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US3789266A - Arrangement provided with a low-pressure vapour discharge lamp - Google Patents

Arrangement provided with a low-pressure vapour discharge lamp Download PDF

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Publication number
US3789266A
US3789266A US00249526A US3789266DA US3789266A US 3789266 A US3789266 A US 3789266A US 00249526 A US00249526 A US 00249526A US 3789266D A US3789266D A US 3789266DA US 3789266 A US3789266 A US 3789266A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
lamp
arrangement
approximately
tau
switching element
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00249526A
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English (en)
Inventor
J Polman
Der Werf J Van
P Drop
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
US Philips Corp
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US Philips Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by US Philips Corp filed Critical US Philips Corp
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Publication of US3789266A publication Critical patent/US3789266A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/12—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature
    • H01J61/18—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature having a metallic vapour as the principal constituent
    • H01J61/20—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature having a metallic vapour as the principal constituent mercury vapour
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/36—Controlling
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S315/00—Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
    • Y10S315/05—Starting and operating circuit for fluorescent lamp
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S315/00—Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
    • Y10S315/07—Starting and control circuits for gas discharge lamp using transistors

Definitions

  • ARRANGEMENT PROVIDED WITH A LOW-PRESSURE VAPOUR DISCHARGE LAMP Inventors: Jan Polman; Jan Evert Van Der Werf; Peter Cornelis Drop, all of Emmasingel, Eindhoven,
  • ABSTRACT A lighting system comprising a low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp with means for supplying an intermittent current flow therein. The lamp efficiency is increased by operating it with a maximum pressure of 6 Torr, a duty cycle in the range between 0.35 and 0.65 and at a special switching frequency in the order of 30-60 KHz. A further feature includes means for periodically reversing the direction of current flow in the lamp.
  • This invention relates to an arrangement provided with a low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp having an oblong discharge vessel of circular crosssection and including at least one rare gas, in which two input terminals of the arrangement are connected by a series arrangement of at least the lamp and a switching element.
  • the switching element is connected to a control device which controls said switching element in such manner that an intermittent current flows through the lamp.
  • a time interval ofW seconds a current flows through the lamp and is followed by a substantially currentless time interval having a duration of R seconds. The current flowing through the lamp is reversed in direction from time to time.
  • One advantage of the known arrangement is that an accumulation of mercury near one end of the lamp is prevented by varying the direction of the lamp current from time to time.
  • a drawback of this known arrangement is that the repetition frequency (I/W-l-R) of the current pulses is rather low so that the efficiency, ex-
  • An object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in which the said efficiency is relatively high.
  • a lowpressure mercury vapour discharge lamp having an oblong discharge vessel of circular cross-section and including at least one rare gas, and in which two input terminals of the arrangement are connected by a series arrangement of at least the lamp and a switching element.
  • the switching element is connected to a control device which controls this switching element in such a manner that an intermittent current flows through the lamp.
  • the a time interval having a duration of W seconds followed by a'substantially currentless time interval having a duration of R seconds, the current through the lamp being reversed in direction from time to time.
  • the maximum pressure of the rare gas is 6 Torr and that the diameter of the discharge vessel is so large that TE TD is satisfied, the ratio WIW+R being between 0.35 and 0.65 and the duration of a period (W+R) of the lamp supply being between the values 211- TE and 2 1r 1- in which:. 1,; is the energy relaxation period (in seconds) of the electrons in the discharge vessel, and
  • r is the diffusion period (in seconds) of the electrons in the discharge vessel.
  • the energy relaxation period is understood to mean l/A B in which: A is the mean fractional energy loss per impact of an electron (in this respect fractional is understood to mean that the energy loss is expressed in the energy of the electron before the impact) and B is-;t.he average number of impacts per second of an electron with other particles, which are not electrons, in the discharge vessel.
  • diffusion period is understood to mean the period (expressed in seconds) which is needed on average by an electron to reach the wall of the discharge vessel.
  • An advantage of the arrangement according to the invention is that the efficiency (for example, expressed in lumens per Watt) is relatively high.
  • the efficiency of the conversion of electrical energy into ultraviolet radiation which is important in low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps, is dependent on the current density in the lamp in contrast to the situation where visible light in neon lamps is generated.
  • the mentioned dependence is such that a smaller current density leads to a larger efficiency.
  • a reduction of W/W+R leads, however, to a larger efficiency too.
  • a smaller ratio W/W+R involves a larger current density when the power of the lamp remains the same.
  • a high efficiency is only reached at ratios of W/W+R which are located about the value 0.5, namely in the region of from 0.35 to 0.65.
  • Ratios of WIW+R of 0.5 have, however, been known per se, see for example the U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,309 (FIG. 5) mentioned in the preamble.
  • a combination of this value of W/W+R with the very short period duration W+R is found to lead, according to the invention, to an interesting increase in the efficiency of low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps.
  • the invention is' based inter alia' on the recognition of the fact that for the chosen time duration 'W+R the electron gas is cooled due to impacts, during the currentless time interval while the electron concentration has only slightly decreased during this interval.
  • the extent of the decrease in concentration is determined by the diffusion period To which is longer than the time interval W+Rl2rr while the extent of the decreaseof the average electron energy is determined by the energy relaxation period 'r which is shorter than the said time interval W+R/21r.
  • the electron gas is again heated by means of the current pulse following a currentless time interval and it is found that a proportionally large number of fast electrons is obtained, that is to say, a larger number than in the corresponding situation with direct current operation of the lamp of the same mean current. Tee efficiency of a discharge is favourably influenced by the presence of a relatively larger number of fast electrons.
  • the lamp is preferably incorporated in an electric bridge and each of the bridge branches is provided with a transistor, while furthermore a further transistor is included in series with the bridge.
  • An advantage of this preferred embodiment is that one group of transistors (the bridge transistors) provides the change of direction of the lamp current while the further transistor provides the switching function to produce the intermittent current pulses. This embodiment simplifies the requirements regarding synchronisation of the control of the transistors.
  • the pressure of the rare gas (or gases) is approximately 2 to 3 Torr and the lamp diameter is approximately 35 to 40 mm. In that case a high efficiency can be obtained with a lamp of a conventional type.
  • Reference numerals l, 2 denote input connection terminals for connection to a direct current source.
  • Reference numeral 3 denotes a low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp having a length of about I22 cms and a circular cross-section having a diameter of 3.8 cms. The mercury pressure was approximately 6.10 Torr.
  • the discharge vessel of the lamp also contained a filler gas consisting of 75 percent argon and 25 percent neon; total gas pressure 2.5 Torr.
  • the normal lamp power at 50 Hz supply was 40 Watts.
  • the two ends of the lamp 3 are provided with internal electrodes 5 and 6.
  • the lamp 3 is incorporated in a diagonal of a transistor bridge including transistors 7 to 10 inclusive.
  • a transistor 11 is incorporated in series with the bridge.
  • the references a, b, i denote connections of inter alia the bases of the transistors. These-connections lead to connections having the same reference numerals of a conventional control box 12 which is energized through terminals 13, 14.
  • transistor combinations (7, l0) and (8, 9) are alternately rendered conducting through the connections a to g inclusive so that the current flowing through the lamp 3 reverses its direction each time the transistors switch states.
  • Transistor 11 provides for the pauses between the current pulses.
  • the internal resistance of the direct current source was sufficiently large to limit the lamp current. If desired such a limitation may be alternatively obtained, for example, by incorporating a capacitor of low value in series with the lamp 3 in the diagonal branch of the bridge.
  • the frequency (l/W+R) was approximately 50 kHz and the ratio W/W+R 0.5.
  • the instantaneous voltages of the supply source of50 Hz, 8 kl-Iz and 20 kHz varied substantially sinusoidally with time.
  • sinusoidal alternating voltages of a frequency higher than 20 kHz there was no further increase of efficiency.
  • WIW+R 0.5 I I I In the given case according to the invention: 1 was approximately one p. second and 'r,, was approximately I000 y. seconds. The period duration W+R 20 a seconds thus was between 21:- 1,; which is approximately 6 y. seconds and 21r 7,, which is approximately 6280 .1. seconds. The table shows that the efficiency in the case of the invention is largest.
  • a lighting arrangement comprising a low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamp having an oblong discharge vessel of circular cross-section and including at least one rare gas, two input terminals adapted for connection to a source of power for the lamp, a controlled switching element, means connecting the lamp and the switching element in series circuit across said input terminals, means connecting said switching element to a control device with alternately controls said switching element in a manner such that an intermittent current flows through the lamp during a time interval of W seconds followed by a substantially currentless time interval of R seconds, means for reversing the direction of the current flowing through the lamp from time to time, the maximum pressure of the rare gas being 6 Torr and the diameter of the discharge vessel being chosen to satisfy the condition that TE TD and wherein the ratio W/W+R is limited to the range of values between 0.35 and 0.65 and the duration of a period (W+R) of the lamp supply is limited between the values 27r.r,; and 21127 D in which:
  • 1, is the diffusion period (in seconds) of the electrons in the discharge vessel.
  • said reversing means comprises a bridge circuit with at least two arms of the bridge each including a transistor and with the lamp connected across a pair of diagonal bridge terminals, and wherein said switching element comprises a further transistor connected in series with the bridge circuit.

Landscapes

  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Discharge Lamps And Accessories Thereof (AREA)
US00249526A 1971-05-08 1972-05-02 Arrangement provided with a low-pressure vapour discharge lamp Expired - Lifetime US3789266A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL7106345.A NL166381C (nl) 1971-05-08 1971-05-08 Werkwijze voor het bedrijven van een lagedrukkwikdamp- ontladingslamp, en inrichting voor het uitvoeren van deze werkwijze.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3789266A true US3789266A (en) 1974-01-29

Family

ID=19813113

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00249526A Expired - Lifetime US3789266A (en) 1971-05-08 1972-05-02 Arrangement provided with a low-pressure vapour discharge lamp

Country Status (13)

Country Link
US (1) US3789266A (nl)
JP (2) JPS4744978A (nl)
AT (1) AT322040B (nl)
AU (1) AU474283B2 (nl)
BE (1) BE783165A (nl)
CA (1) CA960744A (nl)
CH (1) CH543847A (nl)
DE (1) DE2221719C2 (nl)
FR (1) FR2137615B1 (nl)
GB (1) GB1339398A (nl)
IT (1) IT955241B (nl)
NL (1) NL166381C (nl)
SE (1) SE385647B (nl)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949267A (en) * 1975-04-15 1976-04-06 General Electric Company Protective starting circuit for inverter operated gaseous discharge lamps
US4004188A (en) * 1975-09-26 1977-01-18 General Electric Company Starting circuit for inverter operated gaseous discharge lamps
US4388563A (en) * 1981-05-26 1983-06-14 Commodore Electronics, Ltd. Solid-state fluorescent lamp ballast
US4544862A (en) * 1983-03-14 1985-10-01 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Lighting circuit for electric discharge lamp
US4734624A (en) * 1985-07-25 1988-03-29 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Discharge lamp driving circuit
US4748381A (en) * 1985-11-19 1988-05-31 U.S. Philips Corporation Circuit arrangement for A.C. operation of gas discharge lamps
US4912374A (en) * 1987-10-27 1990-03-27 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Discharge lamp driving circuit
US4965494A (en) * 1985-10-21 1990-10-23 Snap-On Tools Corporation Capacitor charging circuit for timing light power source
US5103138A (en) * 1990-04-26 1992-04-07 Orenstein Edward D Switching excitation supply for gas discharge tubes having means for eliminating the bubble effect
US5187413A (en) * 1990-08-31 1993-02-16 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Low pressure discharge lamp apparatus
US5231333A (en) * 1990-11-14 1993-07-27 Neon Dynamics, Inc. Switching excitation supply for gas discharge tubes having means for eliminating the bubble effect
US5266869A (en) * 1990-09-27 1993-11-30 Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. Discharge lamp lighting apparatus having output impedance which limits current flow therethrough after start of discharging
US5349268A (en) * 1992-01-27 1994-09-20 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha High voltage discharge lamp device
US5367225A (en) * 1991-08-27 1994-11-22 Everbrite, Inc. High frequency luminous tube power supply having neon-bubble and mercury-migration suppression
US5969484A (en) * 1998-05-14 1999-10-19 Optimum Power Conversion, Inc. Electronic ballast
EP2822025A4 (en) * 2012-01-27 2015-12-02 Igor Georgievich Rudoy METHOD OF GENERATING RADIATION AT RESONANCE TRANSITIONS OF METAL ATOMS

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5416067U (nl) * 1977-06-30 1979-02-01
SE441563B (sv) * 1980-04-09 1985-10-14 Selfrid Gunnar Ohlund Styranordning for en omvandlare-stromventil for drift av ett gasurladdningsror fran en likstromskella
JPS5725697A (en) * 1980-07-23 1982-02-10 Toshiba Electric Equip Indoor illuminator
WO1982004373A1 (en) * 1981-05-28 1982-12-09 Kajiwara Toshiro Low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp unit

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB793582A (en) * 1955-12-22 1958-04-16 Siemens Ag Improvements in or relating to discharge lighting installations

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1456460A (fr) * 1964-08-06 1966-07-08 Dispositif d'alimentation des tubes fluorescents à leurs fréquences préférentielles
US3422309A (en) * 1966-09-21 1969-01-14 Lutron Electronics Co Fluorescent light dimming system
US3619716A (en) * 1969-07-23 1971-11-09 Lutron Electronics Co High-frequency fluorescent tube lighting circuit and ac driving circuit therefor
BE758717A (fr) * 1969-11-10 1971-05-10 Philips Nv Dispositif permettant d'alimenter une lampe a decharge dans le gaz et/ou dans la vapeur

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB793582A (en) * 1955-12-22 1958-04-16 Siemens Ag Improvements in or relating to discharge lighting installations

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949267A (en) * 1975-04-15 1976-04-06 General Electric Company Protective starting circuit for inverter operated gaseous discharge lamps
US4004188A (en) * 1975-09-26 1977-01-18 General Electric Company Starting circuit for inverter operated gaseous discharge lamps
US4388563A (en) * 1981-05-26 1983-06-14 Commodore Electronics, Ltd. Solid-state fluorescent lamp ballast
US4544862A (en) * 1983-03-14 1985-10-01 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Lighting circuit for electric discharge lamp
US4734624A (en) * 1985-07-25 1988-03-29 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Discharge lamp driving circuit
US4965494A (en) * 1985-10-21 1990-10-23 Snap-On Tools Corporation Capacitor charging circuit for timing light power source
US4748381A (en) * 1985-11-19 1988-05-31 U.S. Philips Corporation Circuit arrangement for A.C. operation of gas discharge lamps
US4912374A (en) * 1987-10-27 1990-03-27 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Discharge lamp driving circuit
US5103138A (en) * 1990-04-26 1992-04-07 Orenstein Edward D Switching excitation supply for gas discharge tubes having means for eliminating the bubble effect
US5187413A (en) * 1990-08-31 1993-02-16 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Low pressure discharge lamp apparatus
US5266869A (en) * 1990-09-27 1993-11-30 Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd. Discharge lamp lighting apparatus having output impedance which limits current flow therethrough after start of discharging
US5231333A (en) * 1990-11-14 1993-07-27 Neon Dynamics, Inc. Switching excitation supply for gas discharge tubes having means for eliminating the bubble effect
US5367225A (en) * 1991-08-27 1994-11-22 Everbrite, Inc. High frequency luminous tube power supply having neon-bubble and mercury-migration suppression
US5349268A (en) * 1992-01-27 1994-09-20 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha High voltage discharge lamp device
US5969484A (en) * 1998-05-14 1999-10-19 Optimum Power Conversion, Inc. Electronic ballast
EP2822025A4 (en) * 2012-01-27 2015-12-02 Igor Georgievich Rudoy METHOD OF GENERATING RADIATION AT RESONANCE TRANSITIONS OF METAL ATOMS

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2137615A1 (nl) 1972-12-29
NL166381B (nl) 1981-02-16
FR2137615B1 (nl) 1979-01-05
CH543847A (de) 1973-10-31
AU474283B2 (en) 1976-07-15
NL7106345A (nl) 1972-11-10
AT322040B (de) 1975-04-25
JPS568160Y2 (nl) 1981-02-23
JPS55148199U (nl) 1980-10-24
DE2221719C2 (de) 1982-03-04
BE783165A (fr) 1972-11-08
IT955241B (it) 1973-09-29
GB1339398A (en) 1973-12-05
AU4180772A (en) 1973-11-08
JPS4744978A (nl) 1972-12-23
SE385647B (sv) 1976-07-12
NL166381C (nl) 1981-07-15
CA960744A (en) 1975-01-07
DE2221719A1 (de) 1972-12-07

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