Horticultural Lens Array Uniform Illuminance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LED-based horticultural lighting systems fail to provide adequate light uniformity and spectral tuning for indoor applications, with light intensity decreasing as the emission angle increases relative to the optical axis, leading to uneven illuminance and inefficiencies in energy use.
Innovation Solution
The use of an array of LEDs coupled with a lens system that maintains optimal separation distances and imposes uniform pressure, optically varying the light distribution to produce a substantially uniform or increasing illuminance across a surface regardless of the angle of incidence, achieved through mechanical and optical components that refract light rays proportionally to their incidence angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional LED-based horticultural lighting systems are used, then energy efficiency is improved, but light uniformity deteriorates with decreasing intensity at higher emission angles
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into multiple LED modules, each with its own optical control elements. This segmentation allows independent optimization of light distribution for each module, enabling the system to maintain energy efficiency while achieving uniform overall illumination by compensating for the natural intensity drop-off at angles through localized optical adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs optical elements with varying parameters (refractive indices, curvatures, orientations) to modify the light distribution pattern. By changing these optical parameters, the system compensates for the inherent intensity decrease at higher emission angles, maintaining uniform illuminance across the target area while preserving LED energy efficiency
2Area of stationary object
If LED array density is increased to improve light coverage area, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical elements designed in this system serve multiple functions simultaneously: they control light distribution patterns, compensate for intensity variations, provide mechanical support for LED positioning, and manage thermal characteristics. This multi-functionality allows increased light coverage area to be achieved without proportionally increasing system complexity, as single components perform multiple roles
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves expanded light coverage by optimizing the vertical and angular dimensions rather than simply increasing horizontal LED density. Optical elements are configured to distribute light across different angles and depths, creating uniform illumination over a larger area without requiring a proportional increase in the number of LED components, thus avoiding linear complexity growth
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances light projection area and uniformity, reducing 'hot spots' and 'dim spots' while increasing energy efficiency by maintaining consistent illuminance across a larger area, even at higher angles, effectively simulating natural sunlight and improving plant growth conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an optical portion configured to receive the first light distribution and configured to produce a second light distribution that projects a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface regardless of the angle of incidence of the second light distribution onto the flat surface
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that projects a substantially uniform target illuminance onto a flat surface or that projects increasing target illuminance onto a flat surface that increases as the beam angle increases with respect to the optical axis. A lens array of the horticultural light mechanically maintains an optimal separation distance between each LED of the horticultural light and the corresponding lens of the lens array. Each lens of the lens array receives the raw light distribution from the LED and then distributes an optically varied distribution having a nominal centerbeam intensity with an increasing beam intensity as the beam width increases. As the distance to target increases, so does the intensity of the light distribution, which projects a substantially uniform target illuminance, or an increasing target illuminance with increasing angle of incidence, onto a flat surface.