The fluorescence of certain rocks and other substances had been observed for hundreds of years before its nature was understood. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends that fluorescent lamps be segregated from general waste for recycling or safe disposal, and some jurisdictions require recycling of them. Compact fluorescent lamps are now available in the same popular sizes as incandescents and are used as an energy-saving alternative in homes.īecause they contain mercury, many fluorescent lamps are classified as hazardous waste. For comparison, the luminous efficacy of an incandescent bulb may only be 16 lumens per watt.įluorescent lamp fixtures are more costly than incandescent lamps because, among other things, they require a ballast to regulate current through the lamp, but the initial cost is offset by a much lower running cost.
The typical luminous efficacy of fluorescent lighting systems is 50–100 lumens per watt, several times the efficacy of incandescent bulbs with comparable light output. A fluorescent lamp converts electrical energy into useful light much more efficiently than an incandescent lamp. An electric current in the gas excites mercury vapor, which produces short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp to glow. Ī fluorescent lamp, or fluorescent tube, is a low-pressure mercury-vapor gas-discharge lamp that uses fluorescence to produce visible light. In this lamp, the filament is surrounded by an oblong metal cathode shield, which helps reduce lamp end darkening.
Inside the lamp end of a preheat G13 lamp.
0 kommentar(er)
