A light-mixing module consisting of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) and a light-mixing tube is proposed herein to realize a uniform and efficient solar-lighting system. In this lighting system, the sunlight collected into a fiber and then guided to an indoor destination is the principal light source, while an auxiliary light source including multiple red, green, blue, and white (RGBW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is controlled by an auto-compensating module. To mix the principal and the auxiliary sources and to realize the uniform illumination, the light-mixing tube was coated with BaSO4 and optimized as a cylindrical tube. The design of the light-mixing tube is described and discussed in this article. According to the simulated results, the uniformity and the optical efficiency of the designed light-mixing tube are 82.9% and 85.7%, respectively, while from the experimental results, the uniformity of 85.9% and the optical efficiency of 83.3% have been obtained. In terms of the common indoor-lighting standards and the specifications of commercial components used in lighting systems, the proposed light-mixing module has demonstrated the high uniformity and acceptable optical efficiency. Additionally, since the main components of the light-mixing module can be designed as plastic optics, a cost-effective light-mixing module and a profitable lighting system can be realized. Thus, the performance and the price of the proposed light-mixing module fit the demands of the illumination market, while the proposed system shows the potential for indoor solar-lighting applications.
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December 2017
Research-Article
Cost-Effective Light-Mixing Module for Solar-Lighting System Appended With Auxiliary RGBW Light-Emitting Diodes
An Chi Wei,
An Chi Wei
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: acwei@ncu.edu.tw
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: acwei@ncu.edu.tw
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Shih Chieh Lo,
Shih Chieh Lo
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: rooogerlo06@gmail.com
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: rooogerlo06@gmail.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Ju-Yi Lee,
Ju-Yi Lee
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: juyilee@ncu.edu.tw
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: juyilee@ncu.edu.tw
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Hong-Yih Yeh
Hong-Yih Yeh
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
Atomic Energy Council,
No. 1000, Wenhua Road, Longtan District,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: markyeh@iner.gov.tw
Atomic Energy Council,
No. 1000, Wenhua Road, Longtan District,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: markyeh@iner.gov.tw
Search for other works by this author on:
An Chi Wei
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: acwei@ncu.edu.tw
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: acwei@ncu.edu.tw
Shih Chieh Lo
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: rooogerlo06@gmail.com
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: rooogerlo06@gmail.com
Ju-Yi Lee
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: juyilee@ncu.edu.tw
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: juyilee@ncu.edu.tw
Hong-Yih Yeh
Institute of Nuclear Energy Research,
Atomic Energy Council,
No. 1000, Wenhua Road, Longtan District,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: markyeh@iner.gov.tw
Atomic Energy Council,
No. 1000, Wenhua Road, Longtan District,
Taoyuan City 32546, Taiwan;
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Central University,
No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli District,
Taoyuan City 32001, Taiwan
e-mail: markyeh@iner.gov.tw
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received April 11, 2017; final manuscript received August 2, 2017; published online September 12, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Jorge Gonzalez.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Dec 2017, 139(6): 061006 (6 pages)
Published Online: September 12, 2017
Article history
Received:
April 11, 2017
Revised:
August 2, 2017
Citation
Chi Wei, A., Chieh Lo, S., Lee, J., and Yeh, H. (September 12, 2017). "Cost-Effective Light-Mixing Module for Solar-Lighting System Appended With Auxiliary RGBW Light-Emitting Diodes." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. December 2017; 139(6): 061006. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037746
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