MXPA06006505A

MXPA06006505A - System for increasing the emission of light and lengthening the service life of fluorescent strips in new or used light fittings.

Info

Publication number: MXPA06006505A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Bermudez Enrique Capilla
Original assignee: Bermudez Enrique Capilla
Priority date: 2006-06-08
Filing date: 2006-06-08
Publication date: 2007-12-07
Also published as: WO2007142505A1

Abstract

An illumination system for installation in new or used light fittings, formed by a ballast, a fluorescent strip and a reflector, with the characteristic that there is total reflection of 98%, 95% of which is pure mirror reflection and only 3% of which is diffuse reflection, arranged in such a manner on the fluorescent strip that it reflects, towards the phosphorus layer covering the inner wall of the strip, a great part of the ultraviolet radiation that is wasted, enabling it to be converted into useful light and thus increasing the emitted light flow. This makes it possible to reduce its energy consumption by means of a ballast that reduces the operating current of the fluorescent strip, thereby extending the service life of the fluorescent strip and of the ballast, in turn reducing the heat emitted by the fluorescent strip, with a greater light flow being obtained in the working plane. The assembly formed by the fluorescent strip and the reflector is hermetically insulated in order to prevent dust or dirt adhering to them.

Description

SYSTEM TO INCREASE THE EMISSION OF LIGHT AND LENGTHEN THE USEFUL LIFE OF FLUORESCENT LAMPS IN NEW OR USED LUMINAIRES.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The supply of electricity to the population, without the deterioration of the environment is one of the main problems we face today, and unfortunately this problem will worsen in the future due among other causes to drastic climate changes that cause the concentration of rain in some areas and the shortage of this in others which hinders the operation of hydroelectric plants due to this, increasingly, electricity is generated through the burning of fossil fuels, with the consequent emission into the atmosphere of gases that cause the greenhouse effect, and further aggravate the environmental environment, and although there are new technologies for generating electricity, such as wind and solar will unfortunately take several years, before the current electricity generation schemes can be replaced.

One of the alternatives to solve this problem, which is also the cheapest and simplest is to save electricity, since each watt saved can meet other supply needs without increasing the burning of fossil fuels, and without allocating resources to build new ones. generating plants.

One of the uses of electricity where more energy is wasted and therefore has a great power of saving, is in lighting. It is urgent to reduce energy consumption but without giving up the benefit of light. To achieve this goal, several technological advances have been achieved, among which the following stand out: a) .- More efficient sources of light to achieve more light with less watts of consumption, example of these are the advances achieved by low pressure mercury lamps, popularly known as fluorescent lamps which coupled with its versatility has made them the most used light source. b) .- Electronic ballasts with lower internal consumption that make the new fluorescent lamps work in high frequency achieving with this, a significant increase in the efficiency of the lamp. c) .- Improved luminaires manufactured with more efficient materials to reflect and reorient the light generated by fluorescent lamps and bring more light to the work plane.

These advances have been fundamental to increase the efficiency of fluorescent lighting systems, but the results obtained are not yet optimal due mainly to the following causes: 1. - Because the fluorescent lamp emits light energy in all directions it is necessary to house it inside a luminaire that controls and directs the luminous flux, the problem is that not all the generated light is reflected towards the working plane because during this process it is lost up to 50% of the light emitted by the fluorescent lamp. 2. - The use of high efficiency luminaires with improved shapes and materials to bring the light generated to the work plane is useless if dust or dirt adhere to their surfaces or worse, if they adhere to the fluorescent tube preventing the light output especially in the upper hemisphere of the lamp where gravity can not remove them. 3. - Because even the most modern fluorescent lamps do not convert the total of the ultraviolet radiation generated inside them into light, this energy radiates to the environment and is wasted, and although this does not represent any risk for the human being, it is for lighting causing irreversible optical depreciation of all its surfaces.

To compensate for the loss of brightness caused by the above problem, it is a general rule that lighting designers consider from the greater number of luminaries or more lamps per luminaire which results in a significant increase in energy consumption dulling technological advances achieved in this field.

On the other hand the great popula of fluorescent lamps has caused that once discarded, their constituent elements such as mercury, heavy metals, rare earths, etc., end up mixed with ordinary garbage in the sanitary warehouses, reaching and contaminating the mantles aquifers. To avoid this problem, the main manufacturers of fluorescent lamps have decreased the content of mercury and other pollutants, and standards have been established for their final disposal. Unfortunately there are many more fluorescent lamps manufactured with the previous technology, which not only have more pollutants, but have a much shorter life, so its polluting power increases, because its short life requires more fluorescent lamps, about all in regions where there are no legal restrictions to avoid it.

In order to offer a complete and effective solution to the above problems, this invention is presented, which consists of a system for new or used totally innovative luminaires; composed of a ballast, a conventional fluorescent lamp and a reflector with the novel feature that it provides a pure specular reflection of 95% and only 3% diffuse reflection, whose function is to reflect back to the phosphor layer covering the wall internal fluorescent tube much of the ultraviolet radiation that does not become visible light during normal operation of the fluorescent lamp to obtain an additional flow of light, and taking advantage of this increase in luminous flux through the ballast, reduce the power delivered to the fluorescent lamp with which a lower consumption of energy is achieved while significantly increasing the useful path of the lamp and the ballast, and to prevent dust or dirt from adhering to the lamp or the reflector these are hermetically sealed .

Although there are already patents in which the use of reflectors for fluorescent lamps such as those described in patents US 6,181,054 and US 6,320,308 is mentioned, the arrangement and the reflector itself differ from that specified herein. But there is also the Mexican patent No. 221638 which is similar in appearance to my current invention but which is totally different in terms of the principle of operation and efficiency achieved.

There is also another device applicable to fluorescent tubes for reducing energy consumption without varying the luminous flux, as described in Mexican patent No. 183643 less similar in appearance and different in terms of the materials used to reflect ultraviolet radiation and light.

The type of reflection used in said Mexican patents, regarding the arrangement of the elements, the way of controlling the energy supplied to the fluorescent lamp and mainly the obtained efficiency among others differ from the present invention, besides that in them the device does not is isolated from the environment to prevent dirt from diminishing the luminous flux over time.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The present invention has the following main objectives: 1. - Reuse the ultraviolet radiation that manages to cross the phosphor layer that covers the inner wall of the fluorescent tube without converting visible light, reflecting it in a pure specular way up to 95% back to said phosphor layer for its conversion into useful light. 2. - Thanks to the increase of the luminous flux, reduce the electrical power that is supplied to the lamp and thus achieve significant energy savings. 3. - Increase the useful life of the lamp and the ballast that operates it, in order to reduce the toxic waste in which both components become when their useful life ends. 4. - Drastically reduce the loss of light emission due to accumulated dirt on the luminaire and lamp surfaces, as well as the irreversible depreciation of the reflective capacity of the luminaire surfaces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on a lighting system composed of a lighting system comprising: a ballast, a fluorescent lamp of the type that emit light in the range of 400 to 780 nm. (nanometers) and ultraviolet radiation from 100 to 400 nm. (nanometers); and a reflector of completely novel features in its constitution, arrangement and formation, with a reflection of 98%, of which 95% is pure specular reflection, with 3% diffuse reflection and whose function is to reflect back to the layer of phosphorus, which covers the inner wall of the fluorescent tube, much of the UV radiation that it does not become visible light during the normal operation of the fluorescent lamp, in order to obtain an additional flow of light; and that the ballast, taking advantage of the increase in the luminous flux, reduces the power delivered to the fluorescent lamp, maintaining the nominal operating voltage of this, but reducing the current flowing through the lamp, to achieve a lower consumption of the emitting material used to establish the passage of current from one cathode to the other and thereby significantly increase the life of the fluorescent lamp, without losing or even increasing the useful light in the working plane that would emit said fluorescent lamp housed in a conventional luminary without the present invention. The set formed by the fluorescent lamp and the reflector is hermetically insulated to prevent dust or dirt from adhering to them.

This system is unique and innovative because it is even possible to dispense with the use of luminaires since it is a set of elements that work in combination to increase the light emission of the fluorescent lamp, while allowing virtually the total of light generated to reach the work plane, this translates into a significant saving of energy, by reducing the current flowing through the fluorescent lamp, increasing its useful life and therefore reducing the toxic waste generated.

In its preferred embodiment, the reflector is a rigid, semicircular piece that is not in contact with the fluorescent lamp and that has the maximum specular reflection achieved up to now, both in the range of the electromagnetic spectrum visible to the human eye, and in the range of ultraviolet radiation, its diameter is greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamp to be used, ideally 2 to 3 times, and is arranged coaxially and symmetrically on the fluorescent lamp at a distance of no more than 2 mm. and not less than 0.5 mm. Thus arranged, the reflector receives a large part of the U.V. that the phosphor did not convert into light during the normal operation of the fluorescent lamp, reflecting it up to 95% in specular form and only 3% in diffuse form, discharging it on the phosphor layer of the fluorescent lamp that is where said radiation becomes in light, increasing the luminous flux emitted. In the manner described, the reflector is up to the present, a novel motif and never described in the plurality of patents relating to the subject.

The length of the reflector is less than that of the fluorescent lamp to be used to allow the ventilation of the cathodes, which are the hottest spots of the fluorescent lamp, and in this way reach the optimum working temperature in which the mercury generates the greatest amount of ultraviolet radiation and phosphorus achieves the maximum conversion of UV radiation in useful light.

In order to prevent dust or dirt from adhering to the fluorescent lamp or the reflector, these are isolated from the environment inside a transparent body of any geometric shape and must be closed laterally with two metal or plastic caps with a circular hole of diameter equal to that of the fluorescent lamp used, which allows its insertion and removal. To reduce the loss of luminous flux absorbed by the material with which the fluorescent lamp and the reflector are isolated, said material must have a high transmission, ideally greater than 90%, in the range of 400 nm to 760 nm. (nanometers) DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To better understand this invention, it will be referred to the accompanying drawings in which three non-limiting examples of preferred embodiment of the invention are presented, and the numbers will serve to indicate the same parts of the figures indicated, and wherein: FIGURE 1 shows the efficiencies achieved by similar devices of patents prior to this, and that achieved by the system described in this application. The values were obtained by a Light Sciences goniometer.

FIGURE 2 represents a side view of the fluorescent lamp and reflector assembly according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3 represents a sectional view of the assembly of figure 2.

FIGURE 4 represents a side view of one of the possible geometric shapes of an external body with its corresponding uncoupled side covers, suggested to house and isolate from the environment the fluorescent-reflector lamp assembly of Figure 2.

The body must be made of an inorganic material, transparent, with an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the reflector with its corresponding uncoupled side covers, the side covers must be made of plastic or metal, with an equal perforation, in shape and dimensions, to the external diameter of the fluorescent tube to be housed, and in a position that maintains the indicated distance between the reflector and the fluorescent lamp.

FIGURE 5 represents a sectional view of Figure 4.

FIGURE 6 represents a side view of another variant of the geometric shape of the suggested external body, and its corresponding lateral covers, housing and isolating the fluorescent-reflector lamp assembly of Figure 2.

FIGURE 7 represents a sectional view of that of Figure 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The assembly shown in Fig. 2, is a fluorescent lamp, formed by a glass tube 1 containing inside mercury vapor and noble gases, at a pressure less than atmospheric. The inner wall of the glass tube 1 is covered with a fluorescent layer called phosphor 6 made of a mixture with metals and rare earths. The lateral cathodes 12 are made of tungsten turns covered with a mixture of alkaline oxide oxides, called emitter material 5. The useful life of the fluorescent lamp depends on the existence of emitter material 5 on the cathodes 12, when the emitter material 5 is exhausted , the fluorescent lamp reaches the end of its useful life and must be replaced.

The ballast of the system (not shown) delivers electrical current to the fluorescent lamp through the terminals 4, the current flow heats the cathodes 12 until the emission of electrons from the atoms of the emitter material 5 from one end to the other is initiated. fluorescent tube, ionizing the noble gas that is inside the tube 1 allowing the circulation of a greater current, the greater flow of electrons ionizes the mercury vapor causing it to emit ultraviolet radiation, invisible to the human eye, mainly in the lengths of wave of 253J, 185 and 365 nm. (nanometers), although U.V. radiation is also produced. at other wavelengths and a little visible light, about 4% of the watts consumed.

When U.V. collides against the inner wall of tube 1 phosphorus cover 6, energy is lost and its wavelength increases to the range of 400 to 780 nm. which is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum visible to the human eye, that is, it becomes useful light.

Of the total energy consumed by a fluorescent lamp, modern approximately 65% becomes ultraviolet radiation, but not all of this is converted into light, only about 26% adds to 4% of the light generated directly by the vapor of mercury, which gives us a final balance of 30% of energy consumed by the fluorescent lamp converted into useful light. The working mechanism of the fluorescent lamp described here is well known universally. Therefore there is a difference of 39 percentage points of U.V. in different wavelengths capable of being reused, although not totally, if in sufficient quantity to significantly increase the light emitted by the fluorescent lamp.

It is therefore the objective of this invention to create a system capable of reusing most of the U.V. that it leaks from the fluorescent lamp and turn it into useful light, to reduce the energy consumption and prolong the life of the fluorescent lamp, in such a way that the light emitted by the fluorescent lamp-reflector set 2, does so with the lowest consumption of electric power, and is equal or greater in initial conditions, to the useful light that said lamp would emit if it were installed in a conventional luminaire that is not equipped with the system object of the present invention.

The system consists of a fluorescent lamp 1, a reflector 2 and a ballast (not shown). The fluorescent lamp is of the type of those commonly used in lighting that emit light in the range of 400 to 780 nm. and ultraviolet radiation from 100 to 400 nm.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reflector 2 is preferably a rigid piece, semicircular section, made of any material, plastic, metal or ceramic from 0.1 mm to 1 mm thick, used as a base material, covered on its active side by a layer of a precious metal 3 of high purity, on which are applied chemically two layers of oxide of the same super reflecting metal that not only increase the natural reflection of the precious metal up to a total value of 98%, of which 95% is pure specular reflection and only 3% is diffuse reflection, but they prevent the depreciation of its optical properties by the action of the air or the humidity that surrounds it and of the UV irradiation on the piece. The precious metal layer 3 described can be replaced by any other material having the same optical, electrical and mechanical properties, the thickness of said layer 3 oscillating between 10 and 100 microns, depending on the type and power of the fluorescent lamp used.

The high degree of reflection, as well as the fact that it is almost pure specular reflection, guarantees that the ultraviolet radiation that leaks from the lamp, returns without dispersion or loss and penetrates the fluorescent tube 1 in the proper direction so that again reach the phosphor layer 6. The diameter of the reflector 2 should preferably be 2 to 3 times greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamp used, the reflector should be placed coaxially and symmetrically on the fluorescent lamp, without there being any contact between them, at a distance not greater than 2mm and not less than 0.5mm.

Thus arranged, the reflector 2 captures and reflects, with maximum efficiency, a large part of the ultraviolet radiation that leaks out of the fluorescent lamp during its normal operation, unloading it on the phosphor layer 6 of the fluorescent lamp where it becomes additional light to the one normally issued. The length of the reflector 2 as clearly seen in FIG. 2, it must be less than that of the fluorescent lamp to allow ventilation of the cathodes 12 which are the hottest spots of the lamp and in this way reach the optimum temperature at which the mercury generates the greatest amount of ultraviolet radiation and the Phosphorus achieves the maximum conversion of UV radiation in useful light.

The separation between the reflector 2 and the fluorescent lamp, as well as the difference between its diameters, allows to reach the optimum point of equilibrium between the reflected light towards the working plane and the U.V. reflected back and started in the phosphor layer 6, placing the fluorescent lamp where it achieves its maximum lumen / watt efficiency. Thanks to the additional luminous flux obtained, it is possible to reduce the electric power delivered to the fluorescent lamp, inversely proportional to the increase in luminous flux, with which the main objective of the present invention is achieved.

The ballast (not illustrated) of the system is responsible for reducing the power delivered to the fluorescent lamp, keeping its nominal operating voltage intact, but reducing the amount of current flowing through the fluorescent lamp and then less emitter material 5 is used during its operation, with which it is possible to exponentially extend the life of the fluorescent lamp and indirectly that of the ballast.On the other hand, the reduction of the electric power supplied to the fluorescent lamp also decreases the infrared radiation (heat) that it emits to the environment, achieving an additional energy saving, due to less heat input to the air conditioning systems.

My System is unique and innovative because for the first time it is possible to eliminate the use of luminaires, or these can be of a very basic design, with the dimensions barely necessary to house this system because this would be its only function and therefore it can be manufactured of any material or color regardless of its optical properties. Likewise, the use of the system object of the present invention in used or deteriorated luminaries makes them luminaries of the highest efficiency and performance.

With the sole intention of preventing dust or dirt from adhering to the fluorescent lamp or the reflector 2, in FIGS. 4 and 5 show a suggested form - but not a limitation - of isolating these two elements by means of the rigid external structure 7 in the form of a semicircle, which must have a maximum transmission in the range 400-760 nm. To avoid loss of light due to the absorption of the material it is made of, its internal diameter must be at least equal to the outer diameter of the reflector 2 and it must be closed laterally with two metal or plastic lids 8 with a circular perforation of equal diameter. to the lamp to be used, which allows the insertion and removal of the fluorescent tube 1.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, another preferred form that the rigid external structure 10 used to isolate the fluorescent lamp 1 and reflector 2 assembly illustrated in the figures is shown, it is a rigid structure of circular section which must have a transmission in maximum degree in the range 400-760 nm. to avoid loss of light due to the absorption of the material it is made of, its internal diameter must be at least equal to the outer diameter of the reflector 2 and it must be closed laterally with two metal or plastic lids 11 with a circular perforation of equal diameter. to that of the fluorescent lamp 1 used, which allows the insertion and removal of the fluorescent tube 1.

Due to the novel features achieved by my current invention it is possible to claim a method to increase the visible light emitted by fluorescent lamps comprising the following steps: Provide a new or used conventional lighting, have a suitable ballast; Use a fluorescent lamp that emits light in the range of 400 to 780 nm. and U.V. radiation from 100 to 400 nm; place a specific reflector that provides pure specular reflection to reflect a large part of the ultraviolet radiation that leaks out of the lamp during its operation, unloading it on the phosphor layer of the same lamp where it becomes light additional to that normally emitted.

Also when observing the achievements of my novel invention it is also possible to claim a method to increase the life of fluorescent lamps that comprises the following steps: Have a new or used conventional lighting, use a suitable ballast, provide a fluorescent lamp that emits light in the range 400-780 nm. and U.V. radiation 100-400 nm. and provide a specific reflector with pure specular reflection to reflect a large part of the ultraviolet radiation that leaks out of the lamp during its operation, unloading it on the phosphor layer of the same lamp where it becomes light additional to that normally emitted, this allows reduce the current flowing through the cathodes of the lamp and use a smaller amount of emitter material which increases the life of the lamp.

Although the invention has been shown and described in relation to only two specific modalities thereof, it should be understood by all those skilled in the art that changes can be made, but any others of the applications or configurations different to those indicated herein are included within. of the spirit of the present invention as indicated in the following

Claims

CLAIMS The description of the invention is considered as a novelty and therefore I claim as exclusive property what is contained in the following clauses:

1. - A system to increase the emission of light and extend the life of fluorescent lamps in new or used luminaries, formed by a set of elements that work in combination allowing a greater amount of light in the work plane and a significant energy saving electrical, said system comprising: a fluorescent lamp that emits light in the range of 400 to 780 nm. and ultraviolet radiation from 100 to 400 nm; a reflector with special properties, dimensions and arrangement; and a suitable ballast; characterized in that the reflector has a reflection of 98%, of which 95% is pure specular reflection, and 3% diffuse reflection, whose function is to reflect the ultraviolet radiation back to the phosphor layer, which covers the inner wall fluorescent tube, and take advantage of much of this UV radiation that does not become visible light during normal operation of the fluorescent lamp to obtain an additional flow of light; and where the ballast to take advantage of the increase in luminous flux, reduces the power delivered to the fluorescent lamp while maintaining its nominal operating voltage, but reducing the amount of electrical current that circulates through the fluorescent lamp, to achieve a lower consumption of the emitter material used to establish the passage of current from one cathode to the other and thereby significantly increase the life of the lamp, while increasing the useful light in the work plane.

2. - A system in accordance with clause 1, wherein the assembly formed by a fluorescent lamp and the reflector are hermetically sealed to prevent dust or dirt from adhering to them.

3. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses, where the reflector is a rigid, semicircular piece, separated from the fluorescent lamp, with a maximum specular reflection both in the ranges of the visible electromagnetic spectrum, and in the range of the radiation ultraviolet.

4. - A system according to any of the previous clauses, wherein the diameter of the reflector is 2 to 3 times greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamp and is arranged coaxially and symmetrically on the lamp without contact between them at a distance not greater than 2 mm. and not less than 0.5 mm.

5. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses wherein the length of the reflector is less than that of the fluorescent lamp to allow ventilation of the cathodes.

6. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses, where the reflector is a rigid piece, semicircular section, made of plastic, metallic or ceramic material from 0.1 mm to 1 mm thick, covered on its active side by a layer of precious metal of high purity on which two layers of oxide are chemically applied! same metal, which gives a total reflection of 98% of which 95% is pure specular reflection and 3% is diffuse reflection, the thickness of the precious metal layer oscillating between 10 to 100 microns.

7. - A system in accordance with any of the preceding clauses, wherein the precious metal layer can be replaced by any other material that has practically identical optical, electrical and mechanical properties.

8. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses, where the ballast reduces the power delivered to the lamp while maintaining the nominal operating voltage intact, but reducing the current flowing through it, using less emitter material during its operation with what is achieved is to exponentially extend the life of the fluorescent lamp and indirectly that of the ballast.

9. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses, wherein the hermetic insulation consists of a rigid, transparent structure with a transmission in maximum degree in the range 400 to 760 nm., Whose dimensions are adequate to house the fluorescent lamp set- reflector and is sealed laterally by means of two metal or plastic covers with a circular perforation of diameter equal to that of the fluorescent lamp, which allows its insertion and removal

10. - A system in accordance with any of the previous clauses, where the system can be installed in new or used luminaries or dispense with these.

11. - A method for increasing the visible light emitted by fluorescent lamps, comprising the following steps: Providing a new or used conventional lighting, having a suitable ballast; Use a fluorescent lamp that emits light in the range of 400 to 780 nm. and U.V. radiation from 100 to 400 nm; place a specific reflector that provides pure specular reflection to reflect a large part of the ultraviolet radiation that leaks out of the lamp during its operation, unloading it on the phosphor layer of the same lamp where it becomes light additional to that normally emitted.

12. -A method to increase the life of fluorescent lamps in new or used conventional luminaires, which includes the following steps: To have a conventional or new used luminaire, use a suitable ballast, provide a fluorescent lamp that emits light in the range 400 -780 nm. and U.V. radiation 100-400 nm. and provide a specific reflector with pure specular reflection to reflect a large part of the ultraviolet radiation that leaks out of the lamp during its operation, unloading it on the phosphor layer of the same lamp where it becomes light additional to that normally emitted, this allows reduce the current flowing through the cathodes of the lamp and use a smaller amount of emitter material which increases the life of the lamp.