About 25% of the average residential electricity budget comes under electric lighting. Energy saving lighting has a great demand nowadays. Ordinary incandescent lamps are getting replaced by energy and cost saving lighting. Fluorescent lamps do overcome the drawbacks of incandescent lamps. This article is all about the working of such a fluorescent lamp and its major characteristics.
Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) is an energy saving innovation. It was invented in 1976 by Edward E. Hammer, an Engineer with General Electric. It has many benefits compared to ordinary incandescent lamps. CFL is a miniature version of fluorescent lighting A detailed explanation of its working is as follows.
Working of CFL
The radiation of the CFL is spectral power distribution. It has a tube consisting of argon gas and mercury vapor. Also, the tube has an inner coating with a fluorescent substance. Phosphor is used as the fluorescent coating for the exhibiting luminescence.
When power is supplied to the CFL, the electric current drives through the tube. The argon gas and mercury vapor present in the tube generate an ultraviolet beam that can excite the inner fluorescent coating. This excitation results in the emission of light rays.
A ballast is a current regulating device used in fluorescent lighting systems. It regulates the current so that only the required voltage for the lamp to glow, reaches it. The absence of the ballast in a CFL will make it draw more current from power supply source. This current can lead to overheating and burning out of the lamp within seconds. The ballast fits in the ballast housing.
Comparison of CFL and Incandescent lamps
Working of CFL
The radiation of the CFL is spectral power distribution. It has a tube consisting of argon gas and mercury vapor. Also, the tube has an inner coating with a fluorescent substance. Phosphor is used as the fluorescent coating for the exhibiting luminescence.
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| Fig 2. Elements of CFL |
A ballast is a current regulating device used in fluorescent lighting systems. It regulates the current so that only the required voltage for the lamp to glow, reaches it. The absence of the ballast in a CFL will make it draw more current from power supply source. This current can lead to overheating and burning out of the lamp within seconds. The ballast fits in the ballast housing.
Comparison of CFL and Incandescent lamps
- CFL is more efficient than incandescent lamps
- CFLs are much costlier than incandescent bulbs. But the working hours of CFL are much more than incandescent bulbs.
- The energy requirement of CFL is much less than traditional lamps. That is it requires less than 70% of that energy used by the incandescent to exhibit luminescence.
- To achieve its full brightness, CFL takes more time than incandescent lamps.
- Light dimming compatibility of CFL is lesser than incandescent bulbs.
As the demand of energy saving is increasing day by day, CFLs also find competition in the power industry. Low energy bulbs- LEDs are a good competition to the CFLs nowadays. Multinational electrical companies are shutting down the production of CFLs in favor of LEDs. The toxic mercury content in the CFL also complicates its disposal. Some countries have special departments for the disposed CFL collection.
