Radioluminescent (RL) airfield lighting system program

Abstract

In 1980, the US Air Force Engineering and Services Center (AFESC) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, requested that the Radioisotope Technology Group of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) develop large-scale, tritium-powered, radioluminescent (RL) airfield lighting systems. The RL lighting systems possess the advantages of being portable, requiring no electrical power source, having a long shelf life, and being unaffected by environmental extremes. These characteristics make the RL system well-suited for harsh environments where the cost of electrical power production is high and traditional incandescent airfield lighting systems are difficult to maintain. RL lighting is typically a large-surface-area, low-intensity light source that operates 100% of the time. The RL light sources gradually decrease in brightness over time, so periodic replacement (every 6 to 8 years) is necessary. RL lighting functions best in low ambient light, which provides the high contrast ratios necessary for successful use of these devices. 12 figs., 8 tabs.