Emergency Lighting Methods and Systems

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods of emergency lighting comprising one or more light emitting diode (LED) lamps with a low-maintenance or maintenance-free battery. In one aspect, the battery is a sealed lead-acid battery. In one aspect, the battery is an absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery. In one aspect, the LED lamps can be a part of a LED assembly that can include an integrated voltage regulator. In one aspect, the one or more lamps are parabolic aluminized reflector luminares, or PAR lights such as PAR 46 light assemblies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An emergency lighting system comprising:
 a lead-acid battery, wherein said battery has an immobilized electrolyte; one or more LED lamp assemblies; and   a control device, wherein said control device causes said battery to energize said one or more LED lamp assemblies at a constant lumen level for a sustained period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The emergency lighting, system of  claim 1 , wherein the sustained period is at least eight hours. 
     
     
         3 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein said emergency lighting system complies with Appendix “R” of 10 CFR Part 50. 
     
     
         4 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein said battery is a maintenance-free battery comprising absorbed glass mat for immobilization of the electrolyte. 
     
     
         5 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising an input AC voltage source, a transformer and a rectifier, wherein said transformer and rectifier convert said AC voltage to DC voltage. 
     
     
         6 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 5 , further comprising a battery charger, wherein said battery charger uses the DC voltage to charge the battery. 
     
     
         7 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 5 , wherein the DC voltage is 12-volt DC voltage. 
     
     
         8 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 5 , wherein said control device monitors the AC voltage and said control device causes the battery to energize the one or more LED lamp assemblies when the AC voltage drops below a threshold level. 
     
     
         9 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more disconnect switches, wherein said disconnect switches can be used to isolate the battery from the rest of the emergency lighting system. 
     
     
         10 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more LED lamp assemblies comprise two LED lamp assemblies. 
     
     
         11 . The emergency lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more LED lamp assemblies comprise one or more PAR-46 lamp assemblies. 
     
     
         12 . The emergency lighting, system of  claim 1 , wherein said control device causes said emergency lighting system to provide lighting in a nuclear power facility during a power outage.