Fluorescent lamps today have taken pride of place among lighting technology. What just recently seemed to be something special is now quite deservedly considered an aesthetic and economical attribute. As an example, we can cite 36W, 18W, 54W LL lamps, which not only consume significantly less electricity than a standard incandescent light bulb, but also much more useful Sveta.
Content
- Types of fluorescent devices
- Design features
- Bulb characteristics
- Color rendering
- The advantages of fluorescent lamps
- Disadvantages of devices
Types of fluorescent devices
Fluorescent lamps have a fairly wide range of applications. They are used both for lighting rooms and offices, as well as for creating illumination and medical equipment. Their design is extremely simple, and the ability to provide bright illumination at low energy consumption makes fluorescent light sources extremely popular. By its purpose and radiation spectra such lamps are usually divided into two types:
- Standard.
- Special.
The standard models use one layer of phosphor, which allows you to change the tint of plain white light. So, yellow shades will have a warm light, and blue ones will have a cold light. In this regard, it is customary in the marking to designate the shade of the emitted light with which a particular lamp shines. The first letter L always means "fluorescent lamp",
- B - the light emitted by the device will be white;
- D - daylight shade of light;
- E - this letter is used in models with natural light;
- HB - fluorescent bulbs giving out cold white light;
- TB - the lamp shines with a warm white light.
In addition to these letters, there may be others in the marking. They indicate the color of the bulb: K - red, C - blue, Z - green, etc. UV lamps used in medicine are designated by the letters UV.
The luminous flux can also be indicated on lighting fixtures, which is measured in lumens and denoted lm. In some cases, when it is necessary to convey the reality of the surrounding colors, lamps with an increased luminous flux are used. They are in demand at painting exhibitions or 
in trendy clothing stores where color matters. For this, lamps use three or five layers of phosphor, which makes it possible to increase the luminous flux by 12% or more.
Special-purpose lamps in the phosphor have various additives that can change the length of the emitted light waves. So, in medicine, models are successfully used that can produce ultraviolet radiation that destroys bacteria and microbes. Similar devices are also used for disinfection of premises and containers in grocery stores and warehouses.
Lamps can be produced with special bulbs that are capable of producing different colors of the spectrum. They are successfully used for illumination, advertising and signage.
Design features
Fluorescent lamp 36W is cylindrical glass tube filled with argon. The inner side of the flask is covered with a phosphor with the addition of mercury, which turns into steam under the influence of temperature. The tube is hermetically sealed on both sides. Rigid electrodes made of nickel are also located here. A tungsten spiral coated with barium or strontium salts is attached in parallel to them.
When an electric current is applied, the spiral heats up, due to which a mixture of argon and mercury vapor begins to emit ultraviolet rays. The phosphor applied to the walls of the flask converts this radiation into visible light.
Bulb characteristics
Experts divide 36-watt fluorescent lamps according to several criteria. The characteristics to look out for when buying a device are:
- Light discharge (glow or arc).
- Tube shape (tubular or curly).
- Type of radiation (natural, ultraviolet and color).
- Luminous flux distribution (directional and non-directional).
It is worth paying attention to the technical characteristics. Fluorescent lamps 36 W compare favorably with their capabilities, because for greater savings it is customary to use high-quality and modern materials. For example, an improved electronic unit can reduce energy consumption.
The thickness of the tube should not be overlooked. In modern models, it is 1.6 times thinner than in outdated ones. Thanks to this, significant energy savings can be achieved.
Color rendering
The color rendering of bulbs directly depends on the light temperature parameter, measured in kelvin. So, the following ranges of values can be distinguished:
-
from 2700 to 3400 Kelvin give out warm shades of light; - from 3400 to 5600 Kelvin for natural shades;
- from 5600 to 6400 Kelvin gives cold shades.
These parameters directly affect human performance. In offices, it is customary to use LL with cold light, since they have a better effect on a person during work. Warm light, on the other hand, relaxes and calms, which is why it is preferable to install it in bedrooms or hospital wards.
The advantages of fluorescent lamps
The use of LL has many advantages. Thanks to modern technology, a 36 W fluorescent lamp with minimal energy consumption is able to shine much brighter than a conventional incandescent light bulb. Other benefits of a lighting fixture include:
-
high efficiency; - variety of shades;
- light weight;
- wide spectral range;
- large coverage area.
An important plus is that the luminous flux of a 36 W fluorescent lamp is the same as that of a conventional 120 W incandescent light bulb. This proves once again the advantages of LL.
The lifespan of fluorescent lamps is impressive. On average, such lighting fixtures can last 4800 hours, although the manufacturer's declared service life reaches 12 thousand hours. But here, to a greater extent, everything depends on the number of on-off switches, since at their low frequency the light bulb can work even up to 20 thousand hours.
Disadvantages of devices
The first disadvantage of LL is that it contains mercury. If the bulb is damaged, this poisonous metal will be released into the air. For this reason, all used devices must be handed over for recycling, where they undergo thermodemercurization.
The second disadvantage may be excessive flickering of fluorescent lamps when they work for a long time. This, with prolonged exposure, can lead to headaches and blurred vision. In this case, you can protect yourself if you buy a more expensive model.
