Photo: The picture shows our modern T-CIRCEL, which is also available with CLO driver
Achieve optimal and sustainable lighting with CLO driver
Luminaires with CLO driver (Constant Light Output) make lighting more optimal and sustainable by increasing the maintenance factor.
The maintenance factor
When planning and calculating lighting, the efficiency of a luminaire is essential.
If you look at the efficiency of an ordinary luminaire, it will deteriorate after x amount of time in operation. This is due to soiling of the room, luminaire and shielding, among other things. In addition, there is a natural decrease in the efficiency of the light source - a decrease in light. This decrease in light is also called an L-value.
Both soiling and light fall-off are taken into account when calculating the number of luminaires needed to light a room. When calculating the number of luminaires, these factors are recognised as a maintenance factor. The maintenance factor is therefore seen to influence the calculation of the number of luminaires.
The natural lumen depreciation (L-value) is seen to be the basis for the maintenance factor, as it affects the efficiency of the luminaire more than the soiling of the luminaire itself. Therefore, a high L-value is seen to be very important when planning lighting and calculating the number of luminaires.
A luminaire with an L-value of L70 loses 30 per cent of its original light level over x amount of time in operation, of which you choose to oversize the luminaire based on this.
A luminaire with CLO has an L-value of L100. This means that the luminaire emits a constant luminous flux during its expected lifetime to counteract the natural light decay of the luminaire.
Achieve L100 with CLO
With CLO, an L-value of L100 is achieved, of which the light output is constant. This is achieved by programming the operating current to gradually increase over time during the expected lifetime. The luminous flux is adjusted from the beginning of the luminaire's lifetime and the required illuminance levels are kept constant until the end of the expected lifetime.
In other words, the CLO driver compensates the increased operating current for the natural decrease in light, thereby minimising oversizing.
Comparing a luminaire with an L-value of L70 and a luminaire with CLO L100, there is a big difference in oversizing. The luminaire with L70 will have a maintenance factor of 0.65, where the luminaire with L100 will have a maintenance factor of 0.93.
The higher the L-value, the higher the maintenance factor and the higher the maintenance factors, the fewer arm tours and thus increased energy savings.
