Dalén light
Encyclopedia
The Dalén light was the predominant form of light source in lighthouses from the 1900s through the 1960s, when electric lighting had become dominant. The system was invented by Gustaf Dalén
and marketed by his company AGA
. Dalén later invented the AGA cooker
in 1922. The Dalén light is notable because of its sun valve
(a.k.a. solar valve), which earned its inventor the Nobel prize in physics
.
The Carbide lamp
was developed in the early 1900s. While the lamps proved useful in many applications, the problem of safely storing acetylene
meant they needed regular refilling which constrained their use in applications such as lighthouses.
Lighthouses using Dalén lighting have included:
Gustaf Dalén
Nils Gustaf Dalén was a Swedish Nobel Laureate and industrialist, the founder of the AGA company and inventor of the AGA cooker and the Dalén light...
and marketed by his company AGA
AGA AB
AGA AB, previously AB Gasaccumulator and AB Svenska Gasaccumulator, was a Swedish industrial gas company founded in 1904. Nobel Prize laureate Gustaf Dalén was instrumental in the success of the company. Important inventions included the AGA cooker and the Dalén light. In the 1990's AGA conceived...
. Dalén later invented the AGA cooker
AGA cooker
The AGA cooker is a stored-heat stove and cooker invented in 1929 by the Nobel Prize-winning Swedish physicist Gustaf Dalén , who was employed first as the chief engineer of the Swedish AGA company...
in 1922. The Dalén light is notable because of its sun valve
Sun valve
A sun valve is a form of flow control valve, notable because it earned its inventor Gustaf Dalén the Nobel prize in physics....
(a.k.a. solar valve), which earned its inventor the Nobel prize in physics
Nobel Prize in Physics
The Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded once a year by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895 and awarded since 1901; the others are the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Peace Prize, and...
.
The Carbide lamp
Carbide lamp
Carbide lamps, properly known as acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene which is created by the reaction of calcium carbide with water....
was developed in the early 1900s. While the lamps proved useful in many applications, the problem of safely storing acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
meant they needed regular refilling which constrained their use in applications such as lighthouses.
Lighthouses using Dalén lighting have included:
- Barrenjoey Lighthouse, New South WalesBarrenjoey, New South WalesBarrenjoey is a locality in the suburb of Palm Beach, at the farthest northern tip of Pittwater. The headland is mostly made up of Hawkesbury sandstone which overlays Narrabeen shale. Around 10,000 years ago the headland was cutoff from the mainland due to the rising sea level; subsequent buildup...
(1932–1972) - Peninsula Point LightPeninsula Point LightThe Peninsula Point lighthouse is located on northern Lake Michigan south of Stonington, Michigan. Note: Some of the USCG literature references this light as "Point Peninsula Light".-Service:...
1922- ) Upper Peninsula MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
USA - Point Stephens LightPoint Stephens LightPoint Stephens Light is an active lighthouse located on Point Stephens, a point on an unnamed headland at the east of Fingal Bay, south of the entrance of Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia. It serves in assisting vessels entering Port Stephens. It is considered an endangered lighthouse due...
, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
(1922–1960) - CelarainPunta SurPunta Sur marks the southern point of Cozumel and is part of the Parque Punta Sur, a ecological park that covers the reefs, beaches, lagoons, and the low forest of the surrounding area...
Lighthouse, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(1934 - ) - SkerryvoreSkerryvoreSkerryvore is a remote reef that lies off the west coast of Scotland, 12 miles south west of the island of Tiree...
Lighthouse, the HebridesHebridesThe Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
( -1959) - Recalada a Bahía Blanca LightRecalada a Bahía Blanca LightRecalada a Bahía Blanca Light, also known as Monte Hermoso Light or simply Recalada Light , is an active lighthouse in Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, marking the entrance to the Bahía Blanca...
, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(1928-1974)