Daylight Utilization with Light Pipe in Farm Animal Production: A Simulation Approach

Abstract

Light pipes offer a passive way to bring daylight inside deep buildings, such as agricultural buildings. However, the lack of reliable performance predictability methods for light pipes represents a major obstacle preventing their widespread use. This paper evaluates a simulation approach for performance prediction and identifies key light pipe design parameters affecting their daylight transmission performance. The study was carried out through continuous monitoring of daylight in two full-scale, identical pig stables fitted with two light pipe systems, Solatube ® and Velux ® . The experiment included three continuously measuring sensors in each stable and an outdoor sensor during 2013 and 2014. A forward raytracing tool, TracePro ® , was used for illuminance prediction and parametric simulations. The simulation results for overcast skies indicated discrepancies between the simulated and average measurement results below 30% in all cases. The discrepancies for clear skies were somewhat higher, i.e., below 30% for 67% of the cases. The higher discrepancies with clear skies were due to the overestimation of absolute sunlight levels and absence of an advanced and detailed optical characterization of the dome collector's surface. The parametric results have shown that light pipes' performance is better during summer time, in sunny climates, at low to mid-latitudes, which provides higher solar altitudes than during winter and cloudy climates at high latitudes. Methods to improve the luminous transmittance for low solar altitudes occurring in Scandinavia include: bending or tilting the pipe, increasing the aspect ratio, improving the pipe specular reflectance, tilting the collector to the south, and using optical redirecting system in the collector.

Experimental Analysis of the Performance of Light Shelves in Different Geometrical Configurations Through the Scale Model Approach

“…Some technological devices, such as light pipes, are increasingly being used in residential or commercial buildings [22][23][24][25] because they contribute in uniforming the distribution of light on the work-plane. They have recently been used also in infrastructures with different utilities, such as farms or road tunnels, as attested in [26][27][28][29][30]. In the field of tubular daylight system, recent studies by Spacek et al [31] have proposed the use of new materials, as polymer metallized with aluminum, which is cheaper than the reflecting materials currently marketed by several companies, with costs reduced by 50% for a 35% lower efficacy of the device.…”

Heliostats Daylighting System for Multi-floor Buildings

“…Electric lighting energy was reduced in farm animal production using daylight transmission through light pipe [16,17]. Light pipe designs gave better results with a tilt angle of 6 degree, which was achieved through simulation [18].…”

The Perspective of Total Lighting as a Key Factor to Increase the Sustainability of Strategic Activities

“…As pointed out by von Wachenfelt et al [25], increased photoperiod increases food intake in growing pigs. Interesting research on the results of lighting strategies in farming, especially those involving sunlight, can be found in other works dealing with pig farming [26,27]. In addition, the other main contributors to meat production, chicken and cows, are also affected by lighting conditions.…”