Higanylámpák

Higanylámpák, also known as mercury-vapor lamps, are a type of electric discharge lamp that uses an electric arc through vaporized mercury to produce light. They are a form of high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting. The lamp contains a small amount of mercury and an inert gas, typically argon. When voltage is applied, an arc is struck between the electrodes, which heats the mercury and vaporizes it. This mercury vapor then emits ultraviolet (UV) light, which is not visible to the human eye. To produce visible light, the inside of the outer bulb is coated with a fluorescent phosphor. This phosphor absorbs the UV radiation and re-emits it as visible light.

Higanylámpák were developed in the early 20th century and were widely used for street lighting, industrial lighting, and in some indoor applications before being largely replaced by more efficient technologies like high-pressure sodium lamps and LEDs. They offer good color rendering compared to some other HID lamps and have a relatively long lifespan. However, their energy efficiency is lower than that of modern alternatives, and they require a warm-up period to reach full brightness. Another significant drawback is the presence of mercury, a toxic substance, which requires special handling and disposal procedures. When turned off, higanylámpák also need to cool down before they can be restarted, a process known as "restrike time." Due to these limitations, their use has significantly declined.