements or spare parts, mount- ing and installation options must all be taken into consideration as these can all affect total cost of ownership.
The benefits of LEDs
While the cost of LEDs is higher than a HID or fluorescent equivalent, this can be offset with the benefits that LEDs can provide. For example, on average, LED lamps consume 50% less energy than comparable lumi- naires and 85% less energy than incandescent luminaires. LED lamps also provide higher lumens per watt compared to many traditional light- ing technologies (compact fluores- cent, HID, incandescent, etc). LED lighting can also reduce the high maintenance costs associated with traditional lamps due to the fre- quent bulb changes and servicing. Imagine the time and cost of having to change bulbs or service thousands of different light fittings on an offshore oil platform. This means that over the
Electrical Engineering OCTOBER 2013
Efficiency and operating life The expected lumen maintenance L70 of an LED lamp is 50,000-60,000 hours, which is significantly more than HID and fluorescent lamps. Also, with LED light fittings, there are also no negative influences on the life of the lamp due to switching cycles. The overall efficiency of an LED lighting system is determined by the efficiency of the LED package, i.e. the driver, heat sink, secondary optics and controls. LED drivers are more effi- cient than HID ballasts, resulting in higher overall system efficiency. Whereas traditional light fittings use transformers or power converters, LED drivers regulate the energy passing through LEDs to produce consistent (constant or PWM current) output.
long term, LED lighting reduces the overall cost of ownership.
Because LED light fittings have no fil- aments or electrodes, they are more robust, durable, vibration-proof and impact-proof than incandescent lamps or gas discharge lamps (HPS, MH or flu- orescent). It also means that an LED equivalent lamp is likely to have smaller size and shape constraints. Moreover, because solid state devices have no filaments or glass components that can break, this significantly reduces the risk of premature failure of LED light fittings. In addition, LED lamps do not emit ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) radiation and provide immediate start-up and instant 100% illumination. The colour temperature of LED lighting can also be varied to suit the particular requirements of the customer. LED lighting provides a high colour rendering index, which results in crisper, more natural light.
Above: a
comparison of LEDs versus other
lighting alternatives
Most drivers are 85-90% efficient with a power factor of >0.85. However, drivers contain electronic components that can raise the tempera- ture of the LED system. Any excess heat in an LED lighting system could result in accelerated lumen depreciation, colour shift and reduced rated life, and so all LED lamps require an effective heat sink. A heat sink is a thermally conductive material attached to the LED printed circuit board (PCB) assembly. Heat sinks are specifically engineered to remove heat from the LEDs and the driver in order to ensure longer life, better lumen output and accurate colour temperature. Often, a ‘finned’ design is used to increase the surface area avail- able for heat transfer (dissipation). Therefore, a well designed heat sink can result in lower housing and junction temperatures, as well as improved lumen maintenance over time.
Environmental benefits Disposal is also a key factor to consider. As LEDs contain no mercury or other hazardous substances, users should see a reduction in disposal costs at the end of the lamp’s life, which in turn means a reduction in future liabilities. Cooper Crouse-Hinds has invested heavily in the construction of its own LED research and development centre in the US. Built three years ago, this R&D centre combines the LED efforts of all the various Cooper lighting divi- sions into one common LED platform. By establishing its own LED research and development centre, Cooper Crouse-Hinds is able to ensure that LED lighting components and sys- tems such as drivers, heat sinks optics and controls, are fully developed and tested according to the relevant inter- national lighting standards and that these products are also Ex-certified for use in hazardous areas.
Conclusions
LED lighting has become an accepted technology with significant benefits compared to traditional light sources. Economic payback on LED lighting is being driven by lower energy consump- tion, longer life and reduced mainte- nance over the complete product lifecycle. The performance and safety benefits of LED lighting should also be considered, including instant on/off, cold temperature operation and good resistance to vibration and impact.
Cooper-Crouse Hinds
www.crouse-hinds.com T: 0247 630 8930
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