EE 515 Illumination Engineering Design

Luminaire
A complete lighting unit, consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the parts designed to: 1. electrically operate and control the lamp 2. distribute and control the light 3. position and physically protect the lamp 4. connect the lamp to the power source

luminaires

Luminaires

Luminaires

Luminaire Classification
Category Direct Semidirect General diffuse Direct-indirect Semi-indirect Indirect % Upward Lumens 0-10 10-40 40-60 40-60 60-90 90-100 % Downward Lumens 100-90 90-60 60-40 60-40 40-10 0-10

Luminaire Efficiency
The ratio of the lumens emitted by the luminaire to

those emitted by the lamps The lower the number, the more luminous flus is trapped and absorbed by the luminaire Efficiencies of less than 70% generally indicate poor luminaire design

Four basic types of luminaires

Surface mounted with dark side panels 2. Suspended without upward component 3. Suspended with upward component 4. Suspended with upward component and with dark side panels
1.

Luminaire Light Control

Diffusers 1. Clear prismatic lens use the principle of refraction to produce downward intensity distributions 2. Flat translucent sheets scatter the light in all downward directions, rather than directing into particular zones 3. Combination

Luminaire Light Control

Baffles A single, usually V-shaped, shielding element, often placed parallel to and between lamps in a two-lamp luminaire

Luminaire Light Control

Louvers A group of baffles in an egg-crate arrangement Either straight or parabolic

Luminaire Light Control

Reflectors mounted above the lamps to redirect the upward component of luminous flux Types 1. Specular or semispecular generally uses with incandescent and HID sources
1.

2.
3. 4.

Normally made of aluminum Circular Parabolic Elliptical combinations

Luminaire Light Control

2. Diffuse commonly used in fluorescent luminaires Serve simply to redirect as much of the upward luminous flux as possible downward to the lens

Other considerations
1.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Appearance Maintenance Ventilation Acoustics Mounting Radiation Hazardous locations