Xref: utzoo misc.consumers:4785 sci.electronics:2906
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: fluorescent lights, brain & flicker fusion
Message-ID: <2506@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 3 May 88 21:44:29 GMT
References: <530@scourge> <1182@ssc.UUCP> <27927@yale-celray.yale.UUCP> <2890@tekigm2.TEK.COM>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 32
Summary: High frequency excitation & efficiency

In article <2890@tekigm2.TEK.COM>, pavelz@tekigm2.TEK.COM (Pavel R. Zivny) writes:
> >	There are commercially available fluorescent lighting systems
> >which use high frequency excitation.  The primary motivation for such
> >use is more efficient energy utilization, and not flicker reduction,
> >however.
>
> 	I am sorry to stretch the subject so much, but could you please
> describe more in detail where do the energy savings really come from?

	Two reasons:

1.	High frequency (3 kHz to 20 kHz) excitation will directly ionize
	the mercury vapor in the fluorescent lamp more efficiently
	than at 60 Hz, resulting in more lumens/watt of illumination.

2.	With ballasts being consequently smaller, there is less loss
	of energy to heat.

> The only
> warm thing inside the fluorescent light fixture is the tube

	Not true; consider the ballast!

> does the higher
> frequency change the distribution of energy between heat and light ?

	Yes - 1. above.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
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