High Efficiency Ferrite-Free Closed-Loop InductivelyCoupled Low Mercury Pressure Discharge UV Lamps

Abstract

Radiation and electrical characteristics of ferrite-free closed-loop inductively-coupled low mercury pressure UV lamps of 375 mm in length and 120 mm in width were experimentally studied. Discharges were excited at a frequency of 1.7 MHz and lamp RF power, Рlamp = (95–170) W. It was in quartz closed-loop tubes of 16.6 mm in inner diam. and of 815 mm in length, in the mixture of mercury vapour (7 х 10–3 mm Hg) with Ar (0.7 and 1.0 mm Hg) and with the mixture of 30 % Ne + 70 % Ar (0,7 and 1,0 mm Hg). The 3-turn induction coil made from litz wire with a low specific linear resistance (ρw = 1.4 x 10–4 Ohm/cm) was disposed on the lamp surface along the closed-loop tube perimeter. In lamps with buffer gas pressure of 1,0 mm Hg, the increase of lamp power from 95 to 150 W caused the decrease of induction coil power losses, Pcoil, from (6–7) W to (3–4) W. Also in these lamps increased induction coil power efficiency, ƞcoil = 1 – Pcoil/Plamp, from 92 % to 97 % and lamp UV radiation (λ = 254 nm) generation efficiency, ƞe, 254, from 57 % to 66 %. The decrease of buffer gas pressure from 1.0 to 0.7 mm Hg caused the decrease of ƞe, 254 by (10–20)%.