WO2003041456A1 - Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee - Google Patents

Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003041456A1
WO2003041456A1 PCT/IB2001/002067 IB0102067W WO03041456A1 WO 2003041456 A1 WO2003041456 A1 WO 2003041456A1 IB 0102067 W IB0102067 W IB 0102067W WO 03041456 A1 WO03041456 A1 WO 03041456A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
ballast
power
lamp
set forth
switch
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2001/002067
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Shaul Barak
Original Assignee
Lightech Electronics Industries Ltd.
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 Lightech Electronics Industries Ltd. filed Critical Lightech Electronics Industries Ltd.
Priority to CNB018239234A priority Critical patent/CN100521856C/zh
Priority to PCT/IB2001/002067 priority patent/WO2003041456A1/fr
Priority to EP01980803A priority patent/EP1442637A1/fr
Priority to CA002465829A priority patent/CA2465829A1/fr
Publication of WO2003041456A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003041456A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/26—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc
    • H05B41/28—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters
    • H05B41/282—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters with semiconductor devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/26—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc
    • H05B41/28—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/26—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc
    • H05B41/28—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters
    • H05B41/288—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters with semiconductor devices and specially adapted for lamps without preheating electrodes, e.g. for high-intensity discharge lamps, high-pressure mercury or sodium lamps or low-pressure sodium lamps
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B20/00—Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electronic ballasts adapted to supply operating power to high-intensity discharge lamps.
  • an electronic ballast is to supply the power required for starting and then operating a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, such as a metal halide lamp.
  • HID high-intensity discharge
  • a metal halide lamp is a high-pressure gas discharge lamp in which metal halides are enclosed in a quartz envelope. Because this lamp has a compact geometry and a high efficacy of nearly white light, it is now widely used to illuminate sports stadiums and roadways. This lamp also has many industrial and domestic applications.
  • a metal halide lamp demands a high ignition voltage. But once an arc discharge is ignited, the lamp is thereafter maintained in operation by a voltage no higher than the voltage of the AC power source to which the ballast is connected.
  • the function of an electronic ballast is to supply to the HID lamp with which it is associated the voltages and currents needed to start and then operate the lamp at its rated wattage.
  • a metal halide lamp is notable for its compact geometry, this feature is absent in existing electronic ballasts for supplying power to the lamp, for the typical multi-stage electronic ballast has many magnetic and power components, and these cannot be compactly packaged.
  • the concern of the present invention is with the creation of an electronic ballast for an HID lamp which has fewer magnetic and power components than a standard electronic ballast, yet is compact, highly efficient and reliable in operation.
  • the efficiency of an electronic ballast in supplying power to an HID lamp largely depends on its power factor rating.
  • Power factor is defined as the real input power level divided by the apparent input power level. The apparent power level, expressed in watts, is determined by the RMS voltage value multiplied by the RMS current value. Power factor is a function of the degree to which the load current and voltage are in time phase with each other. The greater the degree to which the load current leads or lags the voltage, the lower is the power factor rating and the less efficient the ballast.
  • the PFC stage disclosed in the above-identified US patents is associated with other ballast stages, such as a power control stage to maintain at a desired level the wattage of power supplied to the HID lamp, and a storage capacitor stage to regulate the DC power supplied to the power control stage.
  • the capacitor stage acts to store the energy when the line voltage goes below the RMS level.
  • the main object of this invention is to provide an electronic ballast for an HID lamp characterized by a high power factor rating and high efficiency, yet having fewer magnetic and power components than existing ballasts for the same purpose.
  • an object of this invention is to provide an electronic ballast whose power factor correction circuit, storage capacitor circuit, and power control circuit are integrated into a single circuit having relatively few magnetic and power components as compared to the number of components necessary when these circuits are embodied in separate ballast stages.
  • a significant advantage of an electronic ballast in accordance with the invention is that it can be packaged in a compact, light-weight form.
  • Another advantage of the electronic ballast is that it can be mass-produced at relatively low cost.
  • an electronic ballast for supplying operating power to a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp which includes a full-wave rectifier connected to an AC power line to produce an unregulated, pulsating DC output which is applied to a power factor correction (PFC) circuit.
  • the PFC circuit includes a first semiconductor electronic switch whose periodic activation is controlled to bring the input current and voltage more closely in time-phase with one another, thereby imparting a high power factor rating to the ballast.
  • the pulsating DC output of the PFC circuit is applied to a storage capacitor circuit which is charged thereby, the capacitor circuit including a second electronic switch whose periodic activation is controlled to so discharge the capacitor as to cause the capacitor circuit to yield a regulated DC output.
  • the regulated DC output is fed to a power control (PC) circuit which includes a third electronic switch whose periodic activation is controlled to maintain the power supplied to the HID lamp at the rated wattage of the lamp.
  • the periodic activations of the first, second and third switches are mutually synchronized.
  • Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art electronic ballast for an HID lamp
  • Fig. 2 illustrates the waveform of the pulsatory DC output of the full wave rectifier included in the ballast
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a ballast in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of a ballast in accordance with a. second embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 1 Shown in Fig. 1 is the succession of stages which comprise an electronic ballast of a prior art type. It will be seen that the input to this ballast is connected to an AC power line identified as line AC, and that the output of the ballast is applied to a high-intensity discharge lamp, identified as lamp HID.
  • This lamp may be a metal halide or any other type of high-intensity gas discharge lamp that must be ignited to initiate an arc discharge, such as a mercury or sodium vapor lamp.
  • Waveform W consists of a continuous train of half- wave sinusoidal pulses P all having the same polarity and amplitude.
  • Each pulse P rises from a reference level R to a peak level and then returns to this reference level.
  • the number of pulses per second is double the frequency of the AC power line voltage.
  • the AC power line is a 230 volt, 50 cycle line, then the full- wave rectified output will yield 100 pulses per second, with a peak amplitude of close to 380 volts.
  • Below the peak level of pulses P is the RMS level of 230 volts that reflects the apparent power level.
  • the unregulated pulsating DC voltage from bridge rectifier 11 is fed to a power factor correction (PFC) stage 12 which senses the degree to which the input current leads or lags the voltage and then effects a correction thereof in a direction and to an extent imparting to the ballast a high power factor rating, such as 95 percent.
  • PFC power factor correction
  • the unregulated, pulsatory in-phase DC output from PFC stage 12 is applied to a storage capacitor (SC) stage 13 whose capacitor is charged thereby and is discharged at timed intervals to yield a regulated DC output in which the valley V in the pulsatory wave W is effectively filled in so that the power yielded by the SC stage approaches the peak level.
  • SC stage 13 The function of SC stage 13 is to store energy when the line voltage goes below the RMS level.
  • Power from SC stage 13 is applied to a power control (PC) stage 14 in which variations in the power supplied to the HID lamp are sensed to produce a control signal which serves to regulate the power supplied to the HID lamp so as to maintain it at the wattage rating of the lamp. Therefore, if the HID lamp has a 60 watt rating, the regulated power supplied thereto by the ballast will be substantially 60 watts of power.
  • PC power control
  • PC stage 14 The output of PC stage 14 is fed to an inverter stage 15 which produces square wave pulses that are applied to a resonant circuit in an igniter stage 16 for the lamp.
  • inverter stage 15 which produces square wave pulses that are applied to a resonant circuit in an igniter stage 16 for the lamp.
  • the abrupt transitions in amplitude at the leading edges of the square wave pulses emerging from the inverter stage act to shock-excite the resonant circuit in the igniter stage, thereby generating high-voltage surges that act to ignite the HID lamp to produce an arc discharge therein.
  • ballast has a high power factor rating and functions efficiently to ignite and then operate the HID lamp with which it is associated.
  • the number of magnetic and power components dictated by the many stages of this ballast which must be assembled in a package to create a self- sufficient unit precludes the creation of a highly compact, relatively light-weight unit.
  • the Invention In an electronic ballast in accordance with the invention, as shown in Fig. 3, the arrangement is essentially the same as in the prior art ballast shown in Fig. 1 except for one important difference. To this extent, identical components in the two electronic ballasts are referenced by the same abbreviations and reference numerals. In the ballast shown in Fig. 3, PFC stage 12, SC stage 13 and PC stage 14 included in the Fig. 1 ballast are now merged into a single circuit having fewer magnetic and power components than those entailed by separate stages.
  • the combined PFC, SC and PC stages in Fig. 3 include only three MOSFET transistors functioning as electronic switches SI, S2 and S3.
  • Switch SI carries out the PFC function of the ballast
  • switch S2 carries out both SC and PC functions while switch S3 is reserved for PC power control.
  • a MOSFET is a metal-oxide, field effect semiconductor characterized by high switching speeds. Since in the ballast circuit the electronic switches SI, S2 and S3 are synchronously activated by high-frequency control pulses whose frequency can be as high as 50KHZ and higher, it is essential that the switches be capable of switching on and off at a very high rate.
  • the pulsatory DC output of bridge rectifier 11 whose waveform W is shown in Fig. 2 is applied to the electronic switch SI of a power factor correction circuit.
  • This switch is actuated by high-frequency square-wave pulses Tl produced by a pulse generator 17, which thus serves as means for periodically activating the switch SI.
  • This pulse generator as well as other pulse generators included in the ballast circuit, may be constituted by integrated circuit chips.
  • the periodic square wave pulses Tl from generator 17 which are applied to the gate of the MOSFET electronic switch SI and act to turn the switch on and off at a high-frequency rate, are pulse width-modulated in accordance with a control signal CS1 derived from a series resistor 18 in the output of bridge rectifier 11.
  • Pulse width-modulation of the square wave pulses Tl applied to the gate of MOSFET electronic switch SI varies the duty cycle of the switching action, that is the ratio of the ON time of the switch to its OFF time. Since the duty cycle is varied as a function of the degree and direction in which the input current is displaced in time phase from the voltage, switch S 1 serves to bring about a power factor correction of the pulsatory DC power passing through this switch.
  • the power factor corrected, pulsatory DC power in the output of electronic switch SI is fed unidirectionally through a choke 19 in series with a diode 20 to storage capacitor 21 of a capacitor charge and discharge circuit, the capacitor being charged by the pulsatory DC wave W.
  • Choke 19 functions as a low pass filter whose useful output is a direct current, as in a power supply rectifier filter.
  • the storage capacitor circuit acts to modulate the pulsatory DC power applied thereto by effectively filling in the valley V in the pulsatory wave W
  • This action is carried out by the MOSFET electronic switch S2 which when pulse- activated provides a discharge path through a diode 22, the discharge of capacitor 21 then flowing unidirectionally through diode 22 in series with electronic switch S2 and choke 19 to a node N at the output of the capacitor circuit.
  • capacitor 21 charges through diode 20 when switch S3 is active yet in an off-state and when switch S2 is closed, it then discharges through diode 22.
  • Switch S2 is open when the input voltage is above the RMS value and is pulse-activated when the voltage falls below this value.
  • the voltage of capacitor 21 must be higher than the voltage supplied to the inverter.
  • the activation of electronic switch S2 is controlled to bring about a discharge in the interval represented by valley V in the pulsatory DC wave W when the wave as shown in Fig. 2 is below the RMS level, thereby effectively redistributing the available DC power.
  • electronic switch S2 is activated by high-frequency square wave pulses T2 produced by a pulse generator 23, which thus serves as means for periodically activating the switch S2.
  • Pulses T2 are pulse- width modulated by a control signal applied to the generator, this signal being derived from a resistor 24 in a series with the output line through which the load current flows.
  • resistor 24 acts as a load current sensor to provide a control signal that varies with variations in the load current.
  • the duty cycle of electronic switch S2 is controlled whereby the discharge of the charged storage capacitor 21 acts to regulate the DC power yielded at the output node N of the storage capacitor circuit.
  • the high-frequency pulse generators 17 and 23 operate in synchronism with each other and when the switches SI and S2 periodically activated by these generators are both open, then current is supplied to choke 19 by a free-wheeling diode 25.
  • Power from node N is applied to the inverter 15 of the ballast system through a power control circuit that includes a third electronic MOSFET switch S3 to whose gate is applied pulse-width modulated control pulses T3 derived from the pulse generator 23, which thus serves as means for periodically activating the switch S3.
  • Pulse width modulation of the control pulses T3 is effected by a control signal derived from load current sensor 24.
  • Switch S3 is closed and conductive when the voltage applied thereto is below the RMS value, and switch S2 executes simultaneously pulse- width modulation control. When the voltage is above the RMS value, then switch S3 is activated to execute pulse- width production control of the inverter, switch S2 then being open and inactive.
  • the ballast circuit shown in Fig. 3 carries out the same function as the PFC stage 12, the SC storage capacitor stage 13 and the PC power control stage
  • ballast circuit in accordance with the invention is three MOSFETs, a storage capacitor, a choke and three diodes, there being no transformer or other cumbersome parts. It therefore becomes possible to manufacture a highly compact and light weight
  • the means for periodically activating the MOSFETs S2 and S3 are served by a common pulse generator 23.
  • Fig. 4 shows a ballast that is identical in construction and operation to the ballast described above with reference to Fig. 3 apart from the inclusion of a third pulse generator 26 for feeding the pulses S3 to the MOSFET S3 in sync with the pulses S2 fed by the second pulse generator 23 to the second MOSFET S2.
  • an inverter to supply AC to an igniter as in Fig. 1.
  • the igniter to be included in an electronic ballast for a DC powered HID lamp must be one appropriate to this DC lamp.
  • an RFI filter for the AC supply as shown in Fig. 1, is not essential to an electronic ballast in accordance with the invention.

Landscapes

  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Rectifiers (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un ballast électronique permettant de fournir de la puissance utile à une lampe à décharge à intensité élevée (DHI). Ledit ballast comprend un redresseur à double alternance (11) connecté à une ligne d'énergie électrique C.A. pour produire une sortie C.C. d'ondulation non régulée qui est appliquée à un circuit de correction du facteur de puissance (PFC). Ledit circuit PFC comprend un premier commutateur électronique semi-conducteur (S1) dont l'activation est commandée pour amener le courant et la tension d'entrée en phase dans le temps, conférant ainsi une cote de facteur de puissance élevée au ballast. La sortie C.C. d'ondulation du circuit PFC est appliquée à un circuit à capacités de stockage (13) qui est ainsi chargé, le circuit à capacités comprenant un deuxième commutateur électronique (S2) dont l'activation est commandée pour décharger le condensateur de manière à faire en sorte que le circuit à capacités produise à sa sortie, un C.C. régulé qui est alimenté vers un circuit d'alimentation et de commande (PC) (14). Ledit circuit PC comprend un troisième commutateur électronique (S3) dont l'activation est commandée pour maintenir la puissance d'énergie électrique fournie à la lampe DHI au niveau de la puissance nominale de la lampe.
PCT/IB2001/002067 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee WO2003041456A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CNB018239234A CN100521856C (zh) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 用于高强度放电灯的电子镇流器
PCT/IB2001/002067 WO2003041456A1 (fr) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee
EP01980803A EP1442637A1 (fr) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee
CA002465829A CA2465829A1 (fr) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2001/002067 WO2003041456A1 (fr) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003041456A1 true WO2003041456A1 (fr) 2003-05-15

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2001/002067 WO2003041456A1 (fr) 2001-11-05 2001-11-05 Ballast electronique pour lampes a decharge a intensite elevee

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1442637A1 (fr)
CN (1) CN100521856C (fr)
CA (1) CA2465829A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2003041456A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR100661906B1 (ko) * 2006-02-06 2006-12-27 (주) 파워에이앤디 맥류를 이용한 조도제어 장치
CN103391676B (zh) * 2013-07-01 2016-01-06 广州纽威光电科技有限公司 热起动金卤灯电子镇流器

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5144222A (en) * 1991-01-07 1992-09-01 Edward Herbert Apparatus for controlling the input impedance of a power converter
EP0504094A2 (fr) * 1991-03-15 1992-09-16 Emerson Electric Co. Convertisseur à facteur de puissance élevé pour entraînements et alimentations
EP0513920A2 (fr) * 1991-05-15 1992-11-19 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Appareil pour faire fonctionner des lampes à décharge
CA2172481A1 (fr) * 1996-03-22 1997-09-23 Paul Kotlarewsky Ballast sacs transformateur, a circuit d'allumage distinct
US6271633B1 (en) * 1999-11-01 2001-08-07 Philips Electronics North America Corporation High power factor electronic ballast with fully differential circuit topology

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5144222A (en) * 1991-01-07 1992-09-01 Edward Herbert Apparatus for controlling the input impedance of a power converter
EP0504094A2 (fr) * 1991-03-15 1992-09-16 Emerson Electric Co. Convertisseur à facteur de puissance élevé pour entraînements et alimentations
EP0513920A2 (fr) * 1991-05-15 1992-11-19 Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. Appareil pour faire fonctionner des lampes à décharge
CA2172481A1 (fr) * 1996-03-22 1997-09-23 Paul Kotlarewsky Ballast sacs transformateur, a circuit d'allumage distinct
US6271633B1 (en) * 1999-11-01 2001-08-07 Philips Electronics North America Corporation High power factor electronic ballast with fully differential circuit topology

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1442637A1 (fr) 2004-08-04
CN1582604A (zh) 2005-02-16
CA2465829A1 (fr) 2003-05-15
CN100521856C (zh) 2009-07-29

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