Comparison of incandescent, compact fluorescent and LED lamps in terms of heating temperature and power consumption

The modern lighting market today is represented not only by a variety of lamps, but also by light sources. Some of the oldest light bulbs of our time are incandescent lamps (ILVs).

Even taking into account the fact that today there are more advanced light sources, incandescent lamps are still widely used by people to illuminate various types of rooms. Here we will consider such an important parameter of these lamps as heating temperature during operation, as well as color temperature.

Features of the light source

Incandescent lamps are the very first source of electric light that was invented by man. These products can have different power (from 5 to 200 W). But the most commonly used models are 60 W.

Note! The biggest disadvantage of incandescent lamps is their high electricity consumption. Because of this, the number of LNs that are actively used as a light source decreases every year.

Before you begin to consider parameters such as heating temperature and color temperature, you need to understand the design features of such lamps, as well as the principle of its operation. An incandescent lamp, during its operation, converts electrical energy passing through a tungsten filament (spiral) into light and heat. Today, radiation, according to its physical characteristics, is divided into two types:

Incandescent lamp device

• thermal;
• luminescent.

By thermal, which is typical for incandescent lamps, we mean light radiation. The glow of an incandescent light bulb is based on thermal radiation. Incandescent lamps consist of:

• glass flask;
• refractory tungsten filament (part of the spiral). An important element of the entire lamp, since if the filament is damaged, the light bulb stops glowing;
• base

During the operation of such lamps, the t0 of the filament increases due to the passage of electrical energy in the form of current through it. To avoid rapid burnout of the filament in the spiral, air is pumped out of the flask. Note! In more advanced models of incandescent lamps, which are halogen bulbs, instead of a vacuum, an inert gas is pumped into the bulb. The tungsten filament is installed in a spiral, which is fixed to the electrodes. In a spiral, the thread is in the middle. The electrodes to which the spiral and tungsten filament are installed, respectively, are soldered to different elements: one to the metal sleeve of the base, and the second to the metal contact plate. As a result of this design of the electric light bulb, the current passing through the spiral causes heating (an increase in t0 inside the bulb) of the filament, as it overcomes its resistance.

A few words about the design

LED lamps are a complex electronic device, the design of which is divided into several parts:

• Diffuser. It is a glass or plastic flask that serves to uniformly disperse the light flux.
• The chips are light-emitting diodes.
• The printed circuit board is the platform on which the LEDs are mounted. Made from material with high thermal conductivity.
• The radiator is a structure made of material with high thermal conductivity. Serves to remove heat.
• The driver is an LED power supply, used to convert the alternating voltage of a 220-volt electrical network into the power necessary for the normal operation of the LEDs.
• The socket is an important element that serves to connect the light bulb to the lamp socket.

It is clear from the design that the LED lamps heat up, and to remove the generated heat, a radiator made of a special material with high thermal conductivity is installed.

The radiator in an LED light bulb is designed to remove heat from its only heating part - a group of LEDs. In this light fixture, neither the bulb nor the base heats up (provided there is normal contact with the socket). The release of thermal energy occurs only on the LED crystals, and heat is removed from them.

Working principle of a light bulb

Working incandescent lamp

Heating of the LN during operation occurs due to the design features of the light source. It is precisely because of the strong heating during operation that the operating time of the lamps is significantly reduced, which makes them not so profitable today. In this case, due to heating of the filament, t0 of the flask itself increases.

The operating principle of the LN is based on the conversion of electrical energy that passes through the spiral threads into light radiation. In this case, the temperature of the heated thread can reach 2600-3000 oC.

Note! The melting point for tungsten, from which the spiral threads are made, is 3200-3400 °C. As we can see, normally the heating temperature of the filament cannot lead to the beginning of the melting process.

The spectrum of lamps with this structure differs markedly from the spectrum of daylight. For such a lamp, the spectrum of emitted light will be characterized by a predominance of red and yellow rays. It is worth noting that the flasks of more modern LN (halogen) models are not evacuated, and also do not contain a spiral thread. Instead, inert gases (argon, nitrogen, krypton, xenon and argon) are pumped into the flask. Such design improvements led to the fact that the heating temperature of the flask during operation decreased somewhat.

Incandescent lamp device

The main parts that make up the LN design are the base, vessel, electrodes, holders for filament filaments, filament body, contacts and insulation. In Figure 10 you can see the structure of a light bulb.

Before purchasing a lamp, it is advisable to consult a specialist. It is not recommended to choose an unknown manufacturer, as you may end up with defective products that will not work as expected, or even rupture under voltage. Quality manufacturers always provide a guarantee of at least 30 days on incandescent lamps. The buyer has the full right to exchange the product or return the money if the lamp's operation was less than 10 hours or it burned out instantly.

In conclusion, it should be noted that incandescent lamps have long ceased to be popular among people. However, it must be emphasized that among such products there is a huge selection, for cars, street lighting, airplanes and so on. Unfortunately, LN cannot be used near products made of wood. Since sometimes there is strong heating and rupture of the spiral, which can cause an emergency situation.

Advantages and disadvantages of the light source

Despite the fact that today the light source market is replete with a wide variety of models, incandescent lamps are still quite common on it. Here you can find products for different amounts of W (from 5 to 200 W and above). The most popular light bulbs are from 20 to 60 W, as well as 100 W.

Range of choice

LN continue to be used quite widely because they have their own advantages:

• when turned on, the light ignites almost instantly;
• small dimensions;
• low cost;
• models with only vacuum inside the flask are environmentally friendly products.

It is precisely these advantages that determine the fact that LNs are still quite in demand in the modern world. In homes and workplaces today you can easily find representatives of these lighting products rated at 60 W and higher. Note! A large percentage of LN use relates to industry. Often powerful models (200 W) are used here. But incandescent lamps also have a fairly impressive list of disadvantages, which include:

• the presence of blinding brightness of light emanating from lamps during operation. As a result, the use of special protective screens is required;
• During operation, heating of the filament, as well as the flask itself, is observed. Due to the strong heating of the flask, if even a small amount of water gets on its surface, an explosion is possible. Moreover, heating of the bulb occurs for all light bulbs (at least 60 W, at least lower or higher);

Note! Increasing the heating of the flask still carries a certain degree of danger of injury. The increased temperature of the glass flask, when touched with unprotected skin, can cause a burn. Therefore, such lamps should not be placed in lamps that a child can easily reach. In addition, damage to the glass bulb can cause cuts or other injuries.

Tungsten filament glow

• high electricity consumption;
• if they fail, they cannot be repaired;
• low service life. Incandescent lamps quickly fail due to the fact that when the light is turned on or off, the filament of the spiral can be damaged due to frequent heating.

As you can see, using LN carries many more disadvantages than advantages. The most important disadvantages of incandescent paws are considered to be heating due to the increase in temperature inside the bulb, as well as high energy consumption. Moreover, this applies to all lamp options with a power from 5 to 60 W and higher.

Where does thermal energy come from and where is it spent?

Like most well-known lighting devices, LED analogues have a conversion rate of energy into useful emitted power of less than 100 percent – ​​it ranges from 30-40%. The reasons for this are hidden in the features of the design and functioning of radiating elements of this class. To understand where the vast majority of energy is spent, you should familiarize yourself with the intricacies of the conversion processes occurring inside the LEDs.

Their work is based on physical principles that are very different from those processes observed in fluorescent or conventional incandescent lamps. LED bulbs do not heat up in the truest sense of the word. They do not dissipate thermal energy into the surrounding space, since they spend it on heating the internal crystal of the emitter.

If heat is not purposefully removed from the semiconductor junction, the element crystal, under certain conditions, runs the risk of overheating and then completely burning out. Therefore, devices included in high-power LED products require special heat removal. The design of LED lamps with individual light bulbs placed in them provides a special substrate that performs this function. This technique makes it possible to maintain the integrity of the LEDs with a high degree of probability and extend their service life.

Important Evaluation Parameters

One of the most important parameters of LN operation is the light coefficient. This parameter has the form of the ratio of the radiation power of the visible spectrum and the power of consumed electricity. For this product this is a fairly small value, which does not exceed 4%. That is, LN is characterized by low light output. Other important operating parameters include:

• light flow;
• color t0 or glow color;
• power;
• life time.

Let's consider the first two parameters, since we figured out the service life in the previous paragraph.

Light flow

Luminous flux is a physical quantity that determines the amount of luminous power in a particular stream of light emission. In addition, there is another important aspect, such as light output. It determines for a lamp the ratio of the luminous flux emitted by the lamp to the power it consumes. Luminous output is measured in lm/W.

Note! Luminous efficiency is an indicator of the economy and efficiency of light sources.

Table of luminous flux and luminous efficiency of incandescent lamps

As you can see, for our light source the above values ​​are at a low level, which indicates their low efficiency.

Light bulb color

Color temperature (t0) is also an important indicator. Color t0 is a characteristic of the intensity of light emitted by a light bulb and is a function of the wavelength defined for the optical range. This parameter is measured in kelvins (K).

Color temperature for incandescent lamp

It is worth noting that the color temperature for LN is approximately 2700 K (for light sources with a power of 5 to 60 W and above). Color t0 LN is in the red and thermal tint region of the visible spectrum. Color t0 fully corresponds to the degree of heating of the tungsten filament, which prevents the FL from quickly failing.

Note! For other light sources (such as LED light bulbs), color temperature does not reflect how warm they are. With an LN heating parameter of 2700 K, the LED will warm up by only 80ºC.

Thus, the greater the power of the LN (from 5 to 60 W and higher), the greater the heating of the tungsten filament and the bulb itself will occur. Accordingly, the greater the color t0 will be. Below is a table where you can compare the efficiency and power consumption of different types of light bulbs. The control group with which comparison is being made here includes LNs with a power of 20 to 60 and up to 200 W.

Comparative table of powers of different light sources

As you can see, incandescent lamps in this parameter are significantly inferior to other light sources in terms of power consumption.

Adapters for sockets

Adapters are designed for installing lamps with different socket standards, for example, if you need to screw a regular apartment light bulb into a powerful industrial socket. There are also adapters that allow you to use light bulbs of a different shape.

The type of base, voltage and power of the light bulb are its most important technical characteristics. They are taken into account when buying a lighting fixture. The voltage is usually standard - 220 volts. The user chooses the power at his own discretion. You will have to tinker with the fasteners.

If you are purchasing a light bulb for a chandelier, you should definitely find out the size of the socket. If it cannot be determined visually, then information about the type of base can be found in the technical documentation for the lamp.

Expert opinion

It-Technology, Electrical power and electronics specialist

Ask questions to the “Specialist for modernization of energy generation systems”

Pros and Cons of Use The color temperature of incandescent and halogen lamps is approximately 2800K, it is considered more comfortable and familiar and is best suited for bedrooms and living rooms, creating a traditionally warm and cozy feeling in these rooms. Ask, I'm in touch!

Lighting technology and glow color

In lighting technology, the most important parameter for a light source is its color t0. Thanks to it, you can determine the color tone and chromaticity of light sources.

Color Temperature Options

The color t0 of light bulbs is determined by the color tone and comes in three types:

• cold (from 5000 to 120000K);
• neutral (from 4000 to 50000K);
• warm (from 1850 to 20000K). It is given by a stearic suppository.

Note! When considering the color temperature of the LN, it should be remembered that it does not coincide with the real thermal temperature of the product, which is felt when you touch it with your hand.

For LN, the color temperature ranges from 2200 to 30000K. Therefore, they can have radiation close to ultraviolet.

How does it work in everyday life?

The indicator under consideration affects not only the quality of lighting, but also a person’s perception of the situation and even his well-being. If you keep a few aspects in mind and stick to them, you can achieve better results without much hassle.

How perception depends

A person receives 90% of information about the world around him through vision. Therefore, the perception of the situation largely depends on lighting. Color temperature allows you to decorate a room as needed in a given situation:

1. Warm light , usually 2800-3200 Kelvin, ideal for a bedroom or recreation area. It puts you in a calm mood, helps you relax and have a good rest.
2. Natural shades (about 4000) create conditions in which you can work and relax. The neutral option provides the best color rendition without unnecessarily straining your eyesight.
3. Cool tones (more than 6000) create good conditions for precise work. But at the same time, staying in such conditions for a long time is undesirable. This option is often used when decorating shop windows.