Autonomous street lighting on solar batteries: the device of lamps and their application

It's no secret that solar energy is the most affordable and safest. Light waves emitted from the surface of the Sun are converted into electricity with the help of modern technologies, which is successfully used to power various devices and devices. An example of this is solar-powered street lighting.

History of invention

In physical reference books, you can find information that the first solar cells appeared in 1954, when the famous scientists Pearson and Fuller created the first silicon battery. However, the history of their use goes back to 1839, when the Frenchman Antoine Becquerel discovered photovoltaic effect, and in 1880, American scientist Charles Fritts collected the first selenium battery.

The conversion of solar energy into electricity was made possible by the coating of selenium with a layer of gold. The efficiency was small, but the invention was great, since no one in this area had ever done anything like this before. Unfortunately, his discovery was forgotten. Albert Einstein in 1905 finally clarified the essence of the photoelectric effect, giving it a scientific explanation, and it was for this that he received the Nobel Prize in 1921.

Since the inception of the silicon battery in 1954, scientists from the United States and Russia have continued their research. Since 1958, solar cells have been used in spacecraft. Devices have been improved all the time, and in the 70s it was possible to achieve 10% efficiency. The active use of solar energy began only in the 80s. The first power plant, which operated on a renewable source, was built in 1985 in the Crimea and had a capacity equal to that of the first nuclear reactor.

For 10 years, it was possible to get 2 million kilowatts of electricity from it. However, the cost was high, and in the 90s it was closed. At this time, active construction of a solar power plant in the United States began. Solar energy programs have been developed in many countries around the world. For example, in Germany, the Thousand Roofs project was implemented, according to which more than 2 thousand houses were equipped with photovoltaic installations.

The United States has adopted the Million Solar Roofs program. All over the world, "solar houses" are spreading, including in Russia. In the Altai Territory and the Orenburg Region in 2014, the same power plants with a capacity of 5 megawatts were built. And although in our country solar energy is mainly used for street lighting and household appliances, an increasing number of people privately purchase mini-power plants that fully pay for themselves within 10-12 years.

Specifications of garden lights

Having bought a garden plot and decorating the interior, the owner always thinks about lighting. Electricity is expensive, so now more and more autonomous street lamps with solar panels are being purchased. They can be used to mark the path to the toilet, resting place, to the pool, or use lighting to highlight certain places in the garden: lighting on a pond, decorating a gazebo, etc. They are arranged easily and consist of the following components:

1. LED lamp giving different shades of light.
2. A solar battery that converts light energy into electrical current.
3. A battery that stores voltage during the day and releases it at night.
4. Charge controller.
5. Crystalline silicon photocell required for automatic switching on and off.
6. Body and fasteners.

In addition to the necessary elements, lamps can be with various sound effects. The plafond of the lantern is made of different glass, depending on this, the price may differ. Tempered glass is the most durable. Garden lights equipped with solar cells work according to a specific principle: the light rays are converted into an electric current by means of a battery, which charges the battery during the day.

As soon as it starts to get dark, a photocell is triggered, and a diffuse glow begins. At dawn, the photocell opens the circuit and turns off the lamp. Basically, the lamps have a low power, and in the cold season it is not enough for the whole night. LED lights are distinguished by their increased efficiency, which, together with a motion sensor, solve this problem.

Types of solar luminaires

Modern lighting of cities and towns is represented not only by electric lighting, but also by different types of lamps powered by solar energy. These environmentally friendly and cost-effective devices are used to illuminate city streets, lawns, park paths, recreation sites, and personal plots.

Solar street lights are used for places where power lines are difficult to install. They cannot completely replace the main lighting, but are indispensable for the designation of steps, paths, flower beds, pools, trees, terraces.

The use of each of them depends on the type of device. The wall lamp is installed on a vertical surface - a wall of a house, a gazebo, on a fence. It is strengthened at such a height that the rays of the sun illuminate it all daylight hours.

The park lamp is massive in volume, placed on a support, equipped with powerful LEDs that can work without recharging for three to four days. They are usually located at bus stops, parks, parking lots, pedestrian crossings.

Night garden lights with a height of 30 cm to several meters are used to illuminate paths on a personal plot, benches, monuments. They work in winter and summer. Lawn lamps are used to illuminate lawns, flower beds. They are small in size, so if necessary, they can always be removed or moved to another place. Decorative lamps are also small, they are used to decorate bushes, trees, walls.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are many more positive aspects of solar-powered lamps than disadvantages. The main advantage is safety for humans: there is no danger of electric shock. The next plus, no less important, is economy, which in the first month of their use will have a beneficial effect on the wallet. These luminaires can be installed anywhere and relocated as needed. Installation does not require grounding or pulling wires.

The undoubted advantage is that in the absence or power failure, lighting will be guaranteed. It is also convenient that they turn off automatically. The work of the lamps is carried out in the temperature range from -50 ° to + 50 °, so there is no need to remove them for the winter. The batteries run on internal resources and do not need any external fuel.

These lighting devices are practically not threatened with wear, they also do not need maintenance, it is enough to wipe the dust from the working surface. Unlike electric lamps, they can be used for up to 25 years. The materials used in their manufacture comply with all environmental safety requirements, do not release harmful substances into the environment.

Despite certain convenience, beautiful design and safety, such lamps have a number of disadvantages:

1. The price of quality premium class products is still quite high - around $ 250.
2. Sensitive to any kind of dirt. In extremely dusty places, regular cleaning of the devices is required. The same procedure will be required after heavy snowfall or rain.
3. In some regions of our country, where there are few warm days, it is irrational to use the energy of the sun.
4. Decrease in lighting efficiency. The semiconductor plates that make up solar cells lose the required properties over time, and their efficiency decreases.
5. Intolerance to high temperatures. When heated above + 100 ° C, the lamps may become inoperative. Under the scorching rays of the sun, a cooling system (such as a fan) will be required, which will require additional energy to operate.

Modern scientists, developing improved technologies, are confident that all the prospects for a future civilization are associated with the development of the production and use of solar energy. According to ecologists, if solar panels are imposed on 10% of the Sahara, then on Earth there will be no need for nuclear power plants, which are extremely dangerous in the event of an accident.