Nitrogen Application in Incandescent Light Bulbs

Introduction

Even after the advent of CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps), and halogens, the large part of Indian population still relies on incandescent light bulbs for illumination. The reason? They are cheap, although they use up more electricity. Incandescent bulbs are the standard bulbs everyone is familiar with.

How Do They Work?

Incandescent bulbs work by using electricity to heat a tungsten filament in the bulb until it glows. The filament is either in a vacuum (rarely) or in a mixture of argon/nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is a preferred option as it is cheaper. Most of the energy consumed by the bulb is given off as heat, causing its Lumens per Watt performance to be low. Because of the filament's high temperature, the tungsten tends to evaporate and collect on the sides of the bulb. The inherent imperfections in the filament causes it to become thinner unevenly. When a bulb is turned on, the sudden surge of energy can cause the thin areas to heat up much faster than the rest of the filament, which in turn causes the filament to break and the bulb to burn out.Inert gases like nitrogen reduce filament evaporation, cooling the filament, thereby extending the bulb’s life. Incandescent bulbs produce a steady warm, light that is good for most household applications. A standard incandescent bulb can last for 700-1000 hours, and can be used with a dimmer.

Incandescent light bulb manufacturers have a constant need for argon and nitrogen, and thus mostly have nitrogen generators or nitrogen plants on their facilities. These are cost efficient and provide ease of access. Mobile nitrogen plants are also a thing nowadays, which can be moved from one place to another, and prove to be quite useful.