ILLUMINATION

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CANDELA AND LUMEN

The Candela. In 1948 an international standard was adopted for light intensity.
The candela (pronounced “candeela”) is approximately equal to one candle power. It is
defined as the luminous intensity of a point source at the centre of a sphere of 1m
radius which produces an illuminance of 1 lux on the inner surface of the sphere.

The Steradian. This is like a three dimensional radian, sometimes called the unit solid
angle. The steradian is the solid angle subtended at the centre of a sphere by surface
areas equal to r2.
There are 2π radians in a circle and 4π steradians in a sphere. Consider a sphere of
radius one metre, with a symmetrical point light source of 1 candela intensity at its
centre, the surface area of the sphere = 4πr2
Therefore the surface area of a 1 metre radius sphere = 4 π m2

I
E= -- = 1 lux = 1 lm/m2
𝑑2

If there area is 4π m2 then the source must produce 4π lumens in order to produce
an average illuminance of 1 lumen/m2 on the surface of the sphere.
 CONCLUSION
A lamp with an intensity of 1 candela produces 4π
lumens of light flux.
Numerical
A 500 watt Tungsten Halogen lamp has an efficacy of 20 lumens per watt.
Calculate its mean spherical intensity.

φ = 500 x 20 = 10000 lumens

φ 10000
I = ---- = ------ = 796. cd
4π 4π
POLAR DIAGRAMS
• Light sources are seldom symmetrical in output. We have already seen that the light
output in a given direction is called the luminous intensity.
• If the light source was symmetrical in output, then 80 cd/1000 lm would be its intensity
in all directions as shown in Fig. 1.18 by curve A.
• A more realistic output for a bare lamp would be as shown in the same diagram by
curve B.
• If reflectors were used, the output would be concentrated even more as shown by
curve C.
Polar diagrams are used to provide the designer with information on light intensity in a
given direction when using the point to point method of calculation.

Numerical
A point light source has an output of 2000 lumens and intensity as shown by curve C in Fig.
1.18 calculate the illuminance on a horizontal surface which is 2 metres beneath the source:

(i) directly beneath.

(ii) 2 metres to one side.
The intensity directly under the lamp = 250 x 2 = 500
cd.
I 500
∴ E = ---- = ------- = 125 lux
𝑑2 4

(ii) incident angle is 45 ° .

From the polar curve-
The intensity at a 45° angle = 200 x 2 = 400 cd.

I 400 x Cos 45o 400 x 0.707

∴ E = ---- Cos θ = --------------- = ------------ = 35.35 lux
𝑑2 2.822 8
Numerical
A point source luminaire has an output as shown by the polar curve as shown in the figure.
It is mounted 2 metres above the working plane and is fitted with an 18 Watt compact fluorescent
lamp whose output is 1500 lumens.
Calculate:

(i) The illuminance on the working plane directly under the lamp
(ii) The illuminance on the working plane 2 metres to one side.
 1500
(i) From polar diagram I = 750 x ------------ = 1125 cd.
1000
I 1125
E = ----- = -------- = 281.25 lux
𝑑2 22
1500
(ii) I = 450 x -------- = 675 cd
1000
d = 2.828 m
Cos θ = 2/2.828 = 0.707

I Cos θ
E = --------
𝑑2
675 x 0.707
E= ------------- = 60 lux
2.8282