High-intensity discharge lamp

High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps include these types of electrical lamps: mercury vapor, metal halide (also HQI), high-pressure sodium, low-pressure sodium and less common, xenon short-arc lamps. The light-producing element of these lamp types is a well-stabilized arc discharge contained within a refractory envelope (arc tube) with wall loading in excess of 3 W/cm² (19.4 W/in.²).

15 kW Xenon short-arc lamp used in IMAX projectors Diagram of a high pressure sodium lamp.

Compared to fluorescent and incandescent lamps, HID lamps produce a much larger quantity of light in a relatively small package.

Construction

Diagram of a high pressure sodium lamp.

HID lamps produce light by striking an electrical arc across tungsten electrodes housed inside a specially designed inner fused quartz or fused alumina tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metals. The gas aids in the starting of the lamps. Then, the metals produce the light once they are heated to a point of evaporation.

Types of HID lamps include:

• Mercury vapor (CRI range 15-55)
• Metal halide (CRI range 65-80, ceramic MH can go to 90's)
• Low-pressure sodium (CRI 0 owing to their monochromatic light)
• High-pressure sodium (CRI range 22-75).

Mercury vapor lamps, which originally produced a bluish-green light, were the first commercially available HID lamps. Today, they are also available in a color corrected, whiter light. But they are still often being replaced by the newer, more efficient high-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. Standard low-pressure sodium lamps have the highest efficiency of all HID lamps, but they produce a yellowish light. High-pressure sodium lamps that produce a whiter light are now available, but efficiency is somewhat sacrificed. Metal halide lamps are less efficient but produce an even whiter, more natural light. Colored metal halide lamps are also available.

Auxiliary devices

Like fluorescent lamps, HID lamps require a ballast to start and maintain their arcs. The method used to initially strike the arc varies: mercury vapor lamps and some metal halide lamps are usually started using a third electrode near one of the main electrodes while other lamp styles are usually started using pulses of high voltage.