Horticulture

Why we use only selected COB/LED

With the advent of LED technology design scenarios and possible applications in agriculture and horticulture in the experimental high-tech indoor and remodel spaces, concepts and results. In this scenario come into play innovation, technology, research and scientific experimentation. The performance and the real advantage in these applications is given by the type and quality of the components used and the study of the results obtained with the search. Not all components and LEDs are equal and not all follow this design approach because it is too expensive in terms of time and resources. We only use special COB LEDs and selected that can guarantee us the parametric performance and accuracy in the construction of the spectrum in an experimental perspective. The quality of lighting design, performance and results in horticulture and floriculture, are given by the components used and the study of radiometric and photometric properties and their correlation and interaction on a particular biological species.

HPS/MH/HPMV vs LED

Traditional lighting, high pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide (MH) and mercury (HPMV), which base their operation on the physical phenomenon of the discharge of gas, have had a huge impact over the past decades in horticulture and floriculture, allowing you to grow out of season in artificial indoor environments at any latitude or longitude. These traditional systems have shown, however, many considerable technical disadvantages and performance limitations:

The high energy consumption in proportion to poor yield and spectrometric performance is most evident limitation of HID lamps, MH and HPMV. With the appropriate use of specific LEDs can have superior performance, constant and better returning results in terms of time, quantity and quality.
HID lamps and MH because of their high energy expenditure in proportion to their low efficiency, contribute to difficult management of temperature and space, forcing to use systems for forced ventilation even in controlled environments. Led quality in a calculated design , allow you to not have any problem with temperature efficiency far superior to any other system, even in smaller rooms.
The intrinsic duration of the bulbs and HID MH and unstable performance of the lumen output, which fell considerably in a very short time unit is a limit dictated by the technology itself than traditional lamps. An LED diode quality in an assembly under ideal conditions, guarantees a minimum five times without any degradation in performance or quality of the emitted spectrum.
From the point of view of the quality of the light radiation, functional to experimentation and cultivation, in the lamps in traditional technology is not possible the study and the selective customization of the spectrum. Both the MH HID lamps that emit a wide-band spectrum with wavelengths unnecessary and generic peaks, resulting in loss of efficiency, effectiveness and unnecessary energy use. Using Led quality can be parameterized and specialize spectrum using only the wavelengths in percentages and peaks useful for the type of application.

The parameters and the physical quantities to be considered in relation to the performance of the technology adopted are PAR, PPF, PPFD, PPF / W, CRI, Lumen, Lux, mol, closely related have values of the technical design of the illuminating source.

Photosynthetically Active Radiation

This value (PAR) Indicates the spectral band of light ranging from 400 to 700 nanometers which plant organisms are able to use in the process of photosynthesis. The energy content of a photon is a function of its wavelength. Only with certain specific wavelengths and in certain percentages can be the stimulus, the control and management of efficient and selective of individual processes. One of the studies referenced in an experimental perspective are the work of McCree spectral quantum efficiency.

Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF)

The total number of photons per second emitted from a light source in the band of wavelengths PAR measured in mol m⁻² s⁻¹. E 'used instead of the measured luminous flux in lumens as it is based on the reaction of the sensitive piante.Il energy content of a photon of 400 nm (blue) is 1.75 times greater (700/400) than that of a photon of 700 nm (red), but both photons are similar with regard to their effects on the process of photosynthesis, conveying different answers on the process of photomorphogenesis.

Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density

Represents the flux density of photons (PPFD) in the spectrum of the PAR that fall on a surface of one square meter nel'unità of time. It is measured in μmoli m-2 s-1 and are used in place of lux in agricultural applications, horticulture, biology. Organisms and species of different plants require special flux density.

Photosynthetic Photon Flux /Watt

Measuring the efficiency (PPF) of a lamp, is expressed in μmoli / Joule. This measure represents the total number of photons in the spectrum of wavelengths of the PAR generated by a Joule of electricity.

Lumen

Lumens/Watt

Is the unit of measurement (lm) of the quantity of light emitted by a point light source in each direction and is technically called "luminous flux". It is essentially a numeric value focuses on the capabilities and characteristics of the source. The flow expressed only as a source is powerful from a standpoint bright, since it is a scalar quantity, the flow does not provide any information on the quality or the type of light emitted, on its spectral composition, its color tone nor on its distribution in space.

The luminous efficiency, or light output, expresses the ability of a lamp to convert the absorbed power in luminous flux. The luminous efficiency differs according to the various types of lamps and the technologies used. The higher its value, the more economic is generally the use of a light source. As a comparison, we can report that an incandescent bulb is around 14 lumens / watt, a halogen can be up to 25 lumens / watt, and comes to about 90 in fluorescent bulbs. With LEDs can be achieved under ideal conditions much higher efficiencies.

Color rendering Index (CRI)

Wavelength

The color rendering index of a light source is a measure of how natural appearing colors of objects illuminated by it, is the best and most faithful rendition of the source and the higher the value of this coefficient. In horticulture is a numerical value useful to quantify qualitatively source having a complete spectrum of all wavelengths in the visible.

The field of the wavelengths of the light is between 380 and 760 nm and each wavelength of the visible radiation is perceived by the eye in the form of a given color spectrum. At wavelengths directly lower (higher frequencies) match the utravioletti, while at higher wavelengths (lower frequencies) will identify the infrared

LUX	Correlated Color Temperature (CCT)

Photometric unit of measure the illuminance of a surface, that is, the luminous flux incident on the unit of surface area. This is an amount of light energy in unit time for irradiated surface, and is measured in watts per square meter. This value can vary and be altered using lenses or secondary reflectors of the second level at the expense of a certain loss in percentage of efficiency.

Emission angle

In an LED refers to how widespread is the light output. This angle is determined by measuring the angle in the direct axis and the angle at which the brightness is reduced to 50% and by multiplying the value of the difference between the two angles. The choice of the angle of light emission of the light intensity affects the final result. A parity actual intensity of the LED greater is the angle of emission is better distributes the light emitted. What led frequently using the specially designed lenses with the purpose of concentrating the light beam so as to facilitate penetration at the expense of some loss of efficiency due to the screen of the same material of the lens.

It's a characteristic of visible light and quantifies the hue of light.The unit of measure color temperature is Kelvin (° K). When is commonly said that a light is warm, in fact, this corresponds to a low color temperature, otherwise a higher temperature produces a light commonly called cold.

Junction Temperature

It's the temperature of the point where each diode connects to its base. Maintain the junction temperature as low as possible helps to increase performance and slow lumen depreciation avoiding breakage. The junction temperature is one of the keys through which to assess the quality and the capacity of an LED product to last long. The factors that affect the junction temperature are: the operating current, thermal management, the ambient temperature. The heat must be dissipated in order to ensure the values of light output, durability and color declared. The amount of heat dissipated directly depends on the goodness of the thermal design of the product and the components used.