Advanced Lighting Technologies and Electrical Components

Types of Radiation in Lighting

Termorradiación: This has its origin in the excitation of atoms via thermal means. Electrorradiación: This stems from the excitement resulting from collisions between atoms and ions within an electric field. Fotorradiación: This has its origin in the excitation of atoms by the absorption of radiation whose photons possess their own energy.

Classification of Lamps and Lighting Systems

Incandescent Lamps

Incandescent: Termorradiación that does not need a complex installation; it connects directly to the network and operates by heating a filament. There are three types: 1. Standard, 2. Halogen, and 3. PAR.

Mercury Vapor and Mixed Light

Mercury Vapor: Based on electrorradiación, light is obtained by the electrical discharge of mercury and inert gas. It requires a reactance and a capacitor. It features low lighting levels, is suitable for pedestrian traffic areas, and offers good luminous efficiency.

Mixed Light: Electrorradiación connected directly to the network. It is a mixture of mercury and incandescent technology, replacing incandescent lamps with low luminous efficiency. Its lifespan is approximately 6,000 hours.

Sodium Vapor Lamps

Low-Pressure Sodium Vapor: Electrorradiación with an ignition voltage of 350-600V. It requires a ballast and a capacitor (35 to 55W) and also uses a starter.

High-Pressure Sodium Vapor: Electrorradiación requiring a high voltage peak of 2000V, a ballast, a starter, and a capacitor.

Metal Halides and Fluorescent Lighting

Metal Halides: Electrorradiación based on mercury vapor with peak voltages from 800 to 5000V. It requires a reactance, a capacitor, and a starter. These are used for sports lighting and provide excellent color rendition.

Fluorescent: Fotorradiación that transforms invisible radiation into other long-wave visible radiation. It uses a starter (cebador) and reactance, but no capacitor. It is used for street lighting, and the lamp is classified according to its half-life and color.

Starters and Ballasts in Lighting Circuits

Types of Starters

• Independent or Overlap Starters: When the capacitor discharges through the trigger circuit on the primary turns, it amplifies the voltage pulse to the lamp without weakening the impulse. These are used for high-pressure (AP) sodium vapor lamps and metal halides.
• Starter with Pulse Transformer Reactance: Reactance equipped with intermediate-making, subject to high peak voltages. It is installed along with the reactance and is low cost.
• Independent 2-Wire Starter: The energy of the capacitor is returned to the lamp at 600 to 1200V peak. It is used for metal halides and sodium vapor. It is not affected by distance or cable capacity.

Ballast and Capacitor Functions

• Shock Ballast: Features a reactance and capacitor in series with the lamp; it is the most commonly used type.
• Self-Transformative Ballast: Features 2 coils, raising the tension so that the lamp switches on.
• Self-Regulating Ballast: Features 2 coils and a capacitor starter, providing good power supply regulation against variations in the network.
• Two Power Levels: Designed for power savings, it reduces current and power, achieving up to 40% savings.
• Capacitor: Serves as a regulator and current compensator.