Improved Characteristics of Inductively Coupled Electrodeless Metal Halide Lamps

Methods were investigated to improve the lamp characteristics of inductively coupled electrodeless metal halide lamps to make them practical. First, evaluating lamp efficacy by adjusting the lamp parameters showed that a lamp efficacy of 180 lm/W (Including coil loss: 151lm/W) white color could be attained. Second, the conditions generating free iodine and bulb deterioration, the main factors limiting the life of these lamps, were investigated. For long-life-type lamps, which had 130 lm/W of lamp efficacy, the lamp lumen level did not decrease during 21,000 hours of overload operation (corresponding to 58,000 hours of rated-load operation). These lamps thus have excellent lumen maintenance and life performance compared with conventional electrode metal halide lamps. Third, improving circuit reliability by decreasing the Q value of the resonant circuit was investigated for long-life-tpye lamps which had 145 lm/W of lamp efficacy. The relationship between the Q value and the lamp parameters was analyzed, and the Q value was decreased to 78% its value while maintaining the same lamp performance.