CA1222273A - Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp - Google Patents

Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp

Info

Publication number
CA1222273A
CA1222273A CA000448953A CA448953A CA1222273A CA 1222273 A CA1222273 A CA 1222273A CA 000448953 A CA000448953 A CA 000448953A CA 448953 A CA448953 A CA 448953A CA 1222273 A CA1222273 A CA 1222273A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
getter
arc tube
sodium
high pressure
oxygen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000448953A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Philip J. White
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Osram Sylvania Inc
Original Assignee
GTE Products Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GTE Products Corp filed Critical GTE Products Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1222273A publication Critical patent/CA1222273A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/82Lamps with high-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure > 400 Torr
    • H01J61/825High-pressure sodium lamps
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02Details
    • H01J61/24Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the vessel
    • H01J61/26Means for absorbing or adsorbing gas, e.g. by gettering; Means for preventing blackening of the envelope

Landscapes

  • Discharge Lamp (AREA)

Abstract

UNSATURATED VAPOR PRESSURE TYPE HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMP

ABSTRACT

An unsaturated vapor pressure high pressure sodium lamp includes an arc tube positioned within an evacuated glass envelope and containing a gas fill including mercury and sodium and a getter having a free energy of formation per mole of oxygen more negative than that of sodium oxide.

Description

UNSATURATED VAPOR PR~SSURE TYPE HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM LAMP

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS

The following concurrently filed Canadian patent applications relate to unsaturated vapor pressure type hig~ pressure sodium lamps and the fabrication thereof:
448,916-1: 448,955-1; 448,954-3: and 448,915-2.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to high pressure sodium lamps of the unsaturated vapor pressure type and more particularly to an unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp having an arc tube con~aining a fill gas and a getter in contact with the fill gas.

B~CKGROUND ART

High pressure sodium lamps. and particularly so-called "saturated" high pressure sodium lamps, are known in the art. Therein, an elongated arc tube is positioned within an evacuated glass envelope and filled with large amount~ of sodium and mercury.

. ~.

n-24,340 ~22Z27,3 As is well known, sodium loss has long been a problem causing undesired increased voltage drop across the lamp and an accompanying reduction in the useful period of "life" of the discharge lamp.
Thus, the large amount or "saturated" sodium content of the arc tube is an attempt to compensate for the uncontrolled loss of sodium during the operational use of the discharge lamp.
It has long been recognized that one of the principal causes for this undesired sodium loss is the presence of oxygen impurities in the gas fill of the arc tube. More specifically, it is known that the sodium fill gas tends to combine ~ith oxygen and the aluminum oxide arc tube to provide sodium aluminate whereby undesired sodium loss is encountered.
One known attempt to reduce this undesired oxygen impurity level is set forth in U.S. Patent No. 4,075,530 of Furukubo et al.
Therein, a niobium exhaust pipe is coupled to an arc tube and a decomposable material, NaN3, is located within the exhaust pipe. - -The exhaust pipe is heated to decompose the NaN3 while the arc tube is cooled to effect condensation. Thus, the material within this exhaust pipe is heated to effect decomposition, transferred to the arc tube wherein materials, such as sodium and mercury, are condensed and whereat undesired gases, such as nitrogen, are withdrawn.
Unfortunately, locating the decomposable materials in a container external to the arc tube necessitates the application of heat thereto in order to effect the desired decomposition.
! Thereafter, the decomposed materials must be transferred to the arc tube. Also, the arc tube must be cooled in order to effect the condensation of desired residual materials while permitting the exhaust of other undesired materials. Obviously, such a process is cumbersome of apparatus and unrealistically expensive of labor and materials.

D-24,340 ~222~3 OBJ~CTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide an enhanced high pressure sodium lamp. Another object of the invention is to provide an unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp. Still another object of the invention is to improve stability of an unsaturated type high j pressure sodium lamp. A further object of the invention is to reduce the loss of sodium in an unsaturated Yapor high pressure sodium lamp.
These and other objects, advantages and capabilities are achieved in one aspect of the invention by an unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp having an e1Ongated arc tube located within an evacuated glass envelope and containng a fill including mercury and sodium and a getter forming a metal oxide having a free energy of formation per mole of oxygen more negative than the free energy of formation per mole of oxygen of sodium oxide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of a high pressure sodium lamp of the unsaturated vapor type of the invention; and FIG. 2 is a chart comparing relative sodium content with operational time for unsaturated high pressure sodium lamps ~ith and without a getter therein.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an unsaturated vapor pressure high pressure sodium lamp of the invention. Herein,~

D-24,340 a glass envelope 3 is formed for insertion in a normal screw-type metal base 5. A stem portion 7 of glass is hermetically sealed to the glass envelope 3 and extends therein. The stem portion 7 has a plurality of electrical conductors 9 sealed therein and extending therethrough. An electrically conductive support member 11 is affixed to one of the electrical conductors 9 and to a metal cross-member 13 attached to an electrode 15 at one end of an elongated arc tube 17. Another electrode 19 is located at the opposite end of the arc tube 17 and attached to one of the electrical conductors 9 passing through the stem portion 7. Heat insulating sleeves 21 and 23 are wrapped about the opposite ends of the arc tube 17 in the vicinity of the electrodes 19 and 15 respectively. Also9 the glass envelope is evacuated and at least one getter, preferably barium, 25 is positioned adjacent the stem portion 7.
Further, a lamp fill including sodium and mercury is disposed~
within the arc tube 17 in an amount only sufficient to provide an unsaturated vapor type high pressure sodium lamp. Importantly, a getter forming a metal oxide having a free energy of formation per mole of oxygen more negative than sodium oxide and more positive than aluminum oxide is located within the arc tube 17. The getter is in direct contact with the fill gas and preferably adjacent one of the electrodes 15 and 19 within the arc tube 17.
The getter is of a material which does not react with mercury or sodium but does react with oxygen at a rate greater than the rate of reaction of sodium with oxygen. Also, the getter has a melting temperature greater than the operational end temperature of the arc tube 17. Mcreo~er, a preferred getter is a zirconium-aluminum alloy ,f getter manufactured by SAES Getters S.P.A., Milan, Italy, and known by the trade name St 101 getter having an alloy containing about 84%
zirconium and 16% aluminum.
As a specific example9 a number of substantially identical 400-watt unsaturated vapor high pressure sodium lamps were fabricated. Each of the lamps included an arc tube 17 of a polycrystalline aluminum oxîde material having an inner volume of , D-24,340 ~222273 about 4.3 cubic cent;meters. Each of the arc tubes 17 contained a relatively low amount of sodium, about 6 X 10 5 gms, and one of the arc tubes 17 included about 10 mgs of the above-described zirconium-aluminum getter mater;ial.
All of the lamps were processed in a substantially similar manner and lamps with and without the above-mentioned getter located within the ars tube 17 were energized under substantially normal operating conditions. As can readily be seen from the comparison chart of FIG. 2, the lamp having no getter (Curve "A") within the arc tube 17 lost essentially all of the sodium therein through arc tube wall reaction within a period of less than five (5) hours. On the other hand, the lamp having an arc tube 17 containing a getter ~urve "B"), as previously described, indicates a good supply of sodium after an operating period greater than about 700 hours.
Thus, a high pressure sodium lamp employing an unsaturated vapor pressure has been provided wherein a getter is positioned within the arc tube of the lamp. The arc tube has a relatively low amount of sodium introduced therein, and the getter forms a metal oxide with a more ne~ative free energy of formation than that of sodium oxideO
As a result, the sodium level of the arc tube is maintained and the period of operational use of the lamp is extended as compared with prior known structures.
While there has been shown and described what is at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. An unsaturated vapor pressure high pressure sodium lamp comprising:
an evacuated glass envelope having a plurality of electrically conductive support members therein and extending therethrough;
an elongated arc tube having a pair of electrodes extending therethrough and affixed to said electrically conductive support members within said glass envelope;
a gas fill including mercury and sodium within said elongated arc tube; and a getter located within said arc tube in contact with said gas fill and providing a metal oxide having a free energy of formation per mole of oxygen more negative than the free energy of formation per mole of oxygen of sodium oxide.
2. The unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said getter is in the form of a zirconium-aluminum alloy getter.
3. The unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said getter is non-reactive with mercury and sodium.
4. The unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said getter is in the form of an alloy including about 84% zirconium and 16% aluminum.
5. The unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said arc tube has a given operational end temperature and said getter has a melting point at a temperature higher than said given operational end temperature of said arc tube.
6. The unsaturated vapor high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said getter material reacts with oxygen at a rate greater than the rate of reaction of sodium with oxygen.
7. The unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp of Claim 1 wherein said arc tube has a volume of about 4.3 cubic centimeters and contains about 6 x 10-5 gms of sodium and about 10-mgs of 84% zirconium 16% aluminum getter.
8. In a high pressure sodium lamp of the unsaturated vapor type having an elongated arc tube with a pair of electrodes extending there through and supported by electrical conductors within an evacuated glass envelope, the improvement comprising a fill gas including mercury and sodium and a getter providing metal oxide having a free energy of formation per mole of oxygen more negative than the free energy of formation per mole of oxygen of sodium oxide disposed within said arc tube, said getter being in direct contact with said fill gas within said elongated arc tube.
9. The improvement of Claim 8 wherein said getter is in the form of a zirconium and aluminum alloy.
10. The improvement of Claim 8 wherein said getter reacts with oxygen at a rate greater than the reaction rate of sodium with oxygen.
11. The improvement of Claim 8 wherein said getter includes about 84% zirconium and about 16% aluminum.
CA000448953A 1983-03-10 1984-03-06 Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp Expired CA1222273A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US47389583A 1983-03-10 1983-03-10
US473,895 1983-03-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1222273A true CA1222273A (en) 1987-05-26

Family

ID=23881464

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000448953A Expired CA1222273A (en) 1983-03-10 1984-03-06 Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0123397B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS59169050A (en)
AU (1) AU578603B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1222273A (en)
DE (1) DE3475855D1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4755721A (en) * 1987-03-16 1988-07-05 Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd. High pressure sodium vapor lamp having unsaturated vapor pressure type characteristics
JP2928813B2 (en) * 1988-02-10 1999-08-03 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ Unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3203901A (en) * 1962-02-15 1965-08-31 Porta Paolo Della Method of manufacturing zirconiumaluminum alloy getters
US3384798A (en) * 1966-04-26 1968-05-21 Gen Electric High pressure saturation vapor sodium lamp containing mercury
US3453477A (en) * 1967-02-16 1969-07-01 Gen Electric Alumina-ceramic sodium vapor lamp
GB1211176A (en) * 1967-02-16 1970-11-04 Gen Electric High-pressure sodium vapor lamp
US3485343A (en) * 1967-08-28 1969-12-23 Gen Electric Oxygen getter for high pressure sodium vapor lamp
NL7108465A (en) * 1970-06-24 1971-12-28
US3805105A (en) * 1971-06-30 1974-04-16 Gte Sylvania Inc High pressure electric discharge device with zirconium-aluminum getter
US4025812A (en) * 1975-10-14 1977-05-24 General Electric Company Alumina ceramic alkali metal lamp having metal getter structure
HU172230B (en) * 1976-04-07 1978-07-28 Egyesuelt Izzolampa High-pressure discharge lamp with metallo-haloid additional material
US4075530A (en) * 1976-04-21 1978-02-21 Japan Storage Battery Company Limited High pressure sodium vapor lamp of unsaturated vapor pressure type
CA1214196A (en) * 1983-02-14 1986-11-18 Jack M. Strok Color rendition high pressure sodium arc tubes having an oxygen getter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0123397B1 (en) 1988-12-28
JPS59169050A (en) 1984-09-22
EP0123397A1 (en) 1984-10-31
DE3475855D1 (en) 1989-02-02
AU2547884A (en) 1984-09-13
AU578603B2 (en) 1988-11-03

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3858078A (en) Metal halide discharge lamp having an arched arc tube
CA1125352A (en) Fill gas for miniature high pressure metal vapor arc lamp
US4387319A (en) Metal halide lamp containing ScI3 with added cadmium or zinc
US6137229A (en) Metal halide lamp with specific dimension of the discharge tube
EP0251436A2 (en) High pressure sodium discharge lamps with hydrogen getter
CA1058682A (en) Alumina ceramic alkali metal lamp having metal getter structure
US4855643A (en) Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp
US4468590A (en) High-pressure sodium lamp
US4528209A (en) Use of amalgams in solenoidal electric field lamps
CA1222273A (en) Unsaturated vapor pressure type high pressure sodium lamp
US5327042A (en) Metal halide lamp
US4302699A (en) Low wattage metal halide arc discharge lamp having optimum efficacy
EP0183247A2 (en) High pressure metal halide lamp with xenon buffer gas
US5022882A (en) Arc tube dosing process for unsaturated high pressure sodium lamp
US5021703A (en) Metal halide lamp
US5159229A (en) Metal halide lamp having CO in gas fill
US4890030A (en) Metal halide discharge lamp with arc tube temperature equalizing means
US4859905A (en) Unsaturated vapor high pressure sodium lamp getter mounting
US4410829A (en) Use of amalgams in solenoidal electric field lamps
US4499400A (en) Use of amalgams in solenoidal electric field lamps
US5225733A (en) Scandium halide and alkali metal halide discharge lamp
CA1227521A (en) Emissive material for high intensity sodium vapor discharge device
US4806826A (en) High pressure sodium vapor discharge device
US5026311A (en) Arc tube fabrication process
EP0119082B1 (en) Unsaturated vapor high pressure sodium lamp including getter

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKEX Expiry