Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
- AN EVALUATION.
BY
NITIN VAIDYA *, KRISHNA KUMAR. C. **, SURESH. P.S. ***
ABSTRACT
Road traffic signals are used as a cost effective measure for controlling traffic safely and efficiently
at intersections. Incandescent bulbs are being used as light sources in traffic signal heads for a
long time now. LED s(Light Emitting Diodes) have been used in place of incandescent lamps in
traffic signals of late due to its energy efficiency and longevity. At present there is no standards
available for LED signal faces in India. Number of standards are compared and discussed here
with the aim of providing uniformity in the standards for LED signals, especially for colour,
luminous intensity, luminous intensity distribution. Recently Surat Municipal Corporation has
embarked upon a programme of retrofitting signals with LED aspects. The evaluation of the
retrofitting with LED signal aspects are done in this paper. The investment for retrofitting LED in
traffic signals in Surat is estimated to have an IRR of 14 % compared to the use of incandescent
bulbs for an analysis period of 7 years. It was found that the power savings due to retrofitting with
LED is 88 % and the savings in maintenance cost is 51 %. It is estimated that in a city having 500
intersections approximately Rs.9.5 millions can be saved per annum, at a rate of Rs. 3/ kw. hr. of
electricity, by completely retrofitting signals with LED aspects. As an energy efficient measure, it
is suggested that the use of LED retrofit in traffic signals need to be implemented in other cities
also. At the same time proper methods need to be ensured to understand the performance of LED
retrofitted signals on its optical performance and longevity in the tropical climate prevalent in
India.
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RETROFITTING ROAD TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH LED
- AN EVALUATION.
BY
NITIN VAIDYA *, KRISHNA KUMAR. C. **, SURESH. P.S. ***
1. INTRODUCTION
Incandescent bulbs are being used as light sources in traffic signal heads for a long time now.
Conventional incandescent lamps generate light by applying voltage across a tungsten wire
filament in a glass enclosure and making it hot. Most of the energy is dissipated as heat and hence
incandescent lamps are not energy efficient. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are semiconductor
based light sources where light is generated by an electron energy transition across a p-n junction
by passing a current through the junction. LEDs are now available in many colours including red
amber and green. LED can produce monochromatic light and hence there is no need for using
external light filters to change the colour. Incandescent lamps produce white light and require
optical filters to obtain the desired colours. LEDs are capable of operating from –40°C to 100°C
and they can withstand higher levels of shock and vibration than incandescent lamps. The life
expectancy is higher, may be 10 years or more and more than 5 years of warranty is given by the
manufacturers. LED traffic lights are made by combining number of LEDs in arrays and this
number is brought down by every passing year. The first signal lamps that were developed in 1994
had over 600 LEDs in them, the same lamp can now be built with about 100 traditional LEDs.
Now it is possible to build LED signal faces with six LEDs .( Burton,R(2003), ) LEDs can
operate with reduced power consumption. A standard 300 mm traffic signal with incandescent
lamp consumes 100 watts of power. A LED lamp having the same dimension consumes only 10
watts. This results in savings of 90 watts per lamp and a city having thousands of signal
installations can save large amounts from this. LED s have been used in place of incandescent
lamps in traffic signals of late due to its energy efficiency and longevity. India is no exception to
this and numbers of cities are having LED retrofitted traffic signals functioning now. In India,
local self governing bodies are in charge of installing and maintaining traffic signals with the
active involvement of local traffic police. One of the local self governing bodies in India, Surat
Municipal Corporation has recently embarked upon a programme of retrofitting the traffic signals
__________________________________________________________________________
* Executive Engineer, Surat Municipal Corporation, Surat.
** General Manager, CMS Traffic systems Limited, Mumbai.
*** Manager – Traffic Engineering, CMS Traffic Systems Limited, Mumbai.
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with LED. So far no effort was done to quantify the benefits due to the retrofitting with LED
signals in India. As most of the local bodies in India do not have the financial capacity to invest in
traffic control activities as necessitated by the traffic conditions, it is high time to understand the
accrued benefits from the modernization of signal systems. This paper details the standards for
LED signals along with an evaluation of the LED retrofitting done in various intersections falling
under the Surat Municipal corporation limits.
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2.2 Comparison of various standards for LED traffic signals
LED standards for traffic signals are varying in different countries, different specifications
dominate in USA, Japan,Europe etc. The differences are based largely on required visibility or
luminous intensity. A comparison of standards for LED traffic signals are reproduced in
Table 3.
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Red (d=300 Min=339, Max2=110 <=100,
(in the mm)[1] Max=800 0[4] nighttime[6]
referenc (d=300 PL2:
e axis) mm)[3] Min=200,
Max1=800
,
Max2=200
0
PL3:
Min=400,
Max1=100
0,
Max2=250
0
Size 200 mm, 200 mm, 200 mm, 250 mm, 200 mm, 300
300 mm 300 mm 300 mm 300 mm mm
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Notes
[1] The intensity value is the required value at the point where horizontal and vertical angles are
2.5 degrees from the reference axis. d indicates the diameter of the signal head.
[2] The measured chromaticity coordinates of LED signal modules shall be between 500 and 650
nm.
[3] The required intensity value of an LED signal is 85% of that of a corresponding incandescent
signal.
[4] Values are the required values in the reference axis. PL1, 2 and 3 indicate Performance Levels
1, 2 and 3. For the maximum intensity, Max1 is for Class 1 and Max2 is for Class 2.
[5] Values are the required values in the reference axis.
[6] Values are the required values in the reference axis. The nighttime condition excludes urban
areas with bright surroundings and high-speed rural roads.
[7] Type E: extra wide beam signal; Type W: wide beam signal; Type M: medium wide beam
signal; Type N: narrow beam signal.
Source
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/lightingTransformation/led/LEDTrafficSignalComparison.
asp
It can be seen that the Indian standards stipulate a luminous intensity of 400 cd for red, 800 cd
for amber and 400 cd for green light on normal roads (for incandescent lamps), ITE standards
need a minimum luminous intensities of 339 cd, 1571 cd and 678 cd for red amber and green
respectively without mentioning the type of the road.
3.Data Collection
Traffic in the city of Surat is growing at a fast pace due to its divergent and flourishing business
activities like textiles, chemicals and dyes, diamond cutting etc. The traffic here is mixed in
composition; a higher percentage is comprised by motorized two wheelers and three wheelers. A
typical junction in Surat is shown in Figure 1.
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Figure 1 A typical junction in Surat.
Data were collected for various intersections where the retrofitting with LED was done. Data
related to monthly power consumption and maintenance expenses were collected from Surat
Municipal Corporation.
The list of intersections and junction wise details of the retrofitting are shown in Table 2 and
typical views of LED aspects are shown in Figure 2.
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TABLE 2 LIST OF JUNCTIONS AND DETAILS OF
RETROFITTING
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Figure 2 Views of LED signal faces in Surat.
4. Evaluation of LED retrofit traffic signals
4.1 Cost savings
268 red signal faces, 391 amber signal faces and 522 green signal faces were replaced with
LED signals. In addition to this Pedestrian signal faces of 187 numbers each of red and green
were also retrofitted with LED signals. Considering
60 % , 35% and 5 % as the usage time of red , green and amber signal faces respectively ,
annual savings were calculated as shown in Table 4. Initially, the incandescent lamps were
having wattage of 100 each and the same was reduced to 10 for red and amber, 4 for green and
3 for pedestrian green and pedestrian red.
TABLE 3 ENERGY SAVINGS PER YEAR
Initial After LED
Signal Wattage Wattage wattage installation. Savings/yr
faces. Number (Incandescent) LED (kwhr.) (kwhr.) (kwhr.)
Red 268 100 10 127166 12717 114449
Amber 391 100 10 7136 714 6422
Green 522 100 4 66686 2667 64018
Pedestrian
Red 187 100 3 92144 2764 89380
Pedestrian
Green 187 100 3 23889 717 23173
Blinkers 123 100 10 53874 5387 48487
Total 370895 24966 345929
Figure 3 shows the possible savings for different signal faces as per the variation of unit cost of
electricity for 25 junctions.
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2500000
2000000
Annual savings in Rs.
1500000
1000000
500000
0
1 2 3 4 5
Cost of electricity (Rs/kwhr.)
10
14000000
12000000
10000000
Annual savings
8000000
6000000
4000000
2000000
0
50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Number of junctions
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In addition to these, there are intangible benefits like benefits accrued from the non disruption of
traffic due to 100 % utilization of the system during the warranty period, reduction in accidents ,
savings in insurance sums etc. Also it has to be noted that with the research and development in
the field of LED , the price of LEDs are going further down in the coming years , which will
improve the economical viability of retrofitting with LEDs.
TABLE 4 ACTUAL COST SAVINGS
Parameters Unit With
With Led Incandescent Savings %
Source Bulbs In Rs Savings
Energy Expenses
Payback Analysis
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4.4 Further use of retrofit LED in signals
Certain other details like the life span of LED signals need to be thoroughly evaluated as the
retrofitting with LED for traffic signals in India is in its initial stages. Data need to be collected in
the coming years, related to the performance of LED signals in the higher ambient temperature
prevalent in India. Various combinations of usage like use of LED aspects for red signal only etc
need to be analysed further. It is expected that use of LED retrofits are going to increase globally
as an energy efficient measure, which can also result in reasonable economical returns.
5. Conclusion
Over the past few years the use of LED retrofitting in traffic signals is growing phenomenally due
to its energy efficiency and durability. By taking into account technology explosion taking place in
the development of LED, it is expected that their efficiency will double in every two years and due
to this the number of LED in a signal can be brought down without affecting the intensity of light
output. Standards for LED signal heads are varying depending on the country. There is a need for
uniformity in the standards for LED signals, especially for colour, luminous intensity, luminous
intensity distribution.
The investment for retrofitting LED in traffic signals in Surat is estimated to have an IRR of 14 %
compared to the use of incandescent bulbs for an analysis period of 7 years. This is a conservative
value without considering many in tangible benefits and with the reduction in prices of LED in the
coming years the returns from retrofitting with LED will increase in future. It was found that the
power savings due to LED is 88 % and the savings in maintenance cost is 51 %. It is estimated that
in a city having 500 intersections approximately Rs.9.5 millions can be saved per annum, at a rate
of Rs. 3/ kw. hr. of electricity, by completely retrofitting signals with LED aspects. As an energy
efficient measure, it is suggested that the use of LED retrofit in traffic signals need to be
implemented in other cities also. At the same time, proper methods need to be ensured to
understand the performance of LED retrofitted signals on its optical performance and longevity in
the tropical climate prevalent in India.
References.
1. Burton, Roy (2003), Traffic Technology International Annual review 2003, pp 22-23.
2. IRC: 93-1985, Guide lines on design and installation of road traffic signals-. (1985). The
Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi.
3. IS 7537-1974 Indian standard specification for road traffic signals- Bureau of Indian
Standards
4. http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/lightingTransformation/led/LEDTrafficSignalComparison.asp
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