Dynamic Lighting Control for Migratory Bird Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods to mitigate the impact of installations on migratory birds, such as hydrocarbon facilities, are inadequate as they either attract birds with high-intensity lighting or pose risks during bird capture, and universal solutions are lacking due to varying bird attraction to different light colors.

Innovation Solution

A system that dynamically controls the light intensity of installations using a control system comprising a weather station, database for bird presence, and predictive unit to adjust lighting based on calculated bird passage probabilities, ensuring minimal disturbance to migratory birds while maintaining operator safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high-intensity lighting is used at the installation, then operator safety is improved, but migratory birds are attracted and disturbed, causing energy waste and increased vulnerability to predators

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator safetyVSAvoidbird disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system dynamically adjusts its intensity based on real-time bird presence detection. The control system modulates light output between high intensity (for operator safety) and low intensity (to avoid bird attraction), creating a dynamic balance that adapts to changing environmental conditions and bird populations around the installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback from bird detection sensors and weather stations that monitor environmental conditions. This feedback loop allows the control system to continuously adjust lighting intensity based on actual bird presence and environmental data, ensuring operator safety while minimizing bird disturbance through adaptive response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If light intensity is reduced to protect birds, then bird disturbance is minimized, but operator safety may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebird disturbanceVSAvoidoperator safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If green or blue lights are used instead of yellow or orange lights, then bird attraction is reduced in the North Sea, but some bird populations in the southern hemisphere are more attracted to green light

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebird attractionVSAvoiduniversal effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of light intensity dynamically rather than relying on fixed color specifications. By adjusting intensity levels in real-time based on detected bird presence, the system achieves universal effectiveness across different bird populations and geographic locations, overcoming the limitations of color-based mitigation strategies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Object-affected harmful factors

If an aviary is provided on the installation as a refuge for birds, then bird protection is improved, but operator safety is put at risk during bird capture and migration routes may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebird protectionVSAvoidoperator safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful factor (bird attraction to light) is extracted and addressed by dynamically controlling light intensity rather than physically capturing birds. This approach eliminates the need for aviaries and direct bird handling, thereby removing the safety risks to operators while still achieving bird protection through non-intrusive light management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3681280B1Method for controlling the light intensity of a facility, and associated system

Publication Date: 2022.01.05 TECH FRANCE SA

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AI summary

The invention relates to a method comprising the following steps: determination of predictive meteorological data in an area (42) surrounding the facility (10); querying of a database about the presence of birds (22) in the area (42) surrounding the facility (10); calculation, by a prediction unit, of the probability of birds (22) passing opposite the facility (10) according to the weather, on the basis of the predictive meteorological data and data relating to the presence of birds (22) in the area (42) surrounding the facility (10); and control, by a control unit, of at least one light source (26) of the facility (10), on the basis of the probability of birds passing, calculated by the prediction unit.