The structure of an incandescent lamp. Incandescent lamp
Incandescent lamp is an electric light source that emits light flow as a result of heating a conductor made of refractory metal (tungsten). Tungsten has the highest melting point of all pure metals (3693 K). The filament is located in a glass flask filled with an inert gas (argon, krypton, nitrogen). Inert gas protects filaments from oxidation. For low-power incandescent lamps (25 W), vacuum flasks are made that are not filled with inert gas. The glass bulb prevents the negative effects of atmospheric air on the tungsten filament.
To calculate the room illumination, you can use the room illumination calculator.
Types of incandescent lamps.
Incandescent lamps are divided into:
- Vacuum;
- Argon (nitrogen-argon);
- Krypton (+10% brightness from argon);
- Xenon (2 times brighter than argon);
- Halogen (composition I or Br, 2.5 times brighter than argon, long service life);
- Halogen with two flasks (improved halogen cycle due to better heating of the inner flask);
- Xenon-halogen (composition Xe + I or Br, up to 3 times brighter than argon);
- Xenon-halogen with IR reflector;
- Filament with a coating that converts infrared radiation into the visible range. (new)
Advantages and disadvantages of incandescent lamps.
Advantages:
- low cost;
- instant ignition when turned on;
- small overall dimensions;
- wide power range.
Flaws:
- high brightness (negatively affects vision);
- short service life - up to 1000 hours;
- low efficiency. (only a tenth of the electrical energy consumed by the lamp is converted into visible light flux) the rest of the energy is converted into heat.
Characteristics of incandescent lamps.
Light flow is a physical quantity that characterizes the amount of “light” power in the corresponding radiation flux.
Luminous output- this is the ratio of the luminous flux emitted by a source to the power it consumes, measured in lumens per watt (lm/W). It is an indicator of the efficiency and economy of light sources.
Lumen is a unit of measurement of luminous flux, luminous quantity.
Luminous flux and luminous efficiency of incandescent lamps.
Type, power, W |
Light flow (lumen) |
Luminous output (lm/watt) |
Lamp incandescent 5 W |
||
Lamp incandescent 10 W |
||
Lamp incandescent 15 W |
||
Lamp incandescent 25 W |
220 |
|
Lamp incandescent 40 W |
420 |
|
Lamp incandescent 60 W |
710 |
|
Lamp incandescent 75 W |
935 |
|
Lamp incandescent 100 W |
1350 |
|
Lamp incandescent 150 W |
1800 |
|
Lamp incandescent 200 W |
2500 |
|
Sun |
3,63.10 28 |
|
Ideal source Sveta |
683,002 |
Comparative table of the ratio of luminous flux to power consumption of various types of lamps.
Lamp incandescent, power, W |
L.L lamp, W |
Light-emitting diode. lamp, power W |
Light flow, Lm |
20 W |
5-7 W |
2-3 W |
About 250 lm |
40 W |
10-13 W |
4-5 W |
About 400 lm |
60 W |
15-16 W |
8-10 W |
About 700 lm |
75 W |
18-20 W |
10-12 W |
About 900 lm |
100 W |
25-30 W |
12-15 W |
About 1200 lm |
150 W |
40-50 W |
18-20 W |
About 1800 lm |
200 W |
60-80 W |
25-30 W |
About 2500 lm |
Characteristics of different types of lamps in terms of light transmission.
- LN- incandescent lamps;
- GLN- halogen lamps;
- CFL- compact fluorescent lamps;
- MGL- metal halide lamps;
- LL- fluorescent lamps;
- LEDs- LED bulbs.
Characteristics of various types of incandescent lamps.
Lamp voltage - U, Volt;
Lamp power - W, W;
Luminous flux - Lm, Lumen.
General purpose incandescent lamps (standard).
Lamp type |
U, V |
W, W |
Lm |
Term services Ch. |
Length mm |
Diam. Mm |
Type plinth |
B 220-230-25-1 |
225 |
200 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
||
B 220-230-40-1 |
225 |
430 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
||
B 220-230-60-1 |
225 |
730 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
||
B 220-230-75-1 |
225 |
960 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
||
B 220-230-100 |
225 |
100 |
1380 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
|
B 220-235-40-2 |
230 |
335 |
1000 |
E27 |
|||
B 225-235-60-2 |
230 |
655 |
1000 |
E27 |
|||
B 225-235-100-2 |
230 |
100 |
1203 |
1000 |
E27 |
||
B 235-245-150-1 |
240 |
150 |
2180 |
1000 |
130 |
E27 |
|
RN 220-230-15-4 |
225 |
600 |
E14 |
||||
RN 220-230-200-1 |
225 |
200 |
2950 |
1000 |
145 |
E27 |
|
RN 220-230-300 |
225 |
300 |
3350 |
1000 |
140 |
E27 |
|
RN 230-240-300 |
235 |
300 |
4800 |
1000 |
200 |
200 |
E40 |
RN 215-225-500 |
220 |
500 |
8400 |
1000 |
240 |
132 |
E40 |
General purpose incandescent lamps (minions).
Lamp type |
U,V |
W,W |
Lm |
Term Services Ch. |
Length mm |
Diam. mm |
Type plinth |
DS 220-230-40 |
225 |
400 |
1000 |
103 |
E14 |
||
DS 220-230-60 |
225 |
680 |
1000 |
103 |
E14 |
||
DSO 235-245-40 |
240 |
395 |
1000 |
103 |
E14 |
||
DSO 235-245-60 |
240 |
670 |
1000 |
103 |
E14 |
General purpose incandescent lamps (mirror).
Lamp type |
U,V |
W,W |
Lm |
Term services Ch. |
Length mm |
Diam. mm |
Type plinth |
3K 220-230-40(R63) |
225 |
450 |
1000 |
102,5 |
63,5 |
E27 |
|
3D 220-230-60(R80) |
225 |
200 |
1000 |
116 |
E27 |
||
3D 220-230-75(R80) |
225 |
280 |
1000 |
116 |
E27 |
||
3D 220-230-100(R80) |
225 |
100 |
410 |
1000 |
116 |
E27 |
General purpose incandescent lamps (matte).
Lamp type |
U,V |
W,W |
Lm |
Term Services Ch. |
Length mm |
Diam. mm |
Type Base |
|||||||
BO 230-240-40 |
235 |
420 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
|||||||||
BO 230-240-60 |
235 |
710 |
1000 |
105 |
E27 |
U,V |
W,W |
Lm |
Term Services |
Length Mm |
Diam. mm |
Type plinth |
||
MO 36-25 |
300 |
1000 |
108 |
E27 |
||||||||||
MO 12-40 |
620 |
1000 |
108 |
E27 |
||||||||||
MO 36-40 |
580 |
1000 |
108 |
E27 |
||||||||||
MO 36-60 |
950 |
1000 |
108 |
E27 |
||||||||||
MO 36-100 |
100 |
1590 |
1000 |
108 |
Term services Ch. |
Length mm |
Diam. mm |
Type plinth |
||||||
KG 220-500-1 |
220 |
500 |
14000 |
3200 |
2000 |
132 |
R7s |
|||||||
KG 220-1000-5 |
220 |
1000 |
22000 |
3200 |
2000 |
189 |
R7s |
|||||||
KG 220-1500 |
220 |
1500 |
33000 |
3200 |
2000 |
254 |
R7s |
|||||||
KG 220-2000-4 |
220 |
2000 |
44000 |
3200 |
2000 |
335 |
R7s |
Schemes for switching on incandescent lamps.
Wiring diagram for switching on a single-lamp lamp with a socket.
Schematic diagram of switching on one lamp with a switch and a plug socket.
The task of reducing the amount of energy consumed has ceased to be just a technical problem and has moved into the area of the strategic direction of state policy. For the average consumer, this titanic struggle results in the fact that he is simply forcibly forced to switch from the familiar and simple-as-an-egg incandescent lamp to other light sources. For example, to LED lamps. For most people, the question of how an LED lamp works comes down only to the possibility of its practical use - whether it can be screwed into a standard socket and connected to a 220-volt household network. A short excursion into the principles of its operation and structure will help you make an informed choice.
The operating principle of an LED lamp is based on much more complex physical processes than one that emits light through a hot metal filament. He is so interesting that it makes sense to get to know him better. It is based on the phenomenon of light emission that occurs at the point of contact of two dissimilar substances when an electric current passes through them.
The most paradoxical thing about this is that the materials used to provoke the effect of light emission do not conduct electric current at all. One of them, for example, silicon is a ubiquitous substance and is constantly trampled under our feet. These materials will pass current, and only in one direction (that’s why they are called semiconductors), only if they are connected together. To do this, positively charged ions (holes) must predominate in one of them, and negative ones (electrons) must predominate in the other. Their presence or absence depends on the internal (atomic) structure of the substance and a non-specialist should not bother with the question of unraveling their nature.
The emergence of an electric current in a connection of substances with a predominance of holes or electrons is only half the battle. The process of transition from one to another is accompanied by the release of energy in the form of heat. But in the middle of the last century, mechanical compounds of substances were found in which the release of energy was also accompanied by a glow. In electronics, a device that allows current to pass in one direction is called a diode. Semiconductor devices made from materials that can emit light are called LEDs.
Initially, the effect of emitting photons from a semiconductor compound was possible only in a narrow part of the spectrum. They glowed red, green or yellow. The strength of this glow was extremely small. The LED was used only as an indicator lamp for a very long time. But now materials have been found whose combination emits light of much greater intensity and in a wide range, almost the entire visible spectrum. Almost, because a certain wavelength predominates in their glow. Therefore, there are lamps with a predominance of blue (cold) and yellow or red (warm) light.
Now that you understand in general terms the principle of operation of an LED lamp, you can move on to answering the question about the design of 220 V LED lamps.
Design of LED lamps
Externally, light sources that use the effect of photon emission when electric current passes through a semiconductor are almost no different from incandescent lamps. The main thing is that they have the usual metal base with a thread, which exactly replicates all standard sizes of incandescent lamps. This allows you to not change anything in the electrical equipment of the room to connect them.
However, the internal structure of a 220 volt LED lamp is very complex. It consists of the following elements:
1) contact base;
2) a housing that simultaneously plays the role of a radiator;
3) power and control boards;
4) boards with LEDs;
5) transparent cap.
Power and control board
Understanding how 220-volt LED lamps work, first of all it is worth understanding that semiconductor elements cannot be powered by alternating current and voltage of this magnitude. Otherwise they will simply burn out. Therefore, in the body of this light source there is necessarily a board that reduces the voltage and rectifies the current.
The durability of the lamp largely depends on the design of this board. More precisely, what elements are at its input. The cheap ones have nothing except a resistor in front of the rectifying diode bridge. Miracles often happen (usually in lamps from the Middle Kingdom) when even this resistor is not present and the diode bridge is directly connected to the base. Such lamps shine very brightly, but their service life is extremely low if they are not connected through stabilizing devices. For this you can use, for example, ballast transformers.
The most common schemes are those in which a smoothing filter consisting of a resistor and a capacitor is created in the power supply circuit of the lamp control circuit. In the most expensive LED lamps, the power supply and control unit are built on microcircuits. They smooth out stress surges well, but their working life is not too high. Mainly due to the inability to establish effective cooling.
LED board
No matter how hard scientists try, inventing new substances with high radiation efficiency in the visible part of the spectrum, the principle of operation of an LED lamp remains the same, and each of its individual luminous elements is very weak. To achieve the desired effect, they are grouped in groups of several dozen and sometimes hundreds of pieces. For this, a dielectric board is used, on which metal conductive tracks are applied. It is very similar to those used in televisions, computer motherboards and other radio devices.
The LED board performs another important function. As you have already noticed, there is no step-down transformer in the control unit. Of course, it is possible to install it, but this will lead to an increase in the dimensions of the lamp and its cost. The problem of lowering the supply voltage to a nominal value that is safe for the LED is solved simply but extensively. All luminous elements are included in series, like in a Christmas tree garland. For example, if 10 LEDs are connected in series to a 220 volt circuit, then each will get 22 V (however, the current value will remain the same).
The disadvantage of this circuit is that a burnt-out element breaks the entire circuit and the lamp stops shining. In a non-working lamp, out of a dozen LEDs, only one or two may be faulty. There are craftsmen who resolder them and live in peace, but most inexperienced users throw the entire device in the trash.
By the way, recycling LED lamps is a separate headache, since they cannot be mixed with ordinary household waste.
Transparent cap
Basically, this element plays the role of protection against dust, moisture and playful hands. However, it also has a utilitarian function. Most LED lamp covers have a matte appearance. This solution might seem strange, since the power of the LED radiation is weakened. But its usefulness for specialists is obvious.
The cap is matte because a layer of phosphor is applied to its inner side - a substance that begins to glow under the influence of energy quanta. It would seem that here, as they say, oil is oil. But the phosphor has an emission spectrum several times wider than that of an LED. It is close to natural solar. If you leave the LEDs without such a “gasket”, then their glow will make your eyes get tired and hurt.
What are the benefits of such lamps
Now that you already know a lot about how an LED lamp works, it’s worth dwelling on its advantages. The main and indisputable thing is low energy consumption. A dozen LEDs produce radiation of the same intensity as a traditional incandescent lamp, but semiconductor devices consume several times less electricity. There is another advantage, but it is not so obvious. Lamps with this operating principle are more durable. True, provided that the supply voltage is as stable as possible.
It is impossible not to mention the disadvantages of such lamps. First of all, this concerns the spectrum of their radiation. It is significantly different from the sun - what the human eye has been accustomed to perceiving for thousands of years. Therefore, for your home, choose those lamps that shine yellow or reddish (warm) and have matte caps.
It turns out that a body heated by an electric current can not only emit heat, but also glow. The first light sources operated precisely on this principle. Let's look at how an incandescent lamp, the most widely used lighting device in the world, works. And, although over time it will have to be completely replaced by compact fluorescent (energy-saving) and LED light sources, humanity will not be able to do without this technology for a long time.
Incandescent lamp design
The main element of the light bulb is a spiral made of a refractory material - tungsten. To increase its length and, accordingly, resistance, it is twisted into a thin spiral. It is not visible to the naked eye.
The spiral is mounted on supporting elements, the outermost of which serve to connect its ends to the electrical circuit. They are made of molybdenum, the melting point of which is higher than the temperature of the heated coil. One of the molybdenum electrodes is connected to the threaded part of the base, and the other to its central terminal.
Molybdenum holders hold the tungsten helix
Air has been pumped out of a flask made of glass. Sometimes, instead of air, an inert gas is pumped inside, for example, argon or its mixture with nitrogen. This is necessary to reduce the thermal conductivity of the internal volume, as a result of which the glass is less susceptible to heating. Additionally, this measure prevents oxidation of the filament. When making a lamp, air is pumped out through part of the bulb, which is then hidden by the base.
The principle of operation of an incandescent lamp is based on heating its filament by electric current to a temperature at which it begins to emit light into the surrounding space.
Incandescent lamps can be manufactured with a power from 15 to 750 W. Depending on the power, different types of threaded sockets are used: E10, E14, E27 or E40. For decorative, signal and backlight lamps, BA7S, BA9S, BA15S sockets are used. When installed, such products are stuck inside the cartridge and rotated 90 degrees.
In addition to the usual pear-shaped shape, decorative lamps are also produced in which the bulb is shaped like a candle, drop, cylinder, or ball.
A lamp with a bulb that does not have a coating glows with a yellowish light, the composition most reminiscent of sunlight. But when special coatings are applied to the inner surface of the glass, it can become matte, red, yellow, blue or green.
The design of a reflective incandescent lamp is of interest. A reflective layer is applied to part of its bulb. As a result, due to reflection from it, the light flux is redistributed in one direction.
Advantages of incandescent lamps
The most important advantage in favor of using incandescent light bulbs is the ease of their manufacture and, accordingly, the price. It’s impossible to think of a simpler lighting device.
Lamps are manufactured in a wide range of wattages and overall dimensions. All other modern light sources contain devices that convert the supply voltage to the value necessary for their operation. Although they manage to squeeze them into the standard overall dimensions of a light bulb, the design becomes more complicated and the number of parts in the device increases. And this does not always improve cost and reliability indicators. The incandescent lamp switching circuit does not require any additional elements.
LED lamps have replaced conventional lamps as portable devices: portable light sources powered by batteries and rechargeable batteries. With the same light output, they consume less current, and the overall dimensions of the LED are even smaller than the bulbs previously used in flashlights. And they work more successfully as part of Christmas tree garlands.
It is worth noting another advantage inherent in incandescent light bulbs - their luminescence spectrum is closest to that of the sun than that of all other artificial light sources. And this is a big plus for vision, because it is adapted specifically to the sun, and not to monochrome LEDs.
Due to the thermal inertia of the heated filament, the light from it practically does not pulsate. The same cannot be said about the radiation from other devices, especially luminescent ones, which use a regular inductor rather than a semiconductor circuit as a ballast. And electronics, especially cheap ones, do not always suppress ripple from the network properly. This also affects vision.
But not only health can be damaged by the pulsating nature of the operation of semiconductor devices used in modern light bulbs. Their massive use leads to a sharp change in the shape of the current consumed from the network, which ultimately affects the shape of the voltage. It changes so much in relation to the original (sinusoidal) that it affects the quality of operation of other electrical appliances in the network.
Disadvantages of incandescent lamps
A significant drawback of incandescent light bulbs, which shortens their service life, is its dependence on the value of the supply voltage. As the voltage increases, the filament wears out faster. Lamps are produced for different values of this parameter (up to 240 V), but at the nominal value they shine worse.
A decrease in voltage leads to a sharp change in the intensity of the glow. And vibrations have an even worse effect on the lighting device; with sudden fluctuations, the lamp can burn out.
But the worst thing is that the filament is designed to operate for a long time in a heated state. When heated, its resistivity increases. Therefore, at the moment of switching on, when the thread is cold, its resistance is much less than that at which the glow occurs. This leads to an inevitable current surge at the moment of ignition, leading to the evaporation of tungsten. The greater the number of switches, the shorter the lamp will last.
Devices for smooth starting or that allow you to adjust the brightness of the glow over a wide range help correct the situation.
The most important disadvantage of incandescent light bulbs is their low efficiency. The overwhelming majority of electricity (up to 96%) is spent on useless heating of the surrounding air and radiation in the infrared spectrum. Nothing can be done about this - this is the principle of operation of an incandescent lamp.
Well, one more thing: the glass of the flask is easy to break. But unlike compact fluorescent lamps, which contain a small amount of mercury vapor inside, a broken incandescent lamp, apart from a possible cut, does not threaten the owner in any way.
Halogen lamps
The cause of incandescent lamp burnout is the gradual evaporation of the tungsten from which the filament is made. It becomes thinner, and then the next current surge when turned on melts it at its thinnest point.
Halogen lamps filled with bromine or iodine vapor are designed to eliminate this drawback. When burned, evaporated tungsten combines with halogen. The resulting substance is not able to deposit on the walls of the flask or other relatively cold internal surfaces.
Near the filament, tungsten, under the influence of temperature, is removed from the connection and returned to its place.
The use of halogens solves another problem: the temperature of the spiral can be increased, increasing the luminous output and reducing the size of the lighting device. Therefore, at the same power, the dimensions of halogen lamps are smaller.
Soon after the discovery of electricity, electric lighting devices appeared. For a very long time, incandescent lamps dominated among artificial light sources. In recent years, due to the intensification of the struggle for energy efficiency, new lighting devices - energy-saving fluorescent and LED lamps - are becoming widespread. The action of current is used in light bulbs in different ways; below are descriptions of the types and principles of producing light.
Types of artificial light sources
- An incandescent light bulb is the simplest and cheapest source of artificial light. The conversion of electrical energy into light occurs due to a metal thread in the form of a spiral, highly heated under the influence of an electric current. The operating temperature of the filament is about 2500 °C. A body heated to such a temperature begins to generate electromagnetic radiation in the visible range of the spectrum, in other words, light. The spiral is made of refractory metal, most often tungsten or rhenium. To prevent rapid evaporation and destruction, the filament is placed in a sealed flask. The air is pumped out from the flask, or the flask is filled with an inert gas: nitrogen, argon, krypton.
- Halogen lamps are a type of incandescent lamp with improved characteristics. Inside the bulb of such a lamp there is a so-called “buffer” gas in the form of iodine or bromine halogen vapor. The presence of halogens prevents the evaporation of the spiral metal and its deposition on the walls of the flask. As a result, it becomes possible to increase the temperature to 3000°C. In this case, the size of the bulb can be reduced and the lamp service life increased.
- Gas discharge sources use the phenomenon of gas glow under the influence of electric current (gas discharge). Inside a glass flask filled with gas, a mixture of gases or metal vapors, a current flows between two electrodes located at the ends of the tube, causing the gas to glow. Depending on the composition of the gaseous medium, the color of the glow may be different.
- Luminescent sources are a special case of gas-discharge lamps. In fluorescent lamps, the tube is filled with mercury vapor. An electrical discharge in mercury vapor creates an ultraviolet glow. A special composition, a phosphor, is applied to the surface of the tube. Under the influence of ultraviolet light, the phosphor generates secondary radiation close to daylight, which is where these devices get their name. Depending on the composition of the phosphor, different shades of white light are possible, warmer or cooler. Tint information is usually contained in the lamp labeling and is called color temperature.
- In LED lamps, the light source is a device that emits light when an electric current passes through a solid-state semiconductor crystal. The color of the glow depends on the semiconductor material. The white LED appeared relatively recently. Producing white light became possible with the advent of blue LEDs. In fact, white is formed using a phosphor irradiated with blue or violet radiation from a semiconductor crystal. The color temperature of white LEDs varies widely. An LED is a rather complex device to produce, which is why LED lamps are expensive.
Colorful temperature
Characterizes the shade of white light, expressed in degrees Kelvin and ranges from 1000 to 10,000°K. Low values closer to red are a warm shade, high values, white and blue – cold. Daylight has a color temperature of about 5200 K. The bulk of lighting devices are produced in the range of 2700-6500 K.
As you can see, despite the fact that the production of light is the result of the action of electric current, it is used in different types of electric lamps in their own way. Modern light sources achieve very high efficiency even in comparison with incandescent lamps. LEDs are a real breakthrough in the field of artificial light.
An incandescent lamp is an electric lighting device whose operating principle is determined by heating a filament of refractory metal to high temperatures. The thermal effect of current has been known for a long time (1800). Over time, it causes intense heat (above 500 degrees Celsius), causing the filament to glow. In the country, little things are named after Ilyich; in fact, advanced historians are powerless to give a definitive answer as to who should be called the inventor of the incandescent lamp.
Construction of incandescent lamps
Let's study the structure of the device:
History of incandescent lamps
Spirals were not immediately made from tungsten. Graphite, paper, and bamboo were used. Many people followed a parallel path, creating incandescent lamps.
We are powerless to give a list of 22 names of scientists called by foreign writers as the authors of the invention. It is wrong to attribute merit to Edison and Lodygin. Today, incandescent lamps are far from perfect and are rapidly losing their marketing appeal. Exceeding the amplitude of the supply voltage by 10% (half of the way - 5% - the Russian Federation did in 2003, raising the voltage) of the nominal value reduces the service life by four times. Reducing the parameter naturally reduces the output of the luminous flux: 40% is lost with an equivalent relative change in the characteristics of the supply network downward.
The Pioneers are much worse off. Joseph Swan was desperate to achieve sufficient rarefaction of air in the bulb of an incandescent lamp. The (mercury) pumps of that time were unable to complete the task. The thread burned using the oxygen preserved inside.
The purpose of incandescent lamps is to bring the spirals to the point of heating, the body begins to glow. Difficulties were added by the absence of high-resistance alloys in the mid-19th century - the quota for converting electric current was formed by the increased resistance of the conductive material.
The efforts of pundits were limited to the following areas:
- Choice of thread material. The criteria were both high resistance and combustion resistance. Bamboo fibers, which are an insulator, were coated with a thin layer of conductive graphite. The small area of the conductive layer of coal increased the resistance, giving the desired result.
- However, the wood base quickly ignited. We consider the second direction to be attempts to create a complete vacuum. Oxygen has been known since the end of the 18th century; scientists quickly proved that the element participates in combustion. In 1781, Henry Cavendish determined the composition of the air, starting to develop incandescent lamps, the servants of science knew: the earth's atmosphere destroys heated bodies.
- It is important to convey the tension of the thread. Work was underway with the goal of creating detachable, contact parts of the circuit. It is clear that a thin layer of coal is equipped with a large resistance, how to supply electricity? It’s hard to believe that, trying to achieve acceptable results, they used valuable metals: platinum, silver. Obtaining acceptable conductivity. Using expensive methods, it was possible to avoid heating the external circuit and contacts; the filament became heated.
- Separately, we note the thread of the Edison base, which is still used today (E27). A successful idea that formed the basis of quickly replaceable incandescent light bulbs. Other methods of creating contact, such as soldering, are of little use. The connection can disintegrate when heated by the action of current.
Glassblowers of the 19th century reached professional heights; flasks were easily made. Otto von Guericke, when constructing a static electricity generator, recommended filling a spherical flask with sulfur. The material will harden and break the glass. The result was an ideal ball; when rubbed, it collected a charge, giving it to a steel rod passing through the center of the structure.
Industry pioneers
You can read: the idea of subordinating electricity for lighting purposes was first realized by Sir Humphry Davy. Soon after the creation of the voltaic column, the scientist experimented with metals with all his might. I chose noble platinum for its high melting point - other materials were quickly oxidized by air. They simply burned out. The light source turned out to be dim, giving the basis for hundreds of subsequent developments, showing the direction of movement for those who wanted to get the final result: illumination, with the help of electricity.
It happened in 1802, the scientist was 24 years old, later (1806) Humphry Davy presented to the public a fully functional discharge lighting device, in the design of which two coal rods played a leading role. The short life of such a brilliant luminary in the firmament of science, who gave the world an idea of chlorine, iodine, and a number of alkali metals, should be attributed to constant experiments. Lethal experiments on inhalation of carbon monoxide, work with nitric oxide (a powerful toxic substance). The authors saluted the brilliant exploits that shortened the scientist’s life.
Humphrey abandoned it, cutting out a whole decade of research into lighting devices, always busy. Today Davy is called the father of electrolysis. The Felling Colliery tragedy of 1812 left a deep imprint, darkening the hearts of many. Sir Humphry Davy joined the ranks of those involved in the development of a safe light source that would protect miners. Electricity was scarce and there were no powerful reliable sources of energy. To prevent firedamp from exploding at times, various measures were used, such as a metal mesh diffuser that prevented the spread of flame.
Sir Humphry Davy was far ahead of his time. About 70 years ago. The end of the 19th century brought forth new designs like an avalanche, designed to snatch humanity out of eternal darkness, thanks to the use of electricity. Davy was one of the first to note the dependence of the resistance of materials on temperature, allowing Georg Ohm to later obtain. Half a century later, the discovery formed the basis for the creation of the first electronic thermometer by Karl Wilhelm Siemens.
On October 6, 1835, James Bowman Lindsay demonstrated an incandescent light bulb surrounded by a glass bulb to protect it from the atmosphere. As the inventor put it: one could read a book by dispelling darkness at a distance of one and a half feet from such a source. James Bowman, according to generally accepted sources, is the author of the idea of protecting the filament with a glass bulb. Is it true?
We are inclined to say that this is where world history gets a little confused. The first sketch of such a device dates back to 1820. For some reason attributed to Warren de la Roux. Who was... 5 years old. A lone researcher noticed the absurdity when he set the date... 1840. A kindergartener is powerless to make such a great invention. Moreover, James Bowman’s demonstrations were forgotten in a hurry. Many historical books (one from 1961, by Lewis) interpreted the picture that came from out of nowhere in this way. Apparently, the author was mistaken; another source, 1986 by Joseph Stoer, attributes the invention to Augustus Arthur de la Riva (born 1801). Much better suited to explain James Bowman's demonstrations fifteen years later.
It went unnoticed by the Russian-language domain. English sources interpret the problem as follows: the names de la Roux and de la Rive are clearly mixed up and may concern at least four individuals. Physicists Warren de la Roux and Augustus Arthur de la Rive are mentioned; the first attended kindergarten in 1820, figuratively speaking. The fathers of the men mentioned can clarify the story: Thomas de la Roux (1793 - 1866), Charles Gaspard de la Rive (1770 - 1834). An unknown gentleman (lady) conducted a whole study, convincingly proved that the reference to the de la Roux surname is untenable, citing a mountain of scientific literature from the early 20th to the end of the 19th century.
The unknown person took the trouble to look through Warren de la Roux's patents, and there were nine of them. There are no incandescent lamps of the described design. It is difficult to imagine Augustus Arthur de la Riva, who began publishing scientific works in 1822, inventing the glass flask. He visited England, the birthplace of the incandescent light bulb, and studied electricity. Those interested can write to the author of the article on the English-language site by email [email protected]. “Ezhkov” writes: he will be happy to take into account information related to the issue.
The true inventor of the incandescent light bulb
It is reliably known that in 1879 Edison patented (US Patent 223898) the first incandescent light bulb. Descendants recorded the event. Regarding earlier publications, the authorship is questionable. The commutator engine that gave the world the gift is unknown. Sir Humphry Davy refused to take out a patent for the invented safety lamp for the mine, making the invention publicly available. Such whims create considerable confusion. We are powerless to find out who was the first to come up with the idea of placing a filament inside a glass bulb, ensuring the functionality of the design that is used everywhere.
Incandescent lamps are going out of fashion
An incandescent lamp uses a secondary principle of light production. The thread reaches a high temperature. The efficiency of devices is low, most of the energy is wasted. Modern standards dictate the country to conserve energy. Discharge, LED light bulbs are in fashion. Humphry Davy, de la Roux, de la Rive, Edison, who had a hand and worked to pull humanity out of darkness, will forever remain in the memory.
Please note that Charles Gaspard de la Rive died in 1834. The following fall, the first public demonstration took place... Has anyone found the records of the deceased researcher? Time will resolve the question, for everything secret will be revealed. Readers noticed: an unknown force was pushing Davy to try to use the protective flask to help the miners. The scientist's heart turned out to be too big to see the obvious hint. The Englishman had the necessary information...