EP0837492A2 - High intensity discharge lamp with intermediate pressure xenon fill gas - Google Patents
High intensity discharge lamp with intermediate pressure xenon fill gas Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0837492A2 EP0837492A2 EP97115546A EP97115546A EP0837492A2 EP 0837492 A2 EP0837492 A2 EP 0837492A2 EP 97115546 A EP97115546 A EP 97115546A EP 97115546 A EP97115546 A EP 97115546A EP 0837492 A2 EP0837492 A2 EP 0837492A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- arc
- lamp
- arc discharge
- electrodes
- discharge tube
- 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.)
- Ceased
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- 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
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/82—Lamps with high-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure > 400 Torr
- H01J61/822—High-pressure mercury lamps
Definitions
- This invention relates to high intensity discharge lamps and more particularly to metal halide lamps having improved lumen maintenance and good glow-to-arc characteristics together with higher efficiencies.
- Metal halide lamps generally include an amount of mercury and additionally need some gas within the arc chamber in order to initiate the discharge.
- argon at pressures from 40 millibars to 130 millibars is the gas and pressure range of choice.
- Argon is a noble gas and does not react with the other chemicals or the lamp envelope. It is the most abundant of the noble gases and is the least expensive. It is known that lamps filled to the lower pressures ignite easier. Conversely, lamps filled to the higher pressures are more difficult to ignite. Further, it has been observed that the electrodes in lamps having the lower pressures sputter more, causing the lamp envelope to darken and shortening the lamp life. Electrodes in lamps having higher pressure, although being harder to start, sputter less so the lamps experience better lumen maintenance. Thus, argon pressure must be optimized for given applications.
- Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a metal halide discharge lamp that is easy to start and has excellent lumen maintenance due to reduced electrode sputtering causing darkening of the envelope.
- a high intensity arc discharge lamp which comprises an outer light transmissive envelope having a light transmissive arc discharge tube positioned therewithin.
- the arc discharge tube has electrodes at opposite ends thereof and means are provided for electrical connection to the electrodes.
- An arc generating and sustaining medium is provided within the arc tube, the medium comprising a substantial amount of mercury, at least the iodides of sodium, scandium and lithium, and xenon at a fill pressure at room temperature of between about 130 millibar to about 260 millibar.
- a metal halide arc discharge lamp 10 including a lamp envelope 12 and an arc discharge tube 14 mounted within the envelope by mounting frame 16.
- Electrical energy is coupled to the electrodes (not shown, but which are preferably 2% thoriated tungsten rods having a diameter of 0.43 mm and provided with short coiled coil overwinds, as is known) of arc tube 14 through a base 22, a lamp stem 24 and electrical leads 26 and 28.
- the arc tube 14 contains an arc generating and sustaining medium characterized generally as a chemical fill or dose of materials to provide light when an arc is initiated therein, as will be explained hereinafter.
- the shroud 20 comprises a cylindrical tube of light transmissive, heat resistant material such as quartz.
- the mounting frame 16 supports both the arc tube and the shroud within the lamp envelope 12.
- the mounting frame 16 includes a metal support rod 30 attached to lamp stem 24 by a strap 31.
- the support rod engages an inward projection 32 in the upper end of the lamp envelope 12.
- the support rod 30 in its central portion is parallel to a central axis of the arc tube 14 and shroud 20.
- the mounting means 16 further includes an upper clip 40 and a lower clip 42 which secure both arc tube 14 and shroud 20 to support rod 30.
- the clips 40 and 42 are attached to the support rod 30, preferably by welding.
- the graph depicted shows the results of tests comparing xenon and argon containing fills.
- the test comprised four groups each containing four 100 watt metal halide lamps.
- the arc tubes were fused silica and the thoriated tungsten electrodes were provided with molybdenum electrical feedthroughs, as is known.
- the arc length was 14 mm.
- the arc tubes had a volume of 1.4 cc and the lamps were dosed with 12 mg of mercury, 0.13 mg of pure scandium metal and 10 mg of the iodides of sodium, scandium and lithium in a molar ratio of 24:1:2.5.
- the lamp of plot A contained xenon at a fill pressure of 260 millibar; the lamp of plot B contained xenon at a fill pressure of 130 millibar; the lamps of plots C and D represented a control.
- the lamp of plot C contained argon at a fill pressure of 260 millibar and the lamp of plot D contained argon at a fill pressure of 130 millibar.
- the xenon filled lamps exhibited superior lumens as compared to the argon filled lamps.
- the 260 millibar group (plot A) was still averaging 6400 lumens whereas both argon groups were less than 3500 lumens.
- the lamps were operated with standard ANSI M90 ballasts using standard 100 watt ignitors.
Abstract
Description
Claims (6)
- A high intensity arc discharge lamp comprising: an outer light transmissive envelope; a light transmissive arc discharge tube positioned within said envelope and having electrodes at opposite ends thereof; means to provide electrical connection to said electrodes; and an arc generating and sustaining medium within said arc tube, said medium comprising a substantial amount of mercury, at least a halide of sodium, and xenon at a fill pressure at room temperature of at least about 130 millibar.
- The lamp of claim 1 wherein said medium includes an amount of scandium metal.
- The lamp of Claim 1 wherein said arc discharge tube comprises fused silica.
- The lamp of Claim 2 wherein said arc discharge tube has a volume of 1.4 cc, said substantial amount of mercury is about 12 mg, said amount of scandium metal is about 0.13 mg, and said halides of sodium and scandium are present in an amount of about 10 mg and in the molar ratio of 24:1.
- The lamp of Claim 4 wherein said halides are iodides.
- The lamp of Claim 1 wherein said arc discharge tube is polycrystallin alumina.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US73095296A | 1996-10-16 | 1996-10-16 | |
US730952 | 1996-10-16 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0837492A2 true EP0837492A2 (en) | 1998-04-22 |
EP0837492A3 EP0837492A3 (en) | 1998-05-27 |
Family
ID=24937467
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP97115546A Ceased EP0837492A3 (en) | 1996-10-16 | 1997-09-08 | High intensity discharge lamp with intermediate pressure xenon fill gas |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0837492A3 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2215088A1 (en) |
Citations (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2147094A1 (en) * | 1971-07-29 | 1973-03-09 | Holobeam | Long-arc gas discharge lamp - contg metal lic vapour besides inert gas, for high light yield |
GB2000637A (en) * | 1977-07-05 | 1979-01-10 | Gen Electric | High pressure metal vapor discharge lamps |
US4179640A (en) * | 1977-12-05 | 1979-12-18 | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Hid sodium lamp which incorporates a high pressure of xenon and a trigger starting electrode |
US4325004A (en) * | 1980-10-02 | 1982-04-13 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Method and apparatus for starting high intensity discharge lamps |
EP0078105A2 (en) * | 1981-10-28 | 1983-05-04 | THORN EMI plc | Improvements in or relating to high pressure sodium lamps |
EP0081918A2 (en) * | 1981-12-11 | 1983-06-22 | THORN EMI plc | High pressure sodium lamps |
EP0110248A2 (en) * | 1982-11-26 | 1984-06-13 | General Electric Company | High pressure sodium lamp having improved efficacy |
EP0183247A2 (en) * | 1984-11-29 | 1986-06-04 | General Electric Company | High pressure metal halide lamp with xenon buffer gas |
US4709184A (en) * | 1984-08-20 | 1987-11-24 | Gte Products Corporation | Low wattage metal halide lamp |
FR2627627A1 (en) * | 1988-02-18 | 1989-08-25 | Gen Electric | HALOGEN-METAL-XENON LAMP SUITABLE PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS |
DE3904927A1 (en) * | 1988-02-18 | 1989-08-31 | Gen Electric | METAL HALOGENID LAMP WITH VACUUM SHEATH FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE |
US5057743A (en) * | 1988-09-12 | 1991-10-15 | Gte Products Corporation | Metal halide discharge lamp with improved color rendering properties |
US5121034A (en) * | 1989-03-08 | 1992-06-09 | General Electric Company | Acoustic resonance operation of xenon-metal halide lamps |
EP0784334A1 (en) * | 1996-01-11 | 1997-07-16 | Osram Sylvania Inc. | Metal halide lamp |
-
1997
- 1997-09-08 EP EP97115546A patent/EP0837492A3/en not_active Ceased
- 1997-09-11 CA CA 2215088 patent/CA2215088A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2147094A1 (en) * | 1971-07-29 | 1973-03-09 | Holobeam | Long-arc gas discharge lamp - contg metal lic vapour besides inert gas, for high light yield |
GB2000637A (en) * | 1977-07-05 | 1979-01-10 | Gen Electric | High pressure metal vapor discharge lamps |
US4179640A (en) * | 1977-12-05 | 1979-12-18 | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Hid sodium lamp which incorporates a high pressure of xenon and a trigger starting electrode |
US4325004A (en) * | 1980-10-02 | 1982-04-13 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Method and apparatus for starting high intensity discharge lamps |
EP0078105A2 (en) * | 1981-10-28 | 1983-05-04 | THORN EMI plc | Improvements in or relating to high pressure sodium lamps |
EP0081918A2 (en) * | 1981-12-11 | 1983-06-22 | THORN EMI plc | High pressure sodium lamps |
EP0110248A2 (en) * | 1982-11-26 | 1984-06-13 | General Electric Company | High pressure sodium lamp having improved efficacy |
US4709184A (en) * | 1984-08-20 | 1987-11-24 | Gte Products Corporation | Low wattage metal halide lamp |
EP0183247A2 (en) * | 1984-11-29 | 1986-06-04 | General Electric Company | High pressure metal halide lamp with xenon buffer gas |
FR2627627A1 (en) * | 1988-02-18 | 1989-08-25 | Gen Electric | HALOGEN-METAL-XENON LAMP SUITABLE PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS |
DE3904927A1 (en) * | 1988-02-18 | 1989-08-31 | Gen Electric | METAL HALOGENID LAMP WITH VACUUM SHEATH FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE |
US5057743A (en) * | 1988-09-12 | 1991-10-15 | Gte Products Corporation | Metal halide discharge lamp with improved color rendering properties |
US5121034A (en) * | 1989-03-08 | 1992-06-09 | General Electric Company | Acoustic resonance operation of xenon-metal halide lamps |
EP0784334A1 (en) * | 1996-01-11 | 1997-07-16 | Osram Sylvania Inc. | Metal halide lamp |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0837492A3 (en) | 1998-05-27 |
CA2215088A1 (en) | 1998-04-16 |
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