Development of cost efficient optical fiber for sunlight illumination

Important results from the project

The goals of the project was to -make a glass fiber with an attenuation in the range 400-750 nm less than 70 dB/km -use these fibers in two demonstration objects. The attenuation in the glass fiber before cable production and addition of contacts has a maximum of 45±10 dB in the visible range and fulfills thus the goal with a margin. The attenuation is considerably better than that of the plastic fiber used today. One demonstration installation was done within the project by Skanska and Akademiska hus will do their demonstration after the project.

Expected long term effects

The project has developed a production protocol for a homogenous multicomponent silicate glass and a production technique for fiber drawing of quarts glass fibers. Four cables have been produced from fibers drawn in the project. Contacts have been fitted to these cables and they have been installed in solar lightening systems from Parans. One system is successfully installed by Skanska within the project and the second will be installed by Akademiska hus after the project. The project shows that it is possible to transport sunlight up to 75 m which is 3 times as long as for a plastic fiber.

Approach and implementation

The project has run for little more than two years with competences and co-financing from Glafo, Acreo, Parans Solar lighting, Fibertronix, Glasma, Sibelco, Akademiska hus, Trafikverket, Skanska and Uppsala University. The consortium includes a broad competence spectrum that made it possible to develop a production technique for glass and glass fibers, as well as include glass fiber cables in two solar lightening systems and a final installation.