Development of a Distributed Advanced High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting System with Instant Light to Directly Replace Incandescent Accent Lighting

76111S Efficient accent lighting systems using distributed lighting do not have instant light when turned on. Until this instant light function is added, incandescent and halogen accent lights, which use about 0.25 quads of energy, will remain as one of the last lighting applications without a cost effective, energy efficient solution. This project will develop a distributed lighting system that can run eight points of light from one high efficiency metal halide lamp and ballast. The improved system will use 80% less energy, have instant light capability, and be cost competitive with halogen systems by splitting the cost of lamp and ballast over eight points. In Phase I, a series of lamp and ballast design tests were conducted to determine the characteristics required for instant light starting, while preserving 80% of system efficiency. The lamp parameters tested included electrode design, fill-gas type, and fill-gas pressure. The ballast parameters included starting pulse voltage, pulse width, pulse repetition, and minimum warm up drive current. Feasibility was demonstrated in operable samples that warmed up to 20% of final light output in as little as one second. In Phase II, final lamp parameters will be determined through structured engineering tests on lamp body size, wall thickness, and inner wall shape. The gas and electrodes will be optimized for manufacturability, and the ballast concept will be developed into a manufacturable design. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The lighting system should provide the energy efficiency of a metal halide lamp at the cost and instant-on ability of a halogen lamp. Applications include: supermarkets, where the lack of infrared radiation would permit food to stay fresh longer; clothing and jewelry stores at malls, where savings in energy usage and the costs of lamps will be significant; and office buildings where low fixture costs, long lamp life, and an 80% savings in installation costs will be a factor. Altogether, about 0.09 quads of energy per year could be saved as this product is used in new installations and energy retrofits.