Conference article

This paper presents an algorithm developed in C language that aims to help roadway illumination designers to create an illumination system that meets the standard’s limits with minimum electrical energy consuming. As a secondary function; the program allows the user to get approximate luminance and illuminance values for a specific system without field measuring. The algorithm was created to fit into a hardware prototype based in ARM7TDMI architecture; with no need for complicated and heavy software running in PC machines. The main system variables regarded by the optimization function are pole height (H) and pole spacing (S); putting the luminaries as far from each other as possible; in order to use the minimum power per km. Through calculation of the system’s luminance; the algorithm starts with S and H in their maximum values; decreasing every loop; subtracting the results from the standard limit (NBR5101-Brazil; CIE 118; EN 13201 or other standard loaded into the program) seeking for zero. Once the zero is found; the H and S values are put on a LCD or USB port; as algorithm results.

Roadway illumination algorithm; ARM application; Illumination energy efficiency