Incandescent light bulb
In 1761, Ebenezer Kinnersley demonstrated heating a wire to incandescence. However such wires tended to melt or oxidize very rapidly in the presence of air. Limelight became a popular form of stage lighting in the early 19th century by heating calcium oxide with an oxyhydrogen torch. In 1802, Humphry Davy used what he described as a battery of immense size consisting of 2,000 cells housed in the basement of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. He created an incandescent light by passing current through a thin strip of platinum chosen because the metal had an extremely high melting point. It was not bright enough nor did it last long enough to be practical but it set the precedent for scores of experimenters over the next 75 years. For the next 40 years much research focused on turning the carbon arc lamp into a practical means of lighting. The carbon arc itself was dim and violet in color emitting most energy in ultraviolet wavelengths. Arc lamps burned up their carbon rods very rapidly and expelled dangerous carbon monoxide. They were only practical for lighting large areas so researchers continued searching for ways to make lamps suitable for home use. Over the first three-quarters of the 19th century many experimenters worked with various combinations of platinum or iridium wires and carbon rods inside evacuated or semi-evacuated enclosures. Many devices were demonstrated and some were patented. In 1835 James Bowman Lindsay demonstrated a constant electric light at a public meeting in Dundee Scotland. He stated that he could read a book at a distance of one and a half feet. However he did not develop the electric light any further.
Joseph Swan began working with carbonized paper filaments in an evacuated glass bulb in 1850. By 1860 he was able to demonstrate a working device but the lack of a good vacuum resulted in short lifetime. With help from Charles Stearn an expert on vacuum pumps in 1878 Swan developed a method avoiding early bulb blackening. This received a British Patent in 1880. On the 18th of December 1878 a lamp using a slender carbon rod was demonstrated at a meeting of the Newcastle Chemical Society though it only worked for a few minutes. The society's building became the first public building lit by electricity when shown to 700 attendees on the 3rd of February 1879. His house Underhill Low Fell Gateshead became the first home in the world lit by a lightbulb. In 1881 the Savoy Theatre in London became the first theatre lit entirely by electricity. Thomas Edison began serious research into developing a practical incandescent lamp in 1878. He filed his first patent application for Improvement in Electric Lights on the 14th of October 1878. The first successful test occurred on the 22nd of October 1879 and lasted 13.5 hours. By the 4th of November 1879 he filed for a US patent for an electric lamp using a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires granted the 27th of January 1880. Edison and his team later discovered that a carbonized bamboo filament could last more than 1,200 hours. In 1880 the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company steamer Columbia became the first application for Edison's lamps. It was also the first ship to use a dynamo. On the 4th of March 1880 Alessandro Cruto developed a process creating thin carbon filaments by heating platinum in gaseous ethyl alcohol. At the Munich Electrical Exhibition in Bavaria Germany in 1882 Cruto demonstrated bulbs more efficient than Edison's producing better whiter light. Lewis Latimer employed at Edison developed improved heat-treating methods reducing breakage allowing novel shapes like the M shape of Maxim filaments. On the 17th of January 1882 Latimer received a patent for Process of Manufacturing Carbons purchased by United States Electric Light Company. In Britain Edison and Swan companies merged into Edison and Swan United Electric Company later known as Ediswan.
In 1897 German physicist Walther Nernst developed the Nernst lamp using ceramic globar not requiring vacuum or inert gas enclosure. Twice as efficient as carbon filament lamps it remained briefly popular until overtaken by metal filaments. US575002A patent on the 1st of December 1897 to Alexander Lodygin described filaments made of rare metals including tungsten. Lodygin invented a process where rare metals chemically treated and heat-vaporized onto temporary base wires. In 1902 Siemens developed tantalum lamp filament more efficient than graphitized carbon since operating at higher temperature. Tantalum metal had lower resistivity so filaments were quite long requiring multiple internal supports. Metal filaments gradually shortened in use installed with large slack loops becoming fragile after several hundred hours. From 1898 to around 1905 osmium used as filament in lamps made by Carl Auer von Welsbach. The metal was so expensive that used lamps returned for partial credit could not be made for 110 V or 220 V circuits. Tungsten filament lamps first marketed by Hungarian company Tungsram in 1904 often called Tungsram-bulbs in many European countries. On the 13th of December 1904 Hungarian Sándor Just and Croatian Franjo Hanaman granted Hungarian patent No. 34541 for tungsten filament lasting longer giving brighter light than carbon. By 1911 General Electric began selling incandescent bulbs with ductile tungsten wire developed by William D. Coolidge. In 1916 Irving Langmuir patented device filling lamp with inert gas nitrogen then argon instead of vacuum resulting twice luminous efficacy reducing bulb blackening. Burnie Lee Benbow granted patent the 17th of January 1917 for coiled coil filament wrapped into coil using mandrel. Junichi Miura created first double-coil bulb using coiled coil tungsten filament while working for Hakunetsusha predecessor of Toshiba.
Early bulbs laboriously assembled by hand until automatic machinery developed reducing costs significantly. Until 1910 when Libbey's Westlake machine went into production bulbs generally produced by team of three workers blowing into wooden or cast-iron molds coated paste. Around 1880s Corning Glass Works produced about 150 bulbs per hour via hand-blowing process. The Westlake machine based on adaptation of Owens-Libbey bottle-blowing machine enabled mass production. Corning Glass Works soon developing competing automated machines first used in production was E-Machine. Corning continued developing automated bulb-production installing Ribbon Machine in 1926 at Wellsboro Pennsylvania factory surpassing previous attempts. Inventor William Woods along colleague David E. Gray created machine producing 1,000 bulbs per minute by 1939. Typical machine produces 50,000 to 120,000 bulbs per hour depending size. By 1970s fifteen ribbon machines installed worldwide produced entire supply incandescent bulbs. Filament supports assembled glass stem fused bulb air pumped out evacuation tube sealed flame inserted lamp base whole assembly tested. 2016 closing Osram-Sylvania Wellsboro plant meant one last remaining ribbon machines United States shut down. Early light bulbs carbon filaments also used carbon monoxide nitrogen mercury vapor but effect fill gas not significant heat losses offset benefits.
Less than 5% power consumed typical tungsten incandescent light bulb converted visible light rest emitted invisible infrared radiation. Light bulbs rated luminous efficacy ratio amount visible light emitted electrical power consumed measured lumens per watt lm/W. Luminous efficiency source defined ratio luminous efficacy maximum possible luminous efficacy 683 lm/W. Ideal white light source produce about 250 lumens per watt corresponding luminous efficiency 37%. For given quantity light incandescent consumes more power emits more heat most other types electric light. Buildings using air conditioning incandescent lamps heat output increases load air conditioning system Peter Lund Helsinki University Technology reported the 23rd of October 2007 page C5. While heat lights reduce need run building heating latter usually produce same amount lower cost than incandescent lights. During heating season heat produced bulbs not wasted though most cases more cost effective obtain heat from building heating system. Regardless course year efficient lighting system saves energy nearly all climates. Table lists luminous efficacy efficiency several types incandescent bulb. 40 W tungsten incandescent 120 V general service overall luminous efficiency 1.9% 12.6 lm/W. 60 W tungsten incandescent 120 V general service overall luminous efficiency 2.1% 14.5 lm/W. 100 W tungsten incandescent 120 V general service overall luminous efficiency 2.6% 17.5 lm/W. Glass halogen overall luminous efficiency 2.3% 16 lm/W. Quartz halogen overall luminous efficiency 3.5% 24 lm/W. Photographic projection lamps very high filament temperatures short lifetimes overall luminous efficiency 5.1% 35 lm/W. Theoretical maximum tungsten filament incandescent bulb overall luminous efficiency 7.6% 52 lm/W.
Since incandescent light bulbs use more energy alternatives compact fluorescent lamps CFLs LED lamps many governments introduced measures ban setting minimum efficacy standards higher achieved incandescent lamps. Measures implemented European Union United States Russia Brazil Argentina Canada Australia among others. European Commission calculated ban contributes economy saves 40 TWh electricity every year translating emission reductions Nicholas A. Howarth Jan Rosenow Energy Policy 67 2014 pages 737, 746. Objections include higher initial cost alternatives lower quality light fluorescent lamps resistance government regulation. Some people concerns health effects fluorescent lamps. 2008 opinion European Commission Scientific Committee Emerging Newly Identified Health Risks found some compact florescent lamps available time emitted higher levels UV blue light aggravate symptoms conditions making light sensitive. 2017 review World Journal Biological Psychiatry reported blue-rich white LED lighting suppress melatonin disrupt sleep circadian rhythms potential implications mental illness. Efforts improve efficacy commercial incandescent lamps. In 2007 General Electric announced high efficiency incandescent HEI lamp project claimed ultimately four times efficient current incandescents though initial production goal approximately twice efficient. HEI program terminated 2008 due slow progress US Department Energy research Sandia National Laboratories initially indicated potential dramatically improved efficiency photonic lattice filament later work indicated initially promising results error. Prompted legislation various countries mandating increased bulb efficiency hybrid incandescent bulbs introduced Philips Halogena Energy Saver produce about 23 lm/W 30% more efficient traditional incandescents using reflective capsule reflect formerly wasted infrared radiation back filament re-emitted visible light concept pioneered Duro-Test 1980 commercial product produced 29.8 lm/W.
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Common questions
Who invented the first practical incandescent light bulb and when was it demonstrated?
Joseph Swan developed a working incandescent light bulb using carbonized paper filaments in 1850. He successfully demonstrated his lamp on the 3rd of February 1879 at a meeting of the Newcastle Chemical Society.
When did Thomas Edison file his patent for an electric lamp with a carbon filament?
Thomas Edison filed his US patent application for an electric lamp using a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires on the 4th of November 1879. The patent was granted on the 27th of January 1880.
What year were tungsten filament lamps first marketed by Hungarian company Tungsram?
Tungsten filament lamps were first marketed by the Hungarian company Tungsram in 1904. These bulbs are often called Tungsram-bulbs in many European countries.
How efficient is a typical 60 W tungsten incandescent light bulb compared to its power consumption?
A 60 W tungsten incandescent light bulb operating at 120 V has an overall luminous efficiency of 2.1% and produces 14.5 lumens per watt. Less than 5% of the power consumed is converted into visible light while the rest is emitted as invisible infrared radiation.
Which government bodies implemented bans on incandescent light bulbs due to energy inefficiency?
Measures banning incandescent light bulbs were implemented by governments including the European Union, United States, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Canada, and Australia. The European Commission calculated that these bans contribute to saving 40 TWh of electricity every year.