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CONTENTS
Incandescent Lamps Introduction Other Lamp Types Electrode less Lamps Magnetic Induction Lamps

Induction Lamps Vs. LED Lamps

The Advantages of Magnetic Induction Lamps

What is an Electrode less Lamp? Electrode less lamp few words Advantages Features Reference

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Introduction
Thomas Edison is generally credited with the invention of the commercially viable electrical lamp we are familiar with. He was building on work done by early pioneers, where the conversion of electricity to light was demonstrated in laboratories as early as 1801 by Sir Humphrey Davy who is also credited with the invention of the electric arc lamp. Interestingly, Canadians Henry Woodward and Matthew Evans filed a patent in 1874 for a light bulb which used a carbon filament in a nitrogen atmosphere. They were unsuccessful in commercializing the lamp but caught the interest of Edison who considered this Canadian technology so intriguing, he bought their Canadian and US patents. Edison continued this line of development and improved upon the Woodward and Evans patent by using a metal filament in a vacuum eventually producing the first practical and commercially successful light bulb in 1880. Nikola Tesla demonstrated the transfer of power to electrode less incandescent and fluorescent lamps in his lectures and articles in the 1890s. On 23 June 1891, Tesla was granted US patent 454,622 to cover a very early form of Induction lamp. When looking at the diagrams from Teslas lectures and patents, the close similarity to currently available electrode less lamps is striking.

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Incandescent Lamps
The most common form of electrical lighting we are all familiar with is the incandescent lamp. This consists of an evacuated glass envelope, which generally has two electrodes protruding through the wall of the glass vessel at the bottom, and sealed in place, to bring the electrical current into the interior of the lamp.

There is a thin filament, usually made of tungsten, suspended between the electrodes. More than two electrodes may be present, for example in a 3-way lamp. There may also be other non-electrically connected wires provided for mechanical support of the filament. The incandescent lamp works by passing an electrical current through the filament, typically made of tungsten, which then glows white hot emitting light. This is not an efficient process as approximately 95% of the energy supplied to the lamp is emitted as heat. The filament must be contained in an evacuated bulb, or a bulb filled with an inert gas, as any contact with oxygen will cause the heated tungsten filament to evaporate and break the electrical circuit, thus rendering the lamp useless.

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Other Lamp Types

There are many other types of lamps ranging from xenon arc lamps used in movie projectors, to metal halide, mercury vapour and sodium types, to fluorescent types, to light emitting diodes [LEDs]. It is beyond the scope of this article to cover all of these types in detail but we will cover fluorescent lamps as the Magnetic Induction Lamps are a modified form of the fluorescent lamp. Fluorescent Lamps A fluorescent lamp is a type of gas discharge tube where an electrical current excites mercury vapour in an inert gas producing UV light, typically at the 253.7 nm and 185 nm wavelengths. The UV light is up-converted, by a coating of phosphors on the inside of the glass tube, into visible light. While German Edmund Germer had patented an experimental fluorescent lamp in 1927 (U.S. patent 2,182,732), fluorescent lamps were first shown in public at the New York World's Fair in 1937. They did not become commercially available until about 1938.

At each end of the typical fluorescent lamp, there are small tungsten filaments which are usually coated with a blend of metallic salts such as barium, strontium and calcium oxides. The filaments are provided to bring the electric current into the lamp, and the metallic salts are designed to

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promote the emission of electrons, in order to stimulate the mercury ions, which are released by a tiny drop of liquid mercury in the tube. Fluorescent lamps are a negative resistance device [as more current flows, the resistance decreases allowing even more current to flow] so the lamps require a ballast to control the current to the lamp. The most common and simple type of ballast is a magnetic or core and coil ballast. This is a form of current limiting transformer which provides the lamp with the correct current needed for operation. These ballasts are cheap but inefficient as they emit heat [wasted energy] typically between 12% and 15% of the energy consumed by the lamp is wasted in the ballast. Newer types of fluorescent lamps use high frequency electronic ballasts. While these are more costly to manufacture, they are much more energy efficient typically only wasting between 5% and 8% of the energy consumed by the lamp. The choice of phosphor, or combination of phosphors, used in the coating on the inside of the tube influences the perceived colour of the light emitted. Certain phosphors emit red, green or blue light when excited by the UV light inside the tube. By combining various phosphors, manufacturers can offer warm white, cool white and daylight types of lamps (where these designations refer to the approximate colour temperature of the lamp) by mixing and matching the phosphors used in the lamp coating.

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Electrode less Lamps

Almost all of the light sources currently in use have one thing in common, metal electrodes sealed into the walls of the bulb to bring the electrical current inside the lamp chamber/envelope. Unsurprisingly, the main failure mechanisms in these typical lamps with electrodes [other than breakage] are: Failure of the filament due to depletion of the filament material over time as atoms is stripped off by the electrical current; 1. Vibration which breaks the filament, especially when it is hot; 2. Failure of the seal integrity of the lamp; typically caused by thermal stresses in the area where the electrodes go through the glass walls. The failure of the seal can either be sudden or complete, or a slow leak over time allowing the entry of atmospheric gasses which contaminate the interior. The dream of lighting inventors has been to produce a lamp with no internal electrodes so as to eliminate these common failure modes. In an electrode less lamp the envelope [bulb] is completely sealed and thus there is no chance of atmospheric contamination due to seal failure and no electrodes to wear out over time. In June of 1891, Nicholas Tesla was granted a US patent to cover a very early form of Induction lamp. In an electrode less lamp, the main failure mechanisms [other than breakage] are 1. Depletion of the mercury amalgam inside the envelope [bulb]. When the mercury ions are excited and bombard the phosphors [which then emit the light we see], a small percentage of them are absorbed by the phosphor coating over time. Once the mercury ions inside the envelope are depleted, the lamp emits only a very dim light and has to be replaced. 2. Failure of the electronics [ballast] used to drive the lamp. This is not a catastrophic failure mode as typically the electronics [ballast] are external to the lamp and can easily be replaced.

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So how do you get an electrical current inside the bulb (glass envelope) of a lamp to excite the mercury ions? There are two types of practical electrode less lamps available on the market today, microwave lamps and magnetic induction lamps. A microwave lamp bombards a capsule of sulfur with radio frequency (microwave) energy which causes the sulfur to be heated, becoming a light emitting plasma. The capsule containing the sulfur has to be rotated to prevent uneven heating and must be cooled by a fan thus the lamps contain mechanical parts subject to failure. Typically the magnetron used in these lamps last between 15,000 and 20,000 hours and must then be replaced so maintenance costs are higher than conventional lighting. The major advantage of the microwave sulfur lamps is that they are the only artificial light source that has an output spectrum which closely approximates sunlight.

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Magnetic Induction Lamps

Magnetic induction lamps are basically fluorescent lamps with electromagnets wrapped around a part of the tube, or inserted inside the lamp. In external inductor lamps, high frequency energy, from the electronic ballast, is sent through wires, which are wrapped in a coil around the ferrite inductor, creating a powerful magnet.

Rectangular and Round External Inductor Lamps The induction coil produces a very strong magnetic field which travels through the glass and excites the mercury atoms in the interior which are provided by a pellet of amalgam (a solid form of mercury). The mercury atoms emit UV light and, just as in a fluorescent tube, the UV light is upconverted to visible light by the phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. The system can be considered as a type of transformer where the inductor is the primary coil while the mercury atoms within the envelope/tube form a single-turn secondary coil.

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In a variation of this technology, a light bulb shaped glass lamp, which has a test-tube like re-entrant central cavity, is coated with phosphors on the interior, filled with inert gas and a pellet of mercury amalgam. The induction coil is wound around a ferrite shaft which is inserted into the central test-tube like cavity. The inductor is excited by high frequency energy provided by external electronic ballast causing a magnetic field to penetrate the glass and excite the mercury atoms, which emit UV light that is converted to visible light by the phosphor coating.

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The external inductor lamps have the advantage that the heat generated by the induction coil assemblies is external to the tube and can be easily dissipated by convention into the air, or conduction into the fixture. The external inductor design lends itself to higher power output lamps which can be rectangular or doughnut shaped. In the internal inductor lamps, the heat generated by the induction coil is emitted inside the lamp body and must cool by conduction to a heat-sink at the lamp base, and by radiation through the glass walls. The internal inductor lamps tend to have a shorter lifespan than the external inductor types due to higher internal operating temperatures. The internal inductor type looks more like a conventional light bulb than the external inductor type lamps which may be more appealing in some applications.

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As with conventional fluorescent lamps, varying the composition of the phosphors coated onto the inside of induction lamps, allows for models with different colour temperatures. The most common colour temperatures of induction lamps are 3500K, 4100K, 5000K and 6500K. Induction lamps require correctly matched electronic ballast for proper operation. The ballast takes the incoming mains AC voltage [or DC voltage in the case of 12V and 24V ballasts] and rectifies it to DC. Solid state circuitry then converts this DC current to a very high frequency which is between 2.65 and 13.6 MHz depending on lamp design. This high frequency is fed to the coil wrapped around the ferrite core of the external or internal inductor. The high frequency creates a strong magnet field in the inductor which couples the energy through the glass walls of the lamp and into the mercury atoms inside the tube. The ballasts contain control circuitry which regulates the frequency and current to the induction coil to insure stable operation of the lamp. In addition, the ballasts have a circuit which produces a large start pulse to initially ionize the mercury atoms and thereby start the lamp. The induction lamps do not start at 100% output - they start at between 75% and 80% output. It takes between 60 and 120 seconds for the mercury bearing amalgam in the lamp to heat up and release enough mercury atoms for the lamps to reach 100% light output. The close regulation of the lamp by the ballast, and the use of microprocessor controlled circuits allow the ballasts to operate at around 98% efficiency. Only around 2% of the energy is wasted in the induction lamp ballast compared to the 10-15% wasted in traditional core and coil type designs used with most high output commercial and industrial lighting.

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Typical Industrial Highbay Fixture with round 200W Induction Lamp

Induction Lamps Vs. LED Lamps

While induction lamp technology has matured in the last few years, is often overlooked or underutilized in lighting applications since none of the major manufacturers promote induction lamps in any significant way. LED lighting seems to get the most buzz in the market as LEDs are promoted as the best alternative to conventional lighting due to their longevity. Induction lamps have a lifespan of 80,000 to 100,000 hours (depending on type and model), which is much longer than the typical high-power white LED lamp lifespan which is in the 50,000 to 55,000 range.

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The major difference between the technologies (other than lifespan) is in conversion efficiency (energy utilization) and costs. Most presently available commercial LED lighting fixtures have conversion efficiencies in the 35 to 60 Lumens/Watt (L/W) range. LED elements with a conversion efficiency of 70~75 L/W are available, but still quite expensive. There are reports of LEDs with conversion efficiencies of up to 100 L/W operating in research labs, but they are not yet commercially available. Induction lamps have a conversion efficiency ranging from 65 L/W in low wattage (8 ~ 20 W internal inductor types) to 90 L/W in the high wattage (250 ~ 400 W external inductor models) range. On-going research will see some small improvements in these numbers. When considering

commercial/industrial lighting and using a 200 W fixture as an example, the induction lamp version will produce 16,000 Lumens while an LED version would only produce 11,000 Lumens (about 31% less light) with the same energy input. Since the most powerful single element LEDs available at this time are in the 20 ~ 25W range, to make a 200W fixture, an array of LED elements must be used. This adds to the expense of the fixture since the cost of these more powerful LEDs is presently quite high and they require custom heatsinks for thermal management. Since induction lamps use well established and mature glass moulding and coating technology with electronic ballasts
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(similar to fluorescent lamp technology), manufacturing costs are lower and yields higher than high power LEDs at this time. Typically an induction lamps fixture will cost 50% to 75% less than a similar output LED based fixture. This cost gap will be erased over time as LED production ramps up since sold-state devices are more amenable to cost reduction through mass manufacturing techniques. The one area in which LED technology offers a significant advantage over induction lamps is ruggedness. Since the LEDs are solid-state devices, they are more resistant to vibration and impact compared to the induction lamps which are made of glass. LED lamps are therefore more suitable for applications where there is high vibration such as in transportation and industrial machinery applications.

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The Advantages of Magnetic Induction Lamps

1. Long lifespan due to the lack of electrodes - between 65,000 and 100,000 hours depending on the lamp model; 2. Very high energy conversion efficiency of between 62 and 90 Lumens/watt [higher wattage lamps are more energy efficient]; 3. High power factor due to the low loss in high frequency electronic ballasts which are between 95% and 98% efficient; 4. Minimal Lumen depreciation (declining light output with age) compared to other lamp types as filament evaporation and depletion is absent (see graph below); 5. Instant-on and hot re-strike, unlike most conventional lamps used in commercial/industrial lighting applications (Sodium vapour and Metal Halides); 6. Environmentally friendly as induction lamps use less energy, and generally use less mercury per hour of operation that conventional lighting due to their long lifespan. The mercury is in a solid form and can be easily recovered if the lamp is broken, or for recycling at endof-life (see Environmental Aspects Of Magnetic Induction Lamps

These benefits offer a considerable cost savings of between 35% and 55% in energy and maintenance costs for induction lamps compared to other types of lamps that they replace. In some applications, advanced energy savings technologies incorporated into the fixtures can provide energy savings as high as 75%.

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What is an Electrode less Lamp?

In contrast with all other electrical lamps that use electrical connections through the lamp envelope to transfer power to the lamp, in electrode less lamps the power needed to generate light is transferred from the outside of the lamp envelope by means of (electro)magnetic fields. There are two advantages of eliminating electrodes. The first is extended bulb life, because the electrodes are usually the limiting factor in bulb life. The second benefit is the ability to use light-generating substances that would react with metal electrodes in normal lamps.

Aside from the method of coupling energy into the mercury vapour, these lamps are very similar to conventional fluorescent lamps. Mercury vapour in the discharge vessel is electrically excited to produce short-wave ultraviolet light, which then excites the phosphors to produce visible light. While still relatively unknown to the public, these lamps have been available
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since 1990. The most common form has the shape of an incandescent light bulb. Unlike an incandescent lamp or conventional fluorescent lamps, there is no electrical connection going inside the glass bulb; the energy is transferred through the glass envelope solely by electromagnetic induction. In the most common form, a glass tube (B) protrudes bulb-wards from the bottom of the discharge vessel (A). This tube contains an antenna called a power coupler, which consists of a coil wound over tubular ferrite core. In lower-frequency versions of induction systems, the lamp consists of two long parallel glass tubes, connected by two short tubes that have coils mounted around them. The antenna coils receive electric power from the electronic ballast (C) that generates a high frequency. The exact frequency varies with lamp design, but popular examples include 13.6 MHz, 2.65 MHz and 250 kHz (in physically large lamps). A special resonant circuit in the ballast produces an initial high voltage on the coil to start a gas discharge; thereafter the voltage is reduced to normal running level. The system can be seen as a type of transformer, with the power coupler forming the primary coil and the gas discharge arc in the bulb forming the one-turn secondary coil and the load of the transformer. The ballast is connected to mains electricity, and is generally designed to operate on voltages between 100 and 277 VAC at a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. Most ballast can also be connected to DC voltage sources like batteries for emergency lighting purposes. In other conventional gas discharge lamps, the electrodes are the part with the shortest life, limiting the lamp lifespan severely. Since an induction lamp has no electrodes, it can have a very long service life. For induction lamp systems with separate ballast, the service life can be as long as 100,000 hours, which is 11.4 years continuous operation, or 22.8 years used at night or day only. For induction lamps with integrated ballast, the life is 15,000 to 30,000 hours. Extremely high-quality electronic circuits are needed for the ballast to attain such a long service life. Such expensive lamps have special application areas in situations where replacement costs are high.

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Research on electrode less lamps continues, with variations in operating frequency, lamp shape, the induction coils and other design parameters. Low public awareness and relatively high prices have so far kept the use of such lamps highly specialized. What are the Advantages of Electrode less Lamp? I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Extremely long life Highly Efficient and Energy Saving Instant starting, no Cold-Start Bright, white light (CRI >= 80) Improved visibility and security No glare and light pollution Green Light Source

What are the Applications of Electrode less Lamp? I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Street & area lighting Warehouses, industrial buildings Cafeterias, super markets High-ceiling applications Parking garages Architectural, landscape lighting Freezers, cold storage

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How does Electrode less Lamp compare to other lights

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Electrode less lamp few words

An electrode less lamp is a light source in which the power required to generate light is transferred from the outside of the lamp envelope by means of (electro) magnetic fields, in contrast with a typical electrical lamp that uses electrical connections through the lamp envelope to transfer power. There are three advantages of eliminating electrodes. I. Extended lamp life, because the electrodes are usually the limiting factor in lamp life. II. The ability to use high efficiency light-generating substances that would react with metal electrodes in normal lamps. III. Improved collection efficiency because the source can be made very small without shortening life - a problem in electrode lamps Two systems are described below one, plasma lamps, based on the use of radio waves energizing a bulb filled with sulfur or metal halides, the other, fluorescent induction lamps, based upon conventional fluorescent lamp phosphors.

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Magnetic induction lamps

Diagram showing labelled components of a rectangular style, external inductor type, Magnetic Induction Lamp (ballast not shown).

A Philips QL induction lighting system, where A) Discharge vessel, B) Tube with power coupler and C) Electronic ballast.

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Aside from the method of coupling energy into the mercury vapour, these lamps are very similar to conventional fluorescent lamps. Mercury vapour in the discharge vessel is electrically excited to produce short-wave ultraviolet light, which then excites the phosphors to produce visible light. While still relatively unknown to the public, these lamps have been available since 1990. The first type introduced had the shape of an incandescent light bulb. Unlike an incandescent lamp or conventional fluorescent lamps, there is no electrical connection going inside the glass bulb; the energy is transferred through the glass envelope solely by electromagnetic induction. There are two main types of magnetic induction lamp, external inductor lamps and internal inductor lamps. The original and still widely used form of induction lamps are the internal inductor types. A more recent development is the external inductor types which have a wider range of applications and which are available in round, rectangular and "olive" shaped form factors. External inductor lamps are basically fluorescent lamps with electromagnets wrapped around a part of the tube. In the external inductor lamps, high frequency energy, from the electronic ballast, is sent through wires, which are wrapped in a coil around a ferrite inductor on the outside of the glass tube, creating a powerful electromagnet called an inductor. The induction coil (inductor) produces a very strong magnetic field which travels through the glass and excites the mercury atoms in the interior. The mercury atoms are provided by the amalgam (a solid form of mercury). The excited mercury atoms emit UV light and, just as in a fluorescent tube, the UV light is down-converted to visible light by the phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. The glass walls of the lamp prevent the emission of the UV light as ordinary glass blocks UV radiation at the 253.7 nm and 185 nm range. In the internal inductor form (see diagram), a glass tube (B) protrudes bulb-wards from the bottom of the discharge vessel (A), forming a re-entrant cavity. This tube contains an antenna called a power coupler, which consists of a coil wound over a tubular ferrite core. The coil and ferrite forms the inductor which couples the energy into the lamp interior

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The antenna coils receive electric power from the electronic ballast (C) that generates a high frequency. The exact frequency varies with lamp design, but popular examples include 13.6 MHz, 2.65 MHz and 250 kHz. A special resonant circuit in the ballast produces an initial high voltage on the coil to start a gas discharge; thereafter the voltage is reduced to normal running level. The system can be seen as a type of transformer; with the power coupler (inductor) forming the primary coil and the gas discharge arc in the bulb forms the one-turn secondary coil and the load of the transformer. The ballast is connected to mains electricity, and is generally designed to operate on voltages between 100 and 277 VAC at a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. Many ballasts are available in low voltage models so can also be connected to DC voltage sources like batteries for emergency lighting purposes of for use with renewable energy (solar & wind) powered systems. In other conventional gas discharge lamps, the electrodes are the part with the shortest life, limiting the lamp lifespan severely. Since an induction lamp has no electrodes, it can have a very long service life. For induction lamp systems with a separate ballast, the service life can be as long as 100,000 hours, which is 11.4 years continuous operation, or 22.8 years used at night or day only, or 45.6 years used at half of a night or day only, or 91.2 years for one quarter of a night or day only. For induction lamps with integrated ballast, the lifespan is in the 15,000 to 50,000 hours range. Extremely high-quality electronic circuits are needed for the ballast to attain such a long service life. Such lamps are typically used in commercial or industrial applications. Typically operations and maintenance costs are significantly lower with induction lighting systems due to their industry average 100,000 hour life cycle and five to ten year warranty.

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Advantages
I. Long lifespan due to the lack of electrodes - between 65,000 and 100,000 hours depending on the lamp model; II. Very high energy conversion efficiency of between 62 and 90 Lumens/Watt [higher wattage lamps are more energy efficient]; III. High power factor due to the low loss of the high frequency electronic ballasts which are typically between 95% and 98% efficient; IV. Minimal Lumen depreciation (declining light output with age) compared to other lamp types as filament evaporation and depletion is absent; V. Instant-on and hot re-strike, unlike most conventional lamps used in commercial/industrial lighting applications (such as Mercury-vapour lamp, VI. VII. Sodium-vapour lamp and Metal halide lamp); Environmentally friendly as induction lamps use less energy, and use less mercury per hour of operation than conventional lighting due to their long lifespan. The mercury is in a solid form and can be easily recovered if the lamp is broken, or for recycling at end-of-life.

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Electrode less Induction Lamps

The Electrode less Induction Lamp is the first bulb ever GUARANTEED to last for 10 years . . . or longer!

The high-frequency Electrode less Induction lamp, also called "induction lamp," integrates the latest scientific development of power electronics, plasma, and magnetic material. Induction lights are similar to fluorescent lights in that they use gasses, which once excited, react with the phosphor that coats the tubes to produce white light. Unlike fluorescent lamps, induction systems are rated at 80,000 hours. This is because fluorescent lamps must use electrodes, which degrade with time, to excite the gasses inside of the tube. Induction Lamps do not use electrodes but instead uses the principle of Induction (the transmission of energy by way of magnetic field). Think of it as wireless lighting.
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The lamp is operated without the electrode; instead, the energy is coupled to the lamp by utilizing high frequency induction magnetic field. The gas inside the lamp is excited by the magnetic field and is turned into snowslide plasma material. When the excited atoms of plasma material return to the ground state, they radiate the 254nm UV light, which passes through the coating of inner glass and produces the visible light in the same manner of fluorescent lamps.

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Features
1. Long lifetime: Average lifetime as much as 80,000 hours equivalent to 10 to 15 times of lifetime of CFL lamp. Maintenance free in the long run. 2. High lighting efficiency: more than 65~90 lm/w, equivalent to 8 or 9 pcs of incandescent lamp in the same wattage. 3. High colour rendering index: 80, high resolution & clear and clean colour. 4. Quick start: Instant start even at hot lamp or low ambient temperature. 5. High power factor: more than 0.95 resulting in less investment in power cable. 6. High-frequency working, no flash and soft lighting for eyesight protection. 7. Low light decay: The luminance maintenance rate is more than 70% after 60000 hours to ensure the enough light output in the lifetime. 8. Optional colour temperatures (2720-6500K) suitable for different needs. 9. Constant wattage output: The output wattage is less than 3% with the input voltage variation at } 20%. 10. Strong adaptability: Optional running at -25C~40C 11. Low harmonic distortion: THD10%. 12. Optional intelligent dimming controls to realize the energy-saving. 13. Green power consumption, patent design, authority-approved EMC test to eliminate the pollution of the environment and power grid.

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Reference

www.scribd.com

www.wikipidea

www.ieee.com

www.seminars only .com

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