LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS: LIGHTING A THIRD OF THE WORLD

1. LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS: LIGHTING A THIRD OF THE WORLD Ian Frank (ME), Matthew Walter (ME), Jesse Steiner (EE), Luke Spencer (ISE), Mike Celentano (EE), Nicholas Balducci (ME) Faculty Guide: Robert Stevens Module Concepts DC Charging Plugs DC Jack Handle Light Diffuser Can Housing LED Power Conditioner Generator Bike Trainer • PROBLEM: • Over two billion people go without lighting or use un-healthy polluting light sources such as kerosene lamps • Current lighting solutions have efficiencies of lower than one lumen per watt - producing very little light with a low dispersion uniformity • Studies have shown a positive direct correlation of available lighting to successful education, literacy, and additional income generating activities • Byproducts of combustion are hazardous to the health of those exposed as well as to the environment • Many families spend $8-15/month on lighting, and only make $60/month – that’s 13-25% of their income! • Fossil fuel-based lighting technologies remove wealth from the local economy, which is often impoverished to start with • Fuel-based lighting accounts for 33% of all residential lighting and 12% of all lighting worldwide Circuit Board On/Off Switch AA Batteries Global Annual Costs of Fuel-Based Lighting 1,350 hours spent collecting fuel (per family!) 20billion gallons of fuel 38billion U.S. dollars 200Million tons of greenhouse gases • PROJECT OBJECTIVES: • Develop and deploy efficient, high quality, and economically viable lighting systems for use in the developing world based on recent advances in LED technology • Develop collaborative partnerships with organizations working in the target areas to help with field testing Economic Benefits - Lanterns • PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT: • Utilized RIT Alumni network to develop relationships with two non-profit organizations with focus in Haiti • Established the needs of the end user, rural families in Haiti, by working closely with these partners • Key Needs • Provide improved lighting levels and distribution • Be more environmentally friendly than kerosene • Decrease purchase and operating costs • Have capacity to be manufactured in developing nations • Developed twenty-five engineering specifications based on established needs to guide product design LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: In order determine the sustainability of the designed lighting units compared to the currently used kerosene lamps, the SimaPro Life Cycle Assessment tool . LIGHT QUALITY was used. Eco-Points were determined for operating both lighting options over an extended time period. One light module plus 1/20th of the central charging system has less than 3% of the negative environmental impact of one kerosene lantern for the same time period while also providing superior lighting levels. • At low power, light modules provide nearly twenty times greater lighting levels for reading vs. kerosene lamps • Light distribution is more uniform and stable • Light module provides at least 20 lux when in reading lamp configuration • Charge lasts 13 hours at 0.8W setting • GOING FORWARD: • Solve issues with charging module - protect module from over-current • Increase lighting levels – LED driver limits light levels to those currently tested and it would be beneficial if the light module could produce more light • Send fully functional system to Haiti for field testing • Revise design of both modules based on the results of field testing. • Future generations - communal or individual basis • Small treadle, photovoltaic cell, or thermoelectric module • Concept - inexpensive individual lighting units & a central charging unit • Design recognizes need for low initial individual costs • Charging unit owned and operated by local microenterprise • Income generating activity using local resources rather than importing fuel or batteries • First generation - rechargeable lighting units charged by bike powered communal generating station • Provides lighting system maintenance - units inspected & serviced by charging station operator P08427