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Difference between revisions of "Osram HQI-E"
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The lamp technology was an improvement of previously developed mercury vapour lamps. The potential for fluorescent powders was mostly exhausted by early 70s which meant that research concentrated on releasing better lamps that produced light directly from the discharge tube. This research was also carried previously but results were modest, as stable compounds with good colour reproduction were found to be quite aggressive and lead to short service life. Sodium, Scandium, Indium, Thallium were attempted as main elements that can offer a balanced light output but they required a specific balance of temperature and pressure to achieve best results. One major limitation was that certain compounds were costly or difficult to manufacture or mix in specific amounts, which meant that suitable results could not be found for many decades. In the late 70s and early 80s most major manufactures were able to center on specific technologies that reached good enough results for general lighting, with predictable performance. | The lamp technology was an improvement of previously developed mercury vapour lamps. The potential for fluorescent powders was mostly exhausted by early 70s which meant that research concentrated on releasing better lamps that produced light directly from the discharge tube. This research was also carried previously but results were modest, as stable compounds with good colour reproduction were found to be quite aggressive and lead to short service life. Sodium, Scandium, Indium, Thallium were attempted as main elements that can offer a balanced light output but they required a specific balance of temperature and pressure to achieve best results. One major limitation was that certain compounds were costly or difficult to manufacture or mix in specific amounts, which meant that suitable results could not be found for many decades. In the late 70s and early 80s most major manufactures were able to center on specific technologies that reached good enough results for general lighting, with predictable performance. | ||
The HQI- | The HQI-E range was the result of research aimed at creating lower powered metal hallide lamps that had better colour reproduction and energy efficiency compared with high pressure mercury vapour lamps. The most important limiting factor was that the arc tube had to be formed more evenly at the ends and be reasonably well insulated and heat resistant to ensure reasonable performance. More advanced manufacturing tools and processes had to be developed. The arc tube was well built to resist the long term corrosive nature of hallides. It was also important to ensure less variations in arc tube geometry as well as temperature profile. This meant that heat reflecting coatings were mandatory for the arc tube. As soon as all these conditions were met, the lamp was released. Osram had superior manufacturing technology that allowed better performing lamps but the range itself was confusing, as inconsistencies between different lamp types are hard to undestand. | ||
Products were quite successful on the market until the advent of the much improved ceramic tube metal hallide lamps, around mid 1990s. Although ceramic hallide lamps were much more expensive, their better colour reproduction, lamp life and efficiency meant that there were few reason to choose HQI- | Products were quite successful on the market until the advent of the much improved ceramic tube metal hallide lamps, around mid 1990s. Although ceramic hallide lamps were much more expensive, their better colour reproduction, lamp life and efficiency meant that there were few reason to choose HQI-E lamps. However, the higher wattage and white appearance choices made this lamp range more appreciated on the market than the Philips HPI lamps, especially on markets where variety was valued. Although less affected than Philips due to market stability in many countries, Osram HQI-E lamp installations were experiencing a slow demise. While LED light sources were taking over the market in late 2000s, Osram did not heavily promote LED lamps as much as Philips did. | ||
== Manufacturing specificities == | == Manufacturing specificities == | ||