 |
<< return to News page
Induction lighting earns incentives due to long life and low cost
May 20 2009
Many Northwest public utilities have high incentives available for induction lighting because of its long life and low maintenance cost. Typical locations for induction lighting include: high ceiling spaces (warehouses and malls), parking garages, exterior pedestrian lighting, cold storage, roadways, bridges, tunnels, underpasses, escalator walls and roadway signs. Check with your utility for incentives that may lower the installed cost of induction lighting for your customers.
Induction lighting produces light by the transmission of energy through a magnetic field, like a transformer, combined with a gas discharge. The basic technology for induction lamps was first introduced by the scientist Nicola Tesla in the 1800s and is fundamentally different from conventional gas sources or incandescent lamps, which generate light through electrodes, used in gas discharge lamps or the glowing filament of incandescent lamps.
The energy source in the induction lighting system — equivalent to the primary coil of the transformer — is the lamp's induction coil, which is powered by high-frequency electronics.
The secondary coil is represented by the low-pressure gas and metal vapor inside the lamp bulb. The induced current causes the acceleration of charged particles in the metal vapor. These particles collide, resulting in excitation and ionization of the metal vapor atoms, and raising the energy level of the free electrons from these atoms to a higher, unstable state. As these excited electrons fall back to their stable, lower-energy state, they emit ultraviolet radiation. This falls on the fluorescent coating inside the lamp bulb, causing light to be emitted.
Since there are no filaments or electrodes exposed to the effects of heat and high electrical potential, there is less deterioration of performance and short term failure. Thus, the induction lighting has a long operating life of 100,000 hours.
The induction lighting system is comprised of three components: the generator, the power coupler and lamp. Due to operating and thermal requirements the system needs to be properly installed in a fixture with components constructed specifically for induction lighting; the common lamp socket will not accept an induction lamp. Even with the additional cost of a new fixture, there are many benefits of induction lighting:
• Northwest public utility incentives of up to $150
• Long life - 100,000 hours
• High color rendering - 85 CRI
• Range of color temperatures - 2,700K-6,500K
• Energy efficient - 85+ Lumens per Watt
• Lumen maintenance – 70 percent of its light output at 100,000 hours
• Low maintenance costs – lasts up to 10 years without a change out
• Instant on capability - Can be used with photocell or motion sensor
• High output – wide range of wattages available
• No flickering, strobing or noise
• Minimal color shifting
• Starting temperatures as low as -40° F
For more information about induction lighting, visit the Lighting Design Lab Web site.
|
|
