Engineers Are Becoming Bald Just For This Lighting Solution of Ice Hockey Rink

Although Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 has come to a successful conclusion, the charm of ice sports has brought more people to participate in and set off a bandwagon of ice sports.  Among all the ice sports, it is ice hockey that absolutely the most confrontational game. while the audience in front of Television are cheering for athletes on the field, Yaham lighting engineer's hair are scant and gradually to be calvities.  

Just light up the rink with enough lights, how can it get into such a mess?  Many people may have such a confusion about the actual solution of lighting. However among the lighting designs and programmes, there are not only including the design requirements of the special environment of the ice hockey rink itself, but also the high challenges from the venue representatives, as well as a sea of complex design descriptions layer upon layer, which brings about the engineers tread on thin ice.  

The content below is from the practice case with analysis:

While the engineers of Yaham Lighting were working on new optical technology, a thorny project appeared - the lighting solution for the hockey arena with international competition level.

Ichnography of Venue

The high standard lighting solution for venues applicable to international competition

What the lighting solution of the hockey arena firstly considers is ground illumination, the same requirements as most of sports venues. However, it is a venue applicable to international matches that requires much more strict ground illumination than those of ordinary one. To improve the ground illumination by increasing the luminous flux of lighting fixtures, just a piece of a cake for Yaham engineers.

Ice Hockey Rink Ground Lighting Simulation

Most importantly, there is another data we need take it into account while increasing ground illumination——Glare Rate. Owning to  ice surface of the hockey venue, the brightness from the lighting fixtures usually reflects to the surface and develops spill light. It will make a impact on athletes and referees, as well as audiences during matches. The glare rate is regarded to be less than 10 for venues finally, as a result of Repeated simulation and calculation by optimizing  light distribution.

Simulation of Glare Rate

The Difficulty of 4k HD Broadcasting

With the continuous development of photography technology, more and more events have been able to support HD broadcasting.However, not only does HD broadcasting need expensive photography equipment, but also need comprehensive lighting cooperation.  The first challenge for 4K HD broadcasting is CRI (color rendering influx).  In order for  to record the scene as closely as possible by camera, the lighting must manifest the color of the whole site closer to reality. Therefore, CRI must be as high as possible. At the mean time, light efficiency must be sacrificed to  achieve higher CRI.  Against all odds, the engineers managed to achieve  Ra > 90 (CRI) and a TLCI > 95 (TV Lighting Consistency Index) while maintaining the illumination on the ground.

But there came a bigger challenge.  Due to the stadium's large area and multi-tiered stands, the cameras were distributed in different stands, and that of  at the top confront the problem——Variation of vertical illumination.  Since the height of the light installation is much higher than all grandstand layers, the light emitted will inevitably change from strong to weak, affecting cameras to shoot in the vertical plane.  The installation positions of lights are limited to the eight lanes parallel to the long side of the site and the four lanes perpendicular to that of the site. so it is impossible to meet the requirements of vertical illumination only by adjusting the installation position and the angle of irradiation.  After discussion and deduction again and again, the solution was eventually determined ——Optimizing of light distribution.  By adjusting the light distribution of lights in different positions, the vertical illuminance can reach 1/2 of the horizontal illuminance, and the lighting  ratio in FOP area of the stadium can ensure the accurate exposure of high-definition cameras, so that athletes and the background of the competition field can be separated to obtain a moderate illumination, well arranged and high-quality broadcast frame. 

Simulation of Vertical Illuminance

Next complex mode——Intelligent controlling was coming though the hair of engineers were very scant.

Ice Hockey Rink Lighting Effect Simulation

Intelligent control system with multiple lighting modes

In order to reduce the vacancy rate of venues during hosting international events, venues of reutilization was imminent. This project will have the ability to undertake professional hockey tournaments and large indoor activities on the basis of applying the same portfolio lighting system, becoming an environmental protection, modernization, multi-function and amphibious (ice and land) comprehensive venues.  

The most convenient method is to use intelligent control system to achieve the control of lights, so as to meet different lighting requirements.  After repeatedly confirming the needs of the venue side, the engineers designed a set of targeted and customized lighting intelligent control system.  This system provided lighting switch of various competition modes, so that the venue can meet the lighting requirements of practice, competition or performance of ice hockey, figure skating, curling and other ice sports. It took into account the lighting requirements of competition, general lighting, lighting for audiences, venue, tunnel and emergency lighting, etc.  

Thanks so much for your reading and patience, expect to all of you could enjoy the hilarity of ice sports. Of course you could give a like if you admire the caliber and experience of engineers.

Final lighting Effect Shooting