SBIR-STTR Award

Fusion Systems has developed a mercury-free, high color rendering, efficient lamp using proprietary but benign lamp fills. They propose to investigate variations of the lamp system parameters with the dual goals of further increasing system efficiency by 1.5 X and to improve lamp starting down to minus 40øC. Both factors are critical toward achieving commercial success. The new lamp is a microwave powered, bright, long lived, stable, 6,700øK light source with a continuous visible spectrum yielding a Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage (CIE) Ra color rendering index of 85. Its small size and spherical shape provide ease of optical control useful in luminaire design. IR and UV radiated output are less than most other discharge lamps. Fusion Systems will perform energy balances for various benign lamp fills, bulb coating, cooling and power input. In an iterative process, they will use these measurements to formulate predictive statistical lamp models and derive improved lamp configurations. At the same time, they will examine possible lamp starting schemes using variations in lamp fill, initial electrical conditions, and external starting radiation

Fusion Systems Corporation's efficient, mercury-free, lamp has the potential of significant environmental mercury reduction by removing all mercury from light sources and by the reduction of electrical energy consumption. During Phase I, they estimated the 96 LPW, buss bar, can be achieved in two years in a high-power mercury-free electrodeless, 480,000 lumen source. The 96 LPW figure represents a 140% improvement, closer to their Phase I objective of 150%. During Phase II, they will focus on improving bulb efficacy and starting, using the energy-saving ideas developed during Phase I. At the conclusion of Phase II work, they will have available tested high-efficiency mercury-free prototype bulbs. The major application, centralized/distributed lighting, would replace commercial fluorescent lamps with a high, efficiency mercury-free source. Centralized/distributed lighting has the potential to significantly reduce the total energy requirements associated with the heating, cooling, and illuminating of commercial and industrial buildings. Key to unlocking this commercial opportunity is the development of high powered, compact, high efficiency light sources that can be easily coupled to a centralized light distribution system.