UNIT IV

Fluorescent Lamp
A fluorescent lamp is a low weight mercury vapor lamp that uses fluorescence to
deliver visible light. An electric current in the gas energizes mercury vapor which
delivers ultraviolet radiation through discharge process and the ultraviolet radiation
causes the phosphor coating of the lamp inner wall to radiate visible light.

Circuit Diagram:-

As electricity is supplied to the tube through the electrodes, the current passes
through the gas conductor, in form of free electrons and ions and vaporizes the
mercury. As the electrons collide with the gaseous atoms of mercury, they give
away free electrons which jump to higher levels and when they fall back to their
original level, photons of light are emitted. This emitted light energy is in the form
of ultraviolet light, which is not visible to humans. When this light strikes the
phosphor coated on the tube, it excites the electrons of phosphor to higher level
and as these electrons fall back to their original level, photons are emitted and this
light energy is now in form of visible light.

Halogen Lamp:-

A halogen lamp is an incandescent light source. It consists of a tungsten filament,

enclosed in an environment of an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen
(bromine or iodine). The combination of the tungsten filament and the halogen
results in a chemical reaction called the halogen cycle, which increases the lifetime
of the filament.
Tungsten-halogen lamps work as a thermal radiator, which means that light is
generated by heating a solid to very high temperatures
Tungsten-halogen lamps consist of a filament, made of tungsten, housed in fused
silica quartz glass. The glass envelope is filled with an inert fill gas, which may be
xenon, krypton, argon, or nitrogen. There are two leads emerging out from the
lamp for heating the filament.

Applications

Application of tungsten-halogen lamps are listed below:

Automotive – as headlamps in vehicles

Architectural – house lighting, diachronic and plain reflector spots
Stage lighting – for theatrical and studio lighting
Projection lamps - in motion pictures and slide projectors
Inspection lights and microscope illuminators.

Incandescent Lamp:-

The lamp working due to glowing of the filament caused by electric current
through it is called incandescent lamp.

Here base of the bulb has metal contacts and they are connected to the ends of the
circuit. Metal contacts in turn are connected to wires attached to the filament. The
tungsten filament lies in the center of the incandescent bulb with the help of a glass
mount. Bulb of quartz or glass encloses the filaments, wires and inert gases like
argon and nitrogen. When the incandescent bulb is given a power supply, current
flows through the filaments and wires from contact to contact and the bulb glows.
This is because of the excitation of atoms inside and zip of the tiny particles
through the filament causing atoms to give energy in the form of heat and light.
Filament of the bulb is made of tungsten. The tungsten is made into a double coil
to fit it to a small space. Most of the incandescent light bulbs use tungsten based
filaments.

Advantages

Good for lighting small areas.

Cheap for the consumer.
No toxic materials are present.
Safe to handle.
Fast on time.
No flicker.

Disadvantages:-

Not energy Efficient.

Not good for large areas.
Low lifespan compared to other light bulbs.

Sodium Vapor Lamp:-

Principally the sodium vapour lamp consists of the bulb containing a small amount
of metallic sodium, neon gas, and two sets of electrodes connected in a pin type
base. The presence of neon gas serves to start the discharge envelope is usually
bent into U shape.
The lamp operates at a temperature like 3000 C and in order to conserve the heat
generated and assure the lamp operating at normal air temperatures the discharge
envelop be operated horizontally, so nearly so, to keep the sodium well spread out
along the tube, althorn some small lamp may be operated vertically, lamp cap up.
Care should be taken in handling these lamps, particularly when replacing inner U-
tube if it is broken and sodium comes in contact with moisture fire will result.
The sodium vapour lamp is only suitable for a alternating current, the, therefore,
required chock control. This requirement is met by operating the lamp for a stray
field – up -tapped- autotransformer with an open circuit secondary voltage of 470
to 480 Volts. The corrected power factor very low, about 0.3 and a capacitor must be
used to improve the power factor.