Halogen lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen_lamp

Halogen lamp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen, quartz-halogen or

quartz iodine lamp, is an incandescent lamp that has a small amount of
a halogen such as iodine or bromine added. The combination of the
halogen gas and the tungsten filament produces a halogen cycle
chemical reaction which redeposits evaporated tungsten back onto the
filament, increasing its life and maintaining the clarity of the envelope.
Because of this, a halogen lamp can be operated at a higher temperature
than a standard gas-filled lamp of similar power and operating life,
producing light of a higher luminous efficacy and color temperature. The
small size of halogen lamps permits their use in compact optical systems
for projectors and illumination.

A halogen lamp operating in its fitting

with the protecting glass removed

Contents
1 History
2 Halogen cycle
3 Effect of voltage on performance
4 Spectrum
5 Safety
5.1 Handling precautions
6 Applications
6.1 Automotive
6.2 Architectural
6.3 Cooking
6.4 Home use
6.5 Stage lighting
6.6 Specialized
7 Disposal
8 See also
9 References

A Halogen lamp behind a round UV

filter. A separate filter is included with
some halogen light fixtures to remove
UV light.

History
A carbon filament lamp using chlorine to prevent darkening of the envelope was patented[1] in 1882, and
chlorine-filled "NoVak" lamps were marketed in 1892.[2] The use of iodine was proposed in a 1933 patent,[3]
which also described the cyclic redeposition of tungsten back onto the filament. In 1959, General Electric
patented[3] a practical lamp using iodine.[4]

Halogen cycle
In ordinary incandescent lamps, evaporated tungsten mostly deposits onto the inner surface of the bulb. The
halogen sets up a reversible chemical reaction cycle with the tungsten evaporated from the filament. The
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halogen cycle keeps the bulb clean and the light output remains almost constant
throughout life. At moderate temperatures the halogen reacts with the
evaporating tungsten, the halide formed being moved around in the inert gas
filling. At some time it will reach higher temperature regions, where it
dissociates, releasing tungsten and freeing the halogen to repeat the process. The
overall bulb envelope temperature must be higher than in conventional
incandescent lamps for the reaction to work.
The bulb must be made of fused silica (quartz) or a high-melting-point glass
(such as aluminosilicate glass). Since quartz is very strong, the gas pressure can
be higher,[5] which reduces the rate of evaporation of the filament, permitting it
to run a higher temperature (and so luminous efficacy) for the same average life.
The tungsten released in hotter regions does not generally redeposit where it
came from, so the hotter parts of the filament eventually thin out and fail.
Quartz iodine lamps, using elemental iodine, were the first commercial halogen
lamps launched by GE in 1959.[6][7] Quite soon, bromine was found to have
advantages, but was not used in elemental form. Certain hydrocarbon bromine
compounds gave good results.[8][9] Regeneration of the filament is also possible
with fluorine, but its chemical reactivity is so great that other parts of the lamp
are attacked.[8][10] The halogen is normally mixed with a noble gas, often
krypton or xenon.[11] The first lamps used only tungsten for filament supports,
but some designs use molybdenum an example being the molybdenum shield
in the H4 twin filament headlight for the European Asymmetric Passing Beam.

Xenon Halogen Lamp (105

W) for replacement purposes
with an E27 screw base

High temperature filaments emit some energy in the UV region. Small amounts
of other elements can be mixed into the quartz, so that the doped quartz (or
selective optical coating) blocks harmful UV radiation. Hard glass blocks UV and
has been used extensively for the bulbs of car headlights.[12] Alternatively, the
halogen lamp can be mounted inside an outer bulb, similar to an ordinary
incandescent lamp, which also reduces the risks from the high bulb temperature.
Undoped quartz halogen lamps are used in some scientific, medical and dental
instruments as a UV-B source.
For a fixed power and life, the luminous efficacy of all incandescent lamps is
greatest at a particular design voltage. Halogen lamps made for 12 to 24 volt
operation have good light outputs, and the very compact filaments are
A close-up of a halogen lamp
particularly beneficial for optical control (see picture). The range of MR-16
(50 mm diameter) reflector lamps of 20 W to 50 W were originally conceived
for the projection of 8 mm film, but are now widely used for display lighting and in the home. More recently,
wider beam versions are available designed for direct use on supply voltages of 120 or 230 V.

Effect of voltage on performance

Tungsten halogen lamps behave in a similar manner to other incandescent lamps when run on a different
voltage. However the light output is reported as proportional to
, and the luminous efficacy proportional to
[13]
.
The normal relationship regarding the lifetime is that it is proportional to
. For example, a bulb
operated at 5% higher than its design voltage would produce about 15% more light, and the luminous efficacy

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would be about 6.5% higher, but would be expected to have only half the rated life.
Halogen lamps are manufactured with enough halogen to match the rate of tungsten evaporation at their design
voltage. Increasing the applied voltage increases the rate of evaporation, so at some point there may be
insufficient halogen and the lamp goes black. Over-voltage operation is not generally recommended. With a
reduced voltage the evaporation is lower and there may be too much halogen, which can lead to abnormal
failure. At much lower voltages, the bulb temperature may be too low to support the halogen cycle, but by this
time the evaporation rate is too low for the bulb to blacken significantly. There are many situations where
halogen lamps are dimmed successfully. However, lamp life may not be extended as much as predicted. The life
span on dimming depends on lamp construction, the halogen additive used and whether dimming is normally
expected for this type.

Spectrum
Like all incandescent light bulbs, a halogen lamp produces a continuous spectrum of light, from near ultraviolet
to deep into the infrared.[14] Since the lamp filament can operate at a higher temperature than a non-halogen
lamp, the spectrum is shifted toward blue, producing light with a higher effective color temperature.

Safety
Halogen lamps get hotter than regular incandescent lamps because the heat is concentrated on a smaller
envelope surface, and because the surface is closer to the filament. This high temperature is essential to their
operation. Because the halogen lamp operates at very high temperatures, it can pose fire and burn hazards. In
Australia, numerous house fires each year are attributed to ceiling-mounted halogen downlights.[15][16] The
Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services recommends that home owners consider instead
using compact fluorescent lamps or light emitting diode lamps because they produce less heat.[17] Some safety
codes now require halogen bulbs to be protected by a grid or grille, especially for high power (12 kW) bulbs
used in theatre, or by the glass and metal housing of the fixture to prevent ignition of draperies or flammable
objects in contact with the lamp.
To reduce unintentional ultraviolet (UV) exposure, and to contain hot bulb fragments in the event of explosive
bulb failure, general-purpose lamps usually have a UV-absorbing glass filter over or around the bulb.
Alternatively, lamp bulbs may be doped or coated to filter out the UV radiation. With adequate filtering, a
halogen lamp exposes users to less UV than a standard incandescent lamp producing the same effective level of
illumination without filtering.

Handling precautions
Any surface contamination, notably the oil from human fingertips, can
damage the quartz envelope when it is heated. Contaminants will create
a hot spot on the bulb surface when the lamp is turned on. This extreme,
localized heat causes the quartz to change from its vitreous form into a
weaker, crystalline form that leaks gas. This weakening may also cause
the bulb to form a bubble, weakening it and leading to its explosion.[18]
Consequently, manufacturers recommend that quartz lamps should be
handled without touching the clear quartz, either by using a clean paper
towel or carefully holding the porcelain base. If the quartz is
contaminated in any way, it must be thoroughly cleaned with denatured

A burned out halogen light bulb

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alcohol and dried before use.

Applications
Halogen headlamps are used in many automobiles. Halogen floodlights
for outdoor lighting systems as well as for watercraft are also
manufactured for commercial and recreational use. They are now also
used in desktop lamps.
Medical halogen penlight to observe
pupillary light reflex

Tungsten-halogen lamps are frequently used as a near-infrared light

source in Infrared spectroscopy.

Halogen lamps were used on the Times Square Ball from 1999 to 2006.
However, from 2007 onwards, the halogen lamps were replaced with LED lights. The year numerals that light
up when the ball reaches the bottom used halogen lighting for the last time for the 2009 ball drop. It was
announced on the Times Square website that the year numerals for the 2010 ball drop would use LED lights.[19]

Automotive
Main article: Automotive lamp types
Tungsten-halogen lamps have commonly used as the light sources in
automobile headlamps, but are increasing being replaced by Xenon and
LED lights.

Architectural

A close-up of a tungsten filament of a

halogen car lamp after several hundred
hours of use

Linear in various sizes and power

R7S: linear halogen lamp measuring 118mm or 78mm. Also known as a double ended halogen lamp.
Dichroic and plain reflector spots. Higher efficiency versions using infrared reflective coating (IRC)
technology are 40% more efficient than standard low voltage halogen lamps

Cooking
Halogen lamps are used as the heating element in a halogen oven.

Home use
Halogen multifaceted reflector bulbs are widely available. The most common format is MR16, which is available
in 1050 W power ratings (150800 lumens).[20] Low voltage lamps use the MR16 and similar bi-pin bases,
whereas mains voltage lamps use the same caps as normal mains tungsten filament lamps, or a special
GU10/GZ10 base. The GU10/GZ10 bases are shaped to prevent dichroic reflector lamps being used in
luminaires intended for aluminised reflector lamps, which could cause overheating of the fitting. Higher
efficiency LED versions of all of these lamps are now available, but these have widely varying light output and
quality.
With the help of some companies such as Philips and Osram Sylvania, halogen bulbs have been made for
standard household fittings, and can replace banned incandescent light bulbs of low luminous efficacy.

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[21][22][23]

Tubular lamps with electrical contacts at each end are now being used in standalone lamps and household
fixtures. These come in various lengths and wattages (50300 W).

Stage lighting
Tungsten halogen lamps are used in the majority of theatrical and studio (film and television) fixtures, including
Ellipsoidal Reflector Spotlights and Fresnels. PAR Cans are also predominately tungsten halogen.

Specialized
Projection lamps are used in motion-picture and slide projectors for homes and small office or school use. The
compact size of the halogen lamp permits a reasonable size for portable projectors, although heat-absorbing
filters must be placed between the lamp and the film to prevent melting. Halogen lamps are sometimes used for
inspection lights and microscope stage illuminators. Halogen lamps were used for early flat-screen LCD
backlighting, but other types of lamps are now used.

Disposal
Halogen lamps do not contain any mercury. General Electric claims that none of the materials making up their
halogen lamps would cause the lamps to be classified as hazardous waste.[24]

See also
Bi-pin connector for base designations GY6.35, G8, etc.
FEL lamp
Lamp base for other bases
List of light sources

References
1. ^ US 254780 (http://worldwide.espacenet.com
/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US254780)
2. ^ Harold Wallace A Different Kind of Chemistry: A
History of Tungsten Halogen Lamps, IEEE Industry
Applications Magazine Nov/Dec 2001, p. 11
3. ^ a b US 2883571 (http://worldwide.espacenet.com
/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2883571)
4. ^ Raymond Kane, Heinz Sell Revolution in lamps: a
chronicle of 50 years of progress (2nd ed.), The
Fairmont Press, Inc. 2001 ISBN 0-88173-378-4 page
75
5. ^ Some lamps have as much as 15 times atmospheric
pressure when cold, and some lamps increase
pressure five-fold at operating temperature. Kane and
Sell 2001, page 7677
6. ^ Zubler and Mosby Illuminating Engineering 1959
54.734

7. ^ http://home.frognet/~ejcov/newhalogen.html
8. ^ a b Burgin and Edwards Lighting Research and
Technology 1970 2.2. 95108
9. ^ T'Jampens and van der Weijer Philips Technical
Review 1966 27.173
10. ^ Schroder Philips Technical Review 1965 26.116
11. ^ Hussinger, Peter; Glatthaar, Reinhard; Rhode,
Wilhelm; Kick, Helmut; Benkmann, Christian; Weber,
Josef; Wunschel, Hans-Jrg; Stenke, Viktor; Leicht,
Edith; Stenger, Hermann (2002). "Noble gases".
Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.
Wiley. doi:10.1002/14356007.a17_485
(http://dx.doi.org/10.1002%2F14356007.a17_485).
12. ^ Burgin Lighting Research and Technology 1984 16.
2 71
13. ^ Neumann Lichtechnik 1969 21 6 63A

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Halogen lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

14. ^ Tungsten-halogen lamp information (http://zeisscampus.magnet.fsu.edu/articles/lightsources

/tungstenhalogen.html) at Karl Zeiss Online Campus
site (accessed Nov. 2 2010)
15. ^ Thousands at risk from halogen-light death traps
(http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/07
/21/1184560109174.html) at The Sunday Age site
(accessed 22 Dec. 2012)
16. ^ Halogen down light fire safety
(http://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=709) at Fire
and Rescue NSW site (accessed 22 Dec. 2012)
17. ^ Downlights (http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au
/safetyinformation/fire/fireinthehome/pages
/downlights.aspx) at Western Australia Department
of Fire and Emergency Services site (accessed 22
Dec. 2012)
18. ^ Kremer, Jonathan Z."Types of Light Bulbs and
Their Uses" (http://www.megavolt.co.il
/Tips_and_info/types_of_bulbs.html) Megavolt,
section "Halogen", Accessed May 26, 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen_lamp

19. ^ "Times Square Alliance - New Year's Eve - 2010

Widgets" (http://www.timessquarenyc.org
/nye/2010numerals.html).
20. ^ "Replace Inefficient MR16 Halogen Lamps with
LEDs" (http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes
/index.mvp/id/4086). Maxim. September 25, 2007.
21. ^ http://www.consumersearch.com/lightbulbs/philips-halogena-energy-saver
22. ^ http://www.lighting.philips.com/us_en/products
/halogena
/index.php?main=us_en_consumer_lighting&
parent=7593748565&id=us_en_products&lang=en
23. ^ http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/products/halogen
/Pages/default.aspx
24. ^ http://www.geconsumerandindustrial.com
/environmentalinfo/documents
/msds/msds_quartzline_lamps.pdf General Electricl
Lamp Material Information Sheet

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