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How a neon lamp works. The use of neon lamps for lighting, the principle of operation. Neon signs in the USSR

Specifications

The light of the lamp has a low inertia and allows brightness modulation with a frequency of up to 20 kHz. Lamps are connected to a power source through a current-limiting resistor so that the current through the lamp is no more than 1 milliamp (typical value for miniature lamps), however, lowering the current to 0.1 ... 0.2 mA significantly extends the life of the lamp. In some lamps, the resistor is built into the base. Using a lamp without a resistor extremely dangerous, since it can lead to the development of the discharge into an arc, with an increase in the current through it to a value limited only by the internal resistance of the power source and supply wires, and, as a result, a short circuit and (or) rupture of the lamp bulb.

The ignition voltage of the lamp is usually not more than 100 volts, the extinguishing voltage is about 40-65 volts. Service life - 80,000 hours or more (limited by the absorption of gas by the glass of the flask and the darkening of the flask from sprayed electrodes; there is simply nothing to "burn out" in the lamp).

Application

  • Due to the very low current consumption, the neon lamp is a simple, economical and reliable indicator of the inclusion of the mains voltage of 220 volts.
  • There are relatively large neon decorative lamps designed to fit into a standard E14 or E27 socket and operate on 220V. In the USSR, such lamps were usually sold only as a set with night lamps, and the electrodes had a relatively large area and could be curly - for example, in the form of a curved candle flame. Currently, lamps of this type continue to be produced in China. Decorative lamps contain a built-in ballast resistor, which allows them to be connected directly to the lighting network.
  • The minimum current required to ignite low-pressure neon lamps is so small that even the capacitance of the human body can give it, that is, such lamps are very sensitive. This is used in indicator probes, which allow detecting the presence of alternating voltage on the phase wire of the lighting mains or on instrument cases. Such a probe should without fail contain a resistor with a nominal value of about 1 MΩ, connected in series with a neon lamp, to exclude the possibility of electric shock to a person.
  • Like almost all gas-discharge lamps, a neon lamp can light up without direct electrical power - from the influence of an electromagnetic field, for example, from a HF transmitting antenna, a plasma lamp or a Tesla transformer. An example of such a lamp is the Balizor lamp, used to illuminate the high-voltage wires of power lines.
  • The neon lamp is used in a stroboscopic device for controlling the frequency of rotation of the disk of an electrophone.
  • A neon lamp can be used not only as an indication element. Due to the presence of negative dynamic resistance, it can also act as an active element, although it is somewhat inferior in terms of versatility to a glow discharge thyratron. Most often, it is used in this capacity in relaxation generators, and is also used as a threshold element. It can also be used in more complex circuits: for example, counters can be made on neon lamps.
  • A neon lamp can also be used as an element of protection against short-term overvoltages in signal circuits of the corresponding voltage (if the permissible voltage of the protected circuit is below its ignition threshold, and voltage surges reach it), for example, in telephone lines (in the input circuits of telephone sets).

Neon lamps manufactured in the USSR and Russia are represented by a wide range of devices, including special applications, having various dimensions, characteristics, and shape of electrodes: VMN-1, VMN-2, IN-3, IN-3A, IN-25, IN-28, IN-29, INS-1, IF-1, MN-3, MN-4, MN-6, MN-7, MN-11, MN-15, 95SG-9, TN-0.2-2, TN- 0.3, TN-0.3-3, TN-0.5, TN-0.9, TN-1, TN-20, TN-30, TN-30-1, TN-30-2M, TNI- 1.5D, TMN-2, TNU-2, UVN (TNUV), as well as a large family of fluorescent lamps of the TL series.

Among the lamps for special applications, it should be noted:

  • VMN-1, VMN-2 - wave-meter neon lamps.
  • IN-3 - a side-glow lamp with the direction of the light flux in one direction.
  • IN-6 - controlled three-electrode neon lamp. It is not a thyratron, it has a slightly different principle of operation. The discharge in it is constantly lit, but, depending on the control voltage, it jumps either to the indicator or to the auxiliary cathode. Such a lamp is controlled by a negative voltage of several V applied to the indicator cathode. The electrodes of the lamp are located in such a way that when the discharge burns on the indicator cathode, it is clearly visible to the operator, when it is not on the auxiliary one.
  • IN-21 - a lamp that can withstand high temperatures without negative consequences for itself, and therefore is used in electric stoves, in particular, the Elektra-1001 model. It has electrodes made in the form of semicircles and is highly aesthetic.
  • IN-25 - a neon lamp with a reduced ratio of the diameter of the balloon to the diameter of the luminous spot, for matrix displays with improved ergonomics.
  • IN-28 - three-electrode neon lamps with flexible leads, having a service life of at least 5000 hours, despite a significant discharge current (up to 15.6 mA). They are used in the subway as single elements of the over-tunnel scoreboards of the ESIC system.
  • IF-1 is an indicator of ultraviolet radiation, in particular, for flame sensors. The principle of operation is unknown, apparently, a voltage is applied to the lamp just below the ignition voltage, and in the presence of radiation it ignites.
  • MN-3 - a lamp with a reduced burning voltage (about 40 V). The electrodes are made of pure iron, molybdenum, nickel. The cathodes are coated with a thin film of barium, calcium or cesium to reduce the burning voltage. An additional ionizing factor is a pellet of radioactive material attached to an external electrode.
  • UVN (according to the new notation - TNUV, and the name UVN was transferred to the device in which it is used) - a lamp with a narrowing in the middle of the bulb to increase the ignition and combustion voltages, designed for high voltage indicators.

The designations of domestic phosphor neon lamps consist of the letters TL, a letter indicating the color of the glow (O - orange, G - blue, Z - green, Zh - yellow), a number characterizing the rated discharge current in mA, and a number characterizing the ignition voltage in hundreds volt. For example, TLO-1-1 is an orange glow lamp for a current of 1 mA with an ignition voltage of 100 V. According to another version, the first digit indicates the size: 1 - small diameter bottle, E10 or Ba9s base, 3 - large diameter bottle, base Ba15s, and the second is the ignition voltage code: 1 - 145 V, 2 - 185 V, the rated current is the same in all cases and is 1.3 mA. The durability of these lamps at a rated current is less than that of lamps without a phosphor: 2000 hours, extending their service life is possible in the same way as for conventional neon lamps - by reducing the current.

Neon lamps made in other countries

In other countries, in the past, indicator and decorative neon lamps of various designs and dimensions were produced. Currently, only a limited range of decorative curly neon lamps is produced, and of the indicator models, in fact, only one remains in mass production - the subminiature NE-2, the design of which has not changed much in more than 50 years. However, this lamp is now available in several sizes. The high brightness lamp is designated NE-2H, where H stands for "high". In addition to conventional lamps of this type, phosphor lamps are also produced: green (NE-2G), blue (NE-2B), white (NE-2W) and others. Moreover, of the phosphor varieties of this lamp, only green is widespread, and models of other colors are in short supply. It is also advisable for all NE-2 lamps, especially phosphor lamps, to extend the service life by reducing the current.

Foreign neon lamps with caps, in particular, Ba9s, are currently made mainly on the basis of NE-2 lamps, adding caps, resistors (not in all cases) and external flasks, often plastic, to them.

Today, when entire facades of buildings vibrate, glow and literally transform in the blink of an eye, it is difficult to surprise someone with technological innovations in this area. A hundred years ago, however, everything was completely different - the first neon signs not only fascinated, they shocked.

background

Despite the fact that the first neon sign was patented a little over a hundred years ago, in 1915, its history began much earlier. Back in 1675, when electricity was out of the question, the French astronomer Jean Picard discovered a faint glow in the tube of a mercury barometer - this mysterious light was called "barometric". Of course, at that time no one knew about static electricity, and the astronomer could not explain the glow. As no one else could - this, however, did not prevent the bright minds of mankind from becoming interested in wonderful light and throwing their strength into studying it. A serious breakthrough, however, occurred only almost two centuries later, when in 1855 the German glassblowing physicist Heinrich Geisler invented a tube, which became the prototype of gas-discharge (or steam, as they were then called) lamps.

Many experiments in different parts of the world with the advent of electricity improved the device: gas was driven into a transparent vessel, and under electrical voltage it began to glow.

First neon sign

A rare gaseous element - neon - was discovered by William Ramsey and M.V. Travers in 1898 in London, but it was the French inventor Georges Claude who came up with the use of it in a sealed tube with an electric charge. He made the first neon lamp in 1902, in 1910 he demonstrated it to the general public. Five years later, the invention was patented and Claude Neon Lights, Inc. was formed. Claude shared his discovery with his friend, Jean Fonsecou, ​​who suggested using lamps to make advertising signs. The new invention was tested in 1912 on the facade of a small barbershop in Montmartre.


In the 1920s, there was a real boom in advertising in the world, and neon signs turned out to be very useful. The Americans turned out to be the most enterprising: they began to try on luminous inscriptions even for the smallest shops. The first neon sign to appear outside of France adorned the façade of an American Packard dealership, and things were off to a good start. Georges Claude began to sell licenses for the manufacture of neon signs around the world, receiving one hundred thousand dollars for each - this allowed him to develop a promising business to its full potential. Shocked people began to call the new signs "liquid fire" and stopped to look at them even during the day. The name of the inventor also became almost a household name: the expression "Neon Claude" was used so often that soon the Americans decided that the legendary Frenchman was called Neon Claude. In fact, the name of the rare gas comes from the Greek neos, which means "new".

Neon signs in the USSR

In the 1920s and 30s, the USSR was going through hard times - there was no time for advertising, and the first neon sign appeared only in 1931. No advertising boom was foreseen in the country, and neon began to designate cinemas and parks. For a long time, only three signs shone in the USSR: "Garden" over one of the Moscow parks, as well as "Palace" and "Central", which denoted city cinemas.

Photo: "Soviet lettering" (vk.com/soviet_lettering)

Serious production of neon signs only began in the 1960s. The production of neon advertising was entrusted mainly to advertising factories, which included artist-designers and entire workshops equipped for this purpose. Large factories (for example, the Leningrad "Gazosvet") worked in this field together with small workshops, and soon almost all advertising in the central cities of the Union was neon: luminous signs adorned the facades of department stores, cinemas and restaurants. "Universam", "Gastronom", "Grocery" shone with yellow, green and red colors and attracted the attention of all passers-by.

We meet neon lamps most often in the form of signal lamps (in home appliances). Typically, they are used to indicate power on. This can be seen on irons, toasters and other appliances. The indicator lights are orange-red.

Principle of operation

The light emitted by them is not particularly bright. It is created by a flow of electrons that occurs between two electrodes in a glass bulb filled with gas - neon.

Design

The neon lamp has the same design as all other gas-discharge light sources. It is a glass container or tube with two electrodes soldered into it. The glass flask can be given almost any shape. Neon gas is pumped into this tube at low pressure. Under the name "neon lamp" there may be similar light sources filled with other helium, argon, krypton. Metal vapors, phosphors can be added there, all this creates a wide range of colors and shades. But this whole variety is called by the name of its ancestor - a neon lamp.

Starting voltage

In order for it to start glowing, you need to apply a starting voltage to its electrodes. For normal brightness, it will be from 45 to 65V, and for increased - from 70 to 95V AC.

Resistance

Resistance as an element of an electrical circuit is simply necessary for the operation of such a light source. It is included in its design and limits the electric current. When the neon lamp is already working, the electric current for it becomes large, and without built-in resistance, it can simply destroy it. It can operate at 110V, 220V (depending on the built-in resistance).

transformers

Such lighting is very demanding on the parameters of electric current. In addition to the built-in resistance, a transformer for neon lamps is also included in the electrical circuit. Without it, they cannot be connected to a regular 220V network. For them, they are produced which produce but with a frequency of 50 Hz.

A neon lamp emits electromagnetic waves in the visible and infrared ranges. The visible part of its radiation lies in the range from 580 to 750 nm. This corresponds to orange-red light. The luminous flux of such a light source is from 0.03 to 0.07 lumens.

Operating time

Its operating time depends on the magnitude and type of current. With a current of 1mA, the service life is from 25,000 to 50,000 hours. reduces its service life by 40%.

fluorescent lamp

This is the green light option. It is also used as a signal light source. Green light is obtained as follows. The inside of a glass bulb is coated with a special fluorescent substance that absorbs red light and turns it green.

Usage

Lamps have found their application in decorative lighting of interiors, in the advertising industry, as various devices. This is due to a number of their parameters. They are economical, durable and safe. Neon lamps for cars are used as illumination of the bottom, interior, trunk. If desired, they can be installed anywhere. Can be sold in a set of four. Two are attached to the front and back of the case. And two on the sides. The transformers included in the kit can be either built-in or external. The price of the tuning kit is $300.

On November 9, 1911, neon advertising was patented. the site tells about who made the red lights of Paris at night, which then lit up all over the world, about the history of the invention itself and about getting money out of thin air.

The father of neon advertising and the "French Edison", Georges Claude was born in 1870 and at first did not even think about neon or shining signs. He graduated from the Higher School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry in Paris, after which he changed many posts: an electrical inspector at a cable factory, a laboratory manager for electrical work, and a publisher and author of the Electric Spark magazine.

Back in 1896, the scientist realized that the use of bottled acetylene for lighting is dangerous, since it can explode under pressure, and came up with a way to store it in acetone, but his inventions have not yet gone beyond this.

Claude's other idea was to find a cheap way to liquefy air. The inventor was literally going to get money from him by selling liquefied oxygen cylinders to hospitals and welders. To do this, he and his university friend Paul Delorme opened the Liquid Air company with a starting capital of 7,500 francs. By 1902, their method made it possible to obtain oxygen and nitrogen in industrial quantities. Only Claude was irritated by inert gases (argon, neon, krypton, xenon, etc.), which were formed as by-products of this reaction.

And then Georges Claude remembered the experiments of scientists who created lamps, the principle of which was based on the passage of an electric charge through a gas. Such lamps were invented by Heinrich Geisler in the middle of the 19th century, but due to their low reliability and the tendency of gases to react with the electrode material, they were considered more like curiosities than as a useful invention. In 1898 (just the year neon was discovered), gas-light lamps designed by Daniel McFarlane Moore, an employee of the General Electric Company, were installed in the chapel at Madison Square Garden in New York. "Moore's tubes" were the most successful of the experiments with filling gas-light lamps: CO₂ inside gave a uniform glow, and the length of such a lamp could reach six meters. However, the whole design had a significant drawback: carbon dioxide also reacted with the substances of the electrodes, and the lamp had to be refilled frequently.

The inert gases, which were the waste products of the production of Georges Claude, are inert to be reluctant to enter into chemical reactions. For the sake of interest, a Parisian inventor tried to fill lamps with inert gases at low pressure. The result impressed him and his friends: the lamps began to glow with bright colors depending on the gas. So, argon burned blue, and neon - red-orange. As it turned out later, all the noble gases had their own color.

Claude's friend Jean Fonsecio, seeing neon lights, suggested using such lamps as outdoor advertising. The first public demonstration of luminous tubes was the lighting at a Paris automobile show in December 1910, in 1911 the technology was patented, and in 1912 a small barbershop on Montmartre Boulevard acquired the first luminous advertisement.

A few years later, in 1915, Claude patented new electrodes with improved corrosion resistance that lasted longer outdoors. In 1919, the Paris Opera House shone with blue-red lights. The technology came at its most opportune moment. Claude's new fixtures were used to advertise Remington typewriters, Lucky Strike cigarettes, Eveready batteries, Packard cars, and other high-profile clients. Since it was difficult to supply glass tubes with gas overseas, Georges Claude began to sell licenses for the production of neon signs.

In the 1930s, patents began to expire, sparking a wave of competition. More and more new colors of signs began to appear (in addition to multi-colored gases, this effect was achieved by applying a phosphor to the inner walls of the tubes). The inventor himself took up other projects, in particular, finding a way to use the thermal energy of the oceans - generating electricity due to the temperature difference between the deep and surface layers of water (this is the principle that was used on the Pioneer submarine in the Soviet science fiction novel "The Secret of Two Oceans") . The first installations of Claude and his friend and mentor Jacques Arsène d'Arsonval were designed and placed in Cuba and on the coast of Brazil.

Do you know that neon lamp invented as a result of experiments aimed at supplying liquefied oxygen to hospitals? We bring to your attention a short story about the invention of a neon lamp and the principle of its operation.

Jean Claude - Inventor of the neon lamp

In fact, scientists approached the invention of the neon lamp several times before the 20th century. An astronomer from France, Jean Picard, in 1675 discovered a mysterious faint light in the tube of a mercury barometer, the cause of which he could not explain. Many years later, in 1855, the German physicist Heinrich Geisler invented a prototype gas discharge tube. Neon itself was discovered in 1898 by English scientists William Ramsey and Morris Traver.

These discoveries became like separate details that were to be combined into one invention. The inventor of the neon lamp was the Frenchman Jean Claude, an engineer with the talent of an entrepreneur. He hoped to supply liquefied oxygen to hospitals, and make good money on this.

There was only one problem - inert gases interfered with obtaining high-quality oxygen. By removing impurities from oxygen, the practical Claude tried to find a use for them. One day he heard about "luminous tubes". He pumped gases into tubes and passed an electric charge through them. The tubes began to glow, red from neon and blue from argon. The engineer immediately realized that this discovery would bring him commercial success.

In 1910, Jean-Claude presented his neon lighting at the Exhibition of Achievement in Paris, and soon patented it. In 1915, he opens the Claude Neon Lights Company, and licenses his technology to anyone who wants to put up a neon sign. This made Claude wealthy very quickly - by the end of the 20s, the annual income of his company reached almost 10 million dollars.

Characteristics and principle of operation of neon lamps

Let's talk a little about the principle of operation of neon lamps. Their design consists of glass tubes (colored or transparent) that are filled with an inert gas. Most often it is neon in its pure form or in the form of a mixture with argon. The tube is connected to a power source, and when an electric charge passes through it, the gases inside the tube begin to glow.

As for the characteristics of neon lamps, here one can note a very high brightness, durability and a huge selection of glow shades. Disadvantages - neon lamps are fragile, expensive and flammable. These disadvantages have become the reason that, once incredibly popular, neon has lost its position. Increasingly, neon lighting on the streets began to be replaced by LED. LED backlighting is more economical, consumes less electricity, is fireproof, resistant to atmospheric and mechanical influences.