Efficient lighting in the longest tunnel in Brazil
In the future, users of the winding Rodovia dos Tamoios highway will be able to reach the interior more quickly and safely from the coast. The optimum control of the lights in the tunnels also saves energy.
The 82-kilometer-long Rodovia dos Tamoios highway in the Brazilian state of São Paulo snakes its way through the Serra do Mar mountain range. Four new tunnel systems shorten the journey between the coastal city of Caraguatatuba and the technology metropolis of São José dos Campos inland, and also make it safer.
The challenge
Safety and visibility in every tunnel
The entry and exit lights of the Tamoios tunnels must be set to the different lighting conditions. Intelligent lighting solutions are necessary to introduce the eyes of the tunnel users as smoothly as possible to the differences in brightness. Another important goal is to operate the LED lights efficiently and therefore save energy. Furthermore, the individual LED lights must be continuously monitored to ensure the high availability of the lighting. The installation of the entire lighting system and commissioning must be carried out quickly and without errors.
Solution
Connection and supply solutions for tunnel lighting
The operator of the newly built tunnel systems relies on LED lighting from the Belgian lighting specialist, Schréder. Phoenix Contact provides the entire range of systems for lighting automation and connection technology. The solutions developed together enable quick and efficient installation and commissioning on site.
If the lighting is significantly dimmed down during the night, for example, the control system from Phoenix Contact switches off certain lights and increases the light intensity of the remaining lights accordingly. This extends their service life, optimizes the power factor, and reduces reactive power. Other factors such as cleaning intervals and age-related losses are taken into consideration in this context.
The Lumgate activation electronics also measure and monitor the current of the individual lights. To enable this, Schréder installed the Lumgate directly in the lights or the corresponding driver boxes. The activation electronics then enable manufacturer-independent control of freely selectable LED drivers.
The planning of the electrical installation in the Tamoios tunnel is significantly reduced by using the QPD installation system. The necessary cables have been readied for this purpose and have been assembled with plugs and the relevant markings before being transported to the construction site. The QUICKON connection technology significantly reduces the connection time for the power supplies of the LED lights and the driver cabinets in the tunnel.
The tunnel control system (TCS) has been installed as a single point of entry for the tunnel control center in every tunnel of the Tamoios project. The TCS controls the data transfer between the lower-level units and the tunnel control center (SCADA system). In addition, sensors check the brightness in the tunnel and report this back to the tunnel control center via the TCS. The system is designed such that the lighting can also work error-free without a connection to the tunnel control system. If the entire network fails, the various systems continue to operate independently.
Contact
Björn Dotremont
International Service Competence Center Tunnel Infrastructure
I will be happy to advise you on lighting, automation, and connection technology solutions for your tunnel project.
The intelligent controller not only saves energy, but also enables efficient maintenance and servicing of the tunnel lighting through detailed diagnostics.
Summary
Arriving at the destination more quickly and safely
The four Tamoios tunnels were opened in the spring of 2022, after years of construction. The users of the Rodovia dos Tamoios highway can now not only travel from the coast to São José dos Campos more quickly, but also more safely. The tunnel lighting, which adapts simply to the external conditions – day, twilight, night – contributes to this. This adaptation ensures a smooth transition between the different lighting situations outside and within the tunnel.
