HIGH INTENSITY

DISCHARGE LAMP
 Utilizes a compact “arc tube” in which very high temperature and pressure exists.

Main Types of HID Lamps:

1. Mercury Vapor
2. Metal Halide
3. Low Pressure Sodium Lamp
4. High Pressure Sodium Lamp
Major portion of light is produces, directly or indirectly, by radiation from mercury
operating at a partial pressure in excess of 100KPa
▪ Average Life: 24,000 hrs
▪ Efficacy: 35-65 Lumens/watt
▪ Produces high intensity white light
▪ arc-tube operates at a 2-18atm
▪ 4-7 minutes warm up
▪ Large area overhead lighting such as warehouses, sport areas and street lights.
Major portion of the light is produced
by radiation from a mixture of metalic
vapour, metal halides and the
products of dissociation of metal
halides.

Hg- blue to white

AgCl- white
AgF- no color
AgBr- Pale yellow
AgI- green yellow
▪ Average Life: 20,000 when mounted base up , 10,000 horizontal mounted
▪ Efficay: 75-100 lumens/watt
▪ Produces intense white light
▪ arc-tube operates at anywhere from 5–50 atm or more[6] (70–700 psi or 500–5000
kPa) and 1000–3000 °C
They are used for wide area overhead
lighting of commercial, industrial, and
public spaces, such as parking lots, sports
arenas, factories, and retail stores, as well
as residential security
lighting and automotive
headlamps (xenon headlights).
1. Universal burning position- perform best when arc tube is within about 15 deg of
vertical position
2. Vertical or Horizontal burning position- primarily used in downlights
3. Color Shift- as metal halide lamps operate, the circulation of hot gases in the arc
tube, the area and position of the “pool” of molten halides, lamp temperature and
age all contribute to a continuously changing mixture of halides and their light and
color output.

SPECIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS

▪ Determine what color shift is acceptable for the application and if the acceptability
applies to the overall appearance of the lamps over time.
▪ Consult with the lamp manufacturer to determine what variation can be expected.
▪ Ask lamp and ballast manufacturers about lamp/ballast system that work together
to minimize color shift and variation.
▪ Use the same ballast model throughout the installation.
▪ Choose ballasts with good regulation characteristics.
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION CONSIDERATIONS

▪ Before judging the color of new lamps in an installation, burn the lamps for at least
100 hours to stabilize the lamp color characteristics.
▪ Operate all of the lamps in an installation in the same burning position.
▪ Do not operate MH lamps on dimmer
▪ Operate lamps with quartz arc tubes vertically. Off-vertical positions are more
likely to change the surface area of the halide “pool”.

4. Double-Ended- must be operated with the arc tube

within 45 degrees of horizontal.

5. Open Luminaire/Protected lamps-

Light is produced by radiation from sodium vapour operating at a partial pressure of
0.1Pa to 1.5 Pa
Must reach 240-300degC before sodium vaporizes
Monochromatic
▪ Average Life: 18, 000 hrs
▪ Efficacy: 100-206 lm/W
▪ Produces monochromatic yellow light
▪ Poor in color rendering
▪ 5-10 minutes warm up
▪ Lumen output does not decline with age
Outdoor lighting such as
Security lighting, street long
tunnel
▪ Increasing the pressure in a sodium lamp was known to increase efficacy and
improve color rendering.
▪ Uses aluminum oxide ceramic to withstand the heat that lamp generates.
▪ Universal burning position
▪ Universal position directional HPS lamps
▪ Double-ended
▪ White sodium lamp- ballasts designs for white HPS lamps employ electronic
circuits designed to increase color temperature and CRI.
▪ Average life: 24,000 hrs
▪ Efficacy: 80-140 Lumens/Watt
used for outdoor area
lighting, such as on
roadways, parking lots,
and security areas.