RU2299494C1 - Low-pressure gas-discharge lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: gaseous-discharge engineering; guard lights for power transmission line supporting structures and other high-altitude entities.

SUBSTANCE: proposed gas-discharge lamp that can operate on both DC and AC power supply has bulb 1 accommodating discharge capillary 2, two electrodes 4, and barrier 3. Electrodes 4 are made in the form of spherical-bottom cylinder that functions as cold cathode. Electrodes 4 are connected to AC or DC high-voltage power supply through leads 5 sealed in stems 6 at bulb ends. Barrier 3 is built integral with lamp bulb 1. Discharge capillary 2 is connected to barrier 3 through sealed joint and its ends enter cylinders of cold cathodes through one third of their length.

EFFECT: enhanced reliability and luminous efficiency, enlarged functional capabilities.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a gas-discharge equipment, namely to low-pressure gas-discharge lamps, and can be used as a light source, in particular, for signal illumination of supports of high-voltage power lines and other high-rise buildings.

A low pressure inert gas discharge device is known. The device has a lamp with a sealed cylinder filled with an inert gas, such as neon, under a pressure of 1.5 ÷ 15 mm Hg Electrodes are installed in the cylinder. The lamp is powered from an electric source with a frequency of more than 5 kHz.

[Cm. US patent No. 4461981, CL. 315-246, publ. July 24, 84]

The disadvantage of this device is the inability to operate such a lamp from a source of constant and alternating voltage of low (50 Hz) frequency. The operation of this lamp from a high-frequency source of electricity complicates the life-support system of the lamp and makes such a lamp unacceptable for a number of tasks.

Known discharge lamp low pressure, which consists of an outer and located coaxially with her inner bulb. The flasks are filled with gas. Two opposite electrodes are installed in the inner flask, including a heated cathode and a permanent magnet. The magnet in the inner bulb is mounted so that magnetic forces are applied to the discharge plasma, which would rotate it around the axis of the lamp.

[Cm. Japanese application No. 59-35147, cl. H01J 61/50, publ. 08/27/84]

The disadvantage of this lamp is the presence of a heated cathode, which makes the lamp unreliable and short-lived. In addition, to ensure the functioning of the lamp requires a constant voltage with a large current consumption.

All this makes such a lamp unacceptable for a number of tasks.

The closest device of the same purpose to the claimed invention in terms of features is a low-pressure discharge lamp that contains a leg with electrodes, a bulb with a baffle separating the electrodes and forming a U-shaped discharge channel. In this case, the longitudinal partition is made as a unit with the lamp bulb, and the leg is hermetically connected to the partition.

[RF Application No. 96105447/07, cl. H01J 61/30, publ. 06/20/98 - prototype]

The disadvantage of this device is the large current consumption at low light output, as well as the inability to operate the lamp with alternating current, which limits the range of its use.

All of the above disadvantages are absent in the proposed device. The invention consists in the following.

The objective of the invention is the creation of reliable, with low consumption of electrical power and high light output of the lamp, capable of operating at low current consumption at constant or alternating voltage. The technical result is achieved due to the proposed constructive implementation of the discharge channel and electrodes, providing low current consumption with high light output and the ability to operate the lamp at constant and alternating supply voltage.

The specified technical result during the implementation of the invention is achieved by the fact that in a low-pressure discharge lamp containing a bulb in which the electrodes are located, a discharge channel and a baffle sealed to the bulb, the baffle that divides the inner volume of the flask in half is also hermetically connected to the discharge channel made in the form of a capillary located coaxially to the axis of the flask, and the electrodes are made in the form of cylindrical cathodes hollow with a spherical bottom, in the cavity of which one third of their lengths are open The lived ends of the discharge capillary, while the cathode leads through the opposite ends of the flask are connected to a source of supply voltage, and the volume of the flask is filled with an inert gas.

In addition, a gas discharge lamp is characterized in that the gas pressure (in the bulb) p and the diameter of the discharge capillary d, the working surface of the cold cathode S and the discharge current I, the diameter of the cold cathode D and its length L are related by the relations:

10≤p · d≤20,

where d is mm

p - mmHg;

where I is mA,

S is cm ² ;

where D is mm

L - mm.

As well as a gas discharge lamp, gas filling with an inert gas, such as neon or a mixture of neon and helium, provides an orange-red color for the discharge glow.

And, in addition, the discharge lamp is characterized in that the terminals of the electrodes are connected to an AC voltage source.

To ensure the spectral composition of light emission from the discharge channel and durability, the lamp is filled with a mixture of neon and helium in a ratio of 1: 3 ÷ 1: 9 at a pressure p determined by the formula:

10≤p · d≤20.

The partition dividing the internal volume of the lamp in half allows the discharge to propagate only along the channel of the capillary and close to the cathodes. The capillary of the discharge channel provides a high density of the discharge plasma at low currents and, as a consequence of this, a large brightness of the discharge. The presence of two cold cathodes allows them to be used to maintain the discharge column from both a constant and alternating voltage source. In the latter case, each cathode performs the function of the anode electrode alternately with the frequency of the alternating voltage.

The analysis of the prior art by the applicant made it possible to establish that the applicant did not find an analogue characterized by features identical to all the essential features of the claimed invention, and the determination from the list of identified analogues of the prototype as the closest analogue in the totality of features made it possible to identify the set of essential technical the result of the distinguishing features set forth in the claims.

Therefore, the claimed invention meets the requirement of "novelty" under applicable law.

To verify the conformity of the claimed invention to the requirements of the inventive step, the applicant conducted an additional search for known solutions, the results of which show that the claimed invention does not follow explicitly from the prior art, since the influence of the transformations provided for by the essential features of the claimed invention on the achievement of the technical result is not revealed. .

Therefore, the claimed invention meets the requirement of "inventive step" under applicable law.

The drawing shows a structural diagram of a lamp.

The lamp contains a bulb 1, in which the discharge capillary 2 is coaxially located. The capillary 2 is hermetically sealed in a partition 3, which in turn is hermetically connected to the bulb 1. At both ends of the bulb 1, electrodes 4 are installed in the form of hollow cylinders with a spherical bottom. The electrodes 4 alternately perform the functions of either cold cathodes or anodes and are installed coaxially relative to the bulb 1 and the discharge capillary 2. The discharge capillary 2 with open ends enters the inner cavity of the cathodes 4 by one third of their length.

исходя из условия равномерного токораспределения по рабочей поверхности. Во избежание распыления подготовленной рабочей поверхности холодного катода величина разрядного тока I ограничена соотношением

, где I - разрядный ток (мА), S - площадь рабочей поверхности катода (см²). Для подключения электродов к питающему напряжению предусмотрены выводы 5. Выводы 5 герметично соединены с ножкой 6, которая также связана с колбой 1 герметично. Лампа откачана, оттренирована и наполнена рабочим инертным газом, например смесью гелия и неона. Давление рабочего газа оптимизировано исходя из обеспечения высокой долговечности холодного катода и получения максимальной яркости свечения разряда. При выбранных рабочих токах оно определяется фомулой 10≤p·d≤20, где р - давление рабочего газа в мм рт.ст., d - разрядный диаметр капилляра в мм. Цвет свечения разряда оранжево-красный подбирается соотношением рабочих газов неона и гелия от 1:3 до 1:9.The spherical bottom of the cold cathodes 4 and the entry of the discharge capillary 2 into the cavity of the cylinders by one third of their length excludes the closure of the gas discharge to sharp sections of the cathode structure, which prevents the spraying of the material of the cold cathode. The geometry of the cold cathode cylinders is optimized by the formula

based on the condition of uniform current distribution on the working surface. To avoid spraying the prepared working surface of the cold cathode, the discharge current I is limited by the ratio

where I is the discharge current (mA), S is the area of the working surface of the cathode (cm ² ). To connect the electrodes to the supply voltage, terminals 5 are provided. Terminals 5 are hermetically connected to leg 6, which is also tightly connected to bulb 1. The lamp is pumped out, trained and filled with a working inert gas, such as a mixture of helium and neon. The working gas pressure is optimized based on ensuring high durability of the cold cathode and obtaining maximum brightness of the discharge glow. At the selected operating currents, it is determined by the formula 10≤p · d≤20, where p is the pressure of the working gas in mmHg, d is the discharge diameter of the capillary in mm. The color of the glow of the discharge orange-red is selected by the ratio of the working gases of neon and helium from 1: 3 to 1: 9.

The lamp operates as follows. The terminals of the electrodes 5 are supplied with operating voltage (constant or alternating). At a constant operating voltage, one of the electrodes acts as a cathode. Since the baffle 3 seals the two electrodes hermetically across the flask, the discharge propagates inside the capillary 2. At an alternating operating voltage, the electrodes 4 act alternately as the cathode, depending on the current potential of the alternating voltage applied to the specific electrode. A gas discharge inside a narrow capillary 2 even at low currents (units of milliamps) has a high density of the discharge plasma, and therefore has a bright glow. This glow allows you to use the lamp as a light source. Structurally, the lamp bulb serves as the holder of the discharge capillary and electrodes and, in addition, as a buffer volume of the working gas, which allows for high lamp life.

The proposed lamp has high reliability, durability and brightness at low discharge currents.

We give an example proving the feasibility of the practical implementation of the proposed lamp - a two-electrode gas discharge lamp filled with a mixture of helium and neon in a ratio of 9: 1 at a total pressure of 3.5 mm Hg. The operating voltage of the lamp (together with ballasts on the electrodes of 40 kOhm) is 1.4 kV. The lamp works both from a constant voltage source and from an alternating voltage (50 Hz) voltage source. The lamp operating current is 4–6 mA. The brightness of the lamp at a working current of 5 · 10 ³ cd / m ² . The overall dimensions of the lamp are ⌀35 × 350 mm.

The proposed lamp is easy to operate, reliable, durable, has low power consumption. The low consumption of electric power and the ability to operate such a lamp from an AC voltage source opens up great prospects for using it to designate the supports of high-voltage gears with power supply directly due to capacitive coupling with current-carrying wires of the power line.

Therefore, the claimed invention meets the requirement of "industrial applicability" under applicable law.

Claims (4)

1. A low-pressure gas discharge lamp containing a bulb in which electrodes are located, a discharge channel and a partition sealed to the bulb, characterized in that the partition dividing the inner volume of the bulb in half is hermetically connected to the discharge channel, made in the form of a capillary located coaxially the axis of the bulb, and the electrodes are made in the form of hollow with a spherical bottom cylindrical cold cathodes, in the cavity of which one third of their length includes the open ends of the discharge capillary, while the conclusions of the electrodes through opposite ends of the bulb are connected to a source of supply voltage, and the volume of the bulb is filled with an inert gas. 2. The discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the inert gas pressure in the flask p and the diameter of the discharge capillary d, the diameter of the cathode D and its length L, the working surface of the cathode S and the discharge current I are related by the relations: 10≤p · d≤20;

3. The gas discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas filling, for example with neon or with a mixture of neon and helium, provides an orange-red color for the glow of the discharge. 4. The gas discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the terminals of the electrodes are connected to an AC voltage source.