What is an Incandescent Lamp?
The incandescent lamp or light or bulb is an electric light source that works through the incandescence phenomenon that means the light emission can be caused by filament heating. These lamps are available in different sizes with different voltages and wattages. Here, the voltage range of these bulbs ranges from 1.5V to 300V. The incandescent lamp symbol is shown below.
Bulb Symbol
Bulb Symbol
Incandescent lamps are the most frequently used bulbs at a reasonable cost. These lamps will glow once electrical current flows throughout a filament then they generate high brightness that is matched through large energy utilization. These bulbs are especially for task lighting and they have a light expectancy of approximately 800 hours. So these bulbs are frequently used with a dimmer in many applications.
Incandescent Lamp Construction
The construction of an incandescent lamp can be done by using different parts like a Glass bulb, Inert gas, Tungsten filament, Contact wire to foot, Contact wire to base, Support wires, Glass mount or support, Base contact wire, Screw threads, Insulation, and Electrical foot contact.
Incandescent Lamp Construction
Incandescent Lamp Construction
Glass Bulb
An incandescent lamp has a glass enclosure including a tungsten filament.
Inert Gas
The inert gas used to fill the light bulb is argon/nitrogen to reduce the evaporation of the filament. So it increases the life of the lamp by preventing the filament from falling too quickly.
Tungsten Filament
The Filament in the lamp is the thread or wire that lights up once you turn it on. The material used to make this filament is Tungsten metal because the melting point of this is very high and also heat resistant.
Contact Wires
The base of the bulb with two connections is called contact wires which provide electrical connections toward the filament.
Support Wires
Support wires are small wires which are connected to the stem to give support to the filament of the lamp.
Glass Mount or Support
Incandescent light bulbs include a glass mount that is connected to the base of the lap which permits the electrical contacts to run throughout the envelope without air or gas leaks.
Screw Thread
Most of the lamps screw into a socket. In household bulbs, a medium screw base is used which is called an Edison screw. Its diameter is 1¹⁄16 inches including seven threads for every inch.
Insulation
The base of the lamp is made of brass originally & protected with plaster of Paris & after that porcelain. Nowadays, aluminum is used at the outside of the lamp & glass is used to protect the inner base so that a stronger base can be formed.
Electrical Foot Contact
At the base of a lamp or light bulb is known as electrical foot contacts which are coated with a material to protect the electricity. These two contacts will help in connecting with an electricity source.
Incandescent Lamp Working
An incandescent lamp mainly works on the incandescence principle which means the light can be generated through heat. In this type of lamp, the current is supplied throughout a thin metal filament. Once the filament is heated then it glows to generate light.
Generally, these lamps use a tungsten filament due to their high melting point. The filament in this bulb can reach 4,500 degrees F temperatures. A glass enclosure avoids oxygen within the air from reaching the filament otherwise the filament gets overheated & oxidized within seconds. This incandescent lamp works quite well in generating light. So it is suitable for a wide range of applications.
Types of Incandescent Lamp
Incandescent lamps are available in two types like gas-filled lamps and halogen lamps.
Gas-Filled Lamps
These lamps are used to generate light from an incandescent filament that operates in an inert gas ambiance. The addition of the inert gas will suppress the evaporation of the filament, which enhances the life span of the lamp.
Gas Filled Lamps
Gas Filled Lamps
These lamps use more power to attain a similar filament temperature as compared to vacuum lamps. The gas around the filament cools while evaporation is suppressed & decreases the relocation of faded tungsten toward the wall of the bulb. The maximum operating temperature of these lamps will generate more output light for each watt of i/p power to use in dangerous applications.
Halogen Lamp
The latest incandescent lamps are halogen lamps which provide several benefits over the normal incandescent lamp. The life & efficiency of these lamps decreases because of the slow fading of the filament & black deposit within the bulb.
Halogen Lamp
Halogen Lamp
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