Energy Efficient Tent
The Energy Efficient Tent
project consisted of an integrated
lighting system for tents that
could be powered by a renewable
energy source. Using solar mats
that have been developed for
practical use in military
situations the energy captured
was enough to power the entire
lighting system for the tent,
producing a self containing unit
for constant light only taking
fossil fuels when the sunlight
has not been sufficient.
Currently lighting for tents is
usually achieved using
fluorescent tubes and are
usually 58W to power each one.
The LED light created for this
project requires 30W for each
light and produces more light
than the fluorescent tubes
making them a much more
effective and efficient lighting
system. The other unique feature
of the LED lights that have been
created is a dimming feature
that will dim the light to a
much lower level that is still
practical for use and takes less
energy to power ensuring the
energy collected by the solar
mats is not wasted.
The ability to dim the lights in
varying degrees helps to prevent
headaches to those around the
lights and also allows use of
the LEDs during night time at a
safe level for the
surrounding area so that objects
can be seen and avoided as well
as being dim enough not to
disturb sleep.
IDUS has also developed a
lighting box that controls
individual lights, the control
box contains the dimming ability
so that one half of the tent may
be used for working in which
requires full lighting while the
other half of the tent may have
only safety level lighting to
avoid bright lighting during
rest and recuperation.
During this project the company
has looked into a number of
different shapes and styles that
provide the most effective way
of lighting the tent efficiently
using a much lower wattage. The
LED light is a simliar shape to
the fluorescent tube and the
same size while providing
increased light for less power,
for lighting smaller areas and
tents a floodlight design has
been made.
The lighting system a practical
solution to the problem of
lighting a tent during periods
of little or no light without
having to rely on fossil fuels.
