Advancements in Lighting Control Gear, Ballasts, Starters, and LED Drivers

1. Introduction to Lighting Control Gear

Lighting control gear is one of the most important components of a lighting system. It equips spaces with the ability to turn the electrical system on and off, regulate the electric current, dim the light, make different control settings, change the color, and protect or balance the electric loads inside lighting. Control gear may vary depending on the application for which it is used to be compatible with the illumination, functional, and installation points of view, as well as with the comfort and safety requirements of people. The lighting systems used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings are generally categorized into two main platforms: traditional lighting and lighting that integrates advanced technologies. In traditional lighting, the control gear integrates multiple unconfigurable, unique components, with predefined functions and/or settings, which are responsible for signal processing and only partially accomplish the function of managing the lighting systems according to the relationship between input stimuli, the user, and changes in the environment. In particular, the control gear behind the ballasts, starters, and LED drivers are the fundamental modules of the traditional electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical lighting systems that are designed to supply traditional light sources with the correct electric power through easily available plug and socket interfaces, typically sinusoidal voltage or pulsed current. To manage such a system, the switches, dimmers, and other regulated modules in most cases cannot provide any direct information or reaction to the user.

2. Evolution of Ballasts and Starters

Ballasts were developed for use with discharge lamps to limit the electric current and, in turn, supply the correct arc voltage. The older ballasts were mainly of the electromagnetic type, which function based on two phenomena: inductance and self-inductance. Ferromagnetic transformers are used inside them to provide inductance flow. These traditional electromagnetic ballasts had a number of demerits, such as bulky size, low efficiency, and lower power factor. Over time, these electromagnetic current-limiting ballasts were replaced by so-called electronic ballasts. These newer versions of ballasts could offer increased reliability and could ensure much more light superposition and less flickering of the light. The input frequency to such ballasts can vary from grid frequency along with an inverter to generate high-frequency AC for the control of lamp current. They are now in complete agreement with environmental codes, consume relatively little power when the lamp is in operation, and simplify the start of the lamp.

A starter is used to initiate the desired operation in lamps with operating voltage exceeding the supply voltage of the starter and is designed for operation under no load, which means it is not desired to operate the starter under operating conditions. Electronic starters are used in applications with compact fluorescent lamps, e.g., 2-pin, 4-pin, with and without pre-heat, rapid start, etc. Most of the low-energy lamps include electronic starters that have integrated protection and security features, which ensure switching on and off the fluorescent lamp repeatedly during voltage peaks as dutifully as possible. Some starters are not designed to handle many starts, such as T5 lamps containing mercury. The design of a starter can differ significantly with varying types of lamps to be operated with. The technological advancements in light control gears, ballasts, starters, LED drivers, etc., have shown increasing innovative developments in the field of lighting equipment, especially based on lamp service conditions and government standards. The technological improvements have successively contributed to increased efficiency, reliability of operation, control performance, and an enlarged lifespan of the lighting devices. These advances in ballasts and starters will be explained with the help of important standards and their operating principles. The case of electronic and compact fluorescent lamps based on starter-less circuits is also explained.

3. Emergence of LED Drivers

With the increasing penetration of LED technology, the lighting industry has taken a monumental shift in terms of the use and introduction of new control equipment. The electronic control gear for linear lamps was replaced with an LED driver. At a basic level, the function of the LED driver is to rectify incoming AC power to regulated DC power and to keep the LED within its maximum performance bounds. Most frequently, drivers are used to control the output power. On the other hand, a traditional passive ECG doesn't have native dimming capabilities and needs an external dimming adapter. The world has shifted from incandescent bulbs, with luminous efficacy in the range of 10-17 lm/W, to LED technology, where luminous efficacy ranges from 70-180 lumens per watt. LED can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% and last significantly longer, up to nearly 20 years. LED drivers for lighting can be categorized into indoor, outdoor, and automotive applications. In principle, the antique ignition and control gear are developed for lower electrical frequencies, whereas the ignition and control gear are specifically developed for high-frequency operation.

The development in operational frequency has driven ECGs, whereas LED drivers enhance fast controlling dimming LED. Smart LED drivers provide features that enable smooth dimming, a constant color of light, and a constant lifespan, etc. Technological advancements, an integration of a variety of LED driver topologies and control strategies have been introduced in terms of power factor correction controllers, LED dimming compatible drivers, and microcontroller-based control gear. One of the biggest challenges for LED-driving systems is thermal management and efficiency. In the lighting industry, LED lighting has progressed compared to traditional lighting in terms of small sizes and high performance efficiency. LED drivers are required in almost all lighting and display applications. In most cases, a user prefers to have some lighting control or feature in LED systems. The LED driver input voltages can vary depending on the specification of the type of luminary and lighting coupled. The input driver voltage ranges from 120V to 500V in indoor lighting applications and from 500V to 1000V in outdoor lighting applications. The LEDs are operated in series file configuration mainly to reduce the current levels in outdoor applications. The main challenge with the series file configuration or the high driver voltages is designing high ceiling LED drivers. In open circuit conditions, small voltage rating string LED drivers can easily break down and pose a risk for the person standing underneath. The technological challenge with LED drivers is to achieve high voltage drivers with a peak efficiency of 90% and above. To meet the standards, LED driver standards that have been used for the design of conventional drivers are EN61000-3-2 family. This text gives an overview of recent developments in LED driving.

4. Technological Innovations in Lighting Control Gear

Introduction: With the increasing application of smart lighting in building automation, the control gear will gradually adopt smart technologies. A lighting control system will improve its energy-saving options, as well as offer users the possibility of installing custom control gear. With the rapid development of IoT technologies, many companies are working with smart control gear, which will further develop the technical aspects. The design philosophy of miniaturization, simplification, and digitization provides a brilliant prospect for the further development of the control gear. Wireless, radio, or radio-frequency are all terms used to describe remote communication between two or more devices based on the same or different wireless communication technologies. Wireless communication has developed in recent years as an extension of infrared technology and has been applied in many products due to the longer range over which devices can be controlled and operated. In a modern context, wireless communication technology in lighting control gear facilitates seamless connection and operation, just as wired control gear does, but differs in that it allows users to control systems that are unreachable or cannot be controlled physically via auxiliary remote control devices. Wireless lighting control gear helps users keep devices out of sight or position them without regard for wire installation. In this case, the design of wireless control gear offers freedom in process and material selection, as designers are no longer encumbered by the placement of devices in further applications. The integral performance indices, such as functionality, material selection, and aesthetic criteria, become significant. Modern wireless control in lighting makes a significant improvement in users' experience and comfort, as with the wireless features, lighting can be controlled from a high and safe location.

5. Applications and Future Trends

Software and hardware advancements widen the applications of lighting control gear significantly. This review has proven that together with ballasts, starters, and LED drivers, they influence various lighting solution types, especially in the commercial sector for both indoor and outdoor, the architectural sector, as well as the industrial sector. The need for energy efficiency has introduced high growth potential for the architectural sector, where light-emitting diode applications are especially present. Although there are slight differences between European and North American applications, important commonalities and trends have been observed. One of the most important global trends is the push towards more energy-efficient solutions, increasingly replaced by LED systems. The similarities between Europe and the US also include consumer behavior influenced by growing interest in environmental sustainability and a stronger focus on safe and healthy lighting. In assessing the potential directions of future developments, it can be assumed that, in the next few years, there may still be a demand for developments in this technology. Regulatory changes—if they are indeed implemented—will almost certainly drive a redesign of many lamps and light sources, as is currently expected. However, future design trends indicate a focus on personalization, or otherwise on the economic and ecological efficiency of products. The HT and HTR series improvements allowed their application in street lighting, where the area is often lit according to the specification. In order to reduce waste and improve overall lighting system efficiency, the integration of LED drivers within a luminaire assumes an increase of interest, including also small self-sufficient photovoltaic lighting systems. Several important technologies are attracting significant attention in lighting research. There is a growing demand for smart lighting technologies, including the rollout of integrated solar lighting systems. For Human-centric Light and Well-being Light, intelligent control gear has become the norm. The lighting field has seen a trend toward luminaires with built-in control gear combining receiver functions for luminaires on the channel. Furthermore, local position-effected capabilities are increasingly requested as standard features of ballasts, starters, and LED drivers in both fixtures and downlights. Intelligence and communications are brought together to form IoT-embedded lighting. Smart domotics combined integrated street lighting and EV charging, latest controllers enable smart grid application. In factories, Industry 4.0 has led to a wide conversion of digital timers in automation. Integrated automation optimizes fieldbus lighting and process control. We also note that the demand for integrated lighting solution control is also expected to rise. In the near future, there is no doubt that programs will become an important trend in educational applications. That involves error-finding intelligent ballasts, starters, and LED drivers embedding their designs. Following the current trends, the application of digital AV is expected to become more popular in the next few years. Swift technological developments might continue to guide the lighting industry towards advanced solutions. In particular, upgrades to electronic control boards and the application of smart technology are expected to become an important trend. Also, the importance of further miniaturization and application of this technology in the automotive and e-mobility sectors cannot be ignored. Alongside these, it is important to further upgrade research and applications in the areas of sustainable development, energy savings, and environmental protection.