6-30

I E S LIGHTING HANDBOOK
Flashlamps or flashtubes. As their name suggests these lamps are de-
signed to produce high brightness flashes of light of extremely short dura-
tion. A flashlamp is a tube of glass or quartz which has an electrode in
each end. The tube is filled with gas, usually xenon. The spectral
distribution of light from an xenon discharge is similar to that of average
daylight. (See Fig. 6-24.) Other gases employed include argon, hydro-
gen, and krypton. Typical time-light curves for xenon-filled lamps are
shown in Fig. 6-25.
|
60
Q
2
55
LU
I-
(/)
a:
50
in
Q_
1045
HI
_)
O
O40
_J
3 35
/'
FIG. 6-24. Spectral energy
distribution curve of typical
xenon-filled flash lamp (radiation
in direction perpendicular to
helix).
1 micron =
i0,000 angstroms =
1/10,000
centimeter
0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60 0.65 0.70
WAVELENGTH IN MICRONS
20
r\
//
//
u r \
\
VOLTS AT
-X 56 MF
15
%o
,
10
\
\
\
/_ MF AT 1800
S VOLTS
1
1
1
i \
s^
<?
5
II
IV
N
\
v
56
\\
lis''
if
-X'tpoS
\,.-28
"
\. v.
S^
r"
'000~
1
15
S^s
~-------_-
^**

--_-_
r-_- -_-vr. =
--- .__
100 200 300 400 500 600 700
TIME IN MICROSECONDS
FIG. 6-25. Time-light curves for a flash lamp at various ca-
pacitance and voltage levels.
Several straight tubular lamps have been developed for use in trough
reflectors. For most applications, however, more concentrated forms are
preferred. As with tungsten filaments, improved concentration is ob-
tained by coiling the tube in the form of a helix. Three sizes of helices
have been used with different bulb and base combinations to make the
typical lamps shown in Fig. 6-26. Lamps differ in types and sizes of elec-
trodes, type of gas with which the tube is filled, filling pressure, and tube
material; also, different electrical circuits are used for flashing the lamps.
28