Compact Fluorescent Lamps V/s Incandescent Lamps
In my childhood days the nights were the happy moments. We see the ever fascinating moon at night surrounded by glittering stars. When enters the home at night there we see hanging incandescent lamps and sticking fluorescent lamps. Since voltage drops at night fluorescent lamps go off at night and comes back only at late night. So to get enough light 110W bulbs have to be used. Some called this bulb as wonderful due to its wonderful light.
Incandescent lamps were invented by Thomas Alva Edison popularly known as the Magician of Menlo Park. Edison passed away years ago and his bulb also going to back of curtain. Within a few years it will become an exhibit in museums. Some countries have already put forward some laws to ban the usage of incandescent lamps pointing that this adds momentum to global warming.
Human exploit the all the energy sources in nature thoughtlessly. As a result the energy is going on decreasing. There may come a day without energy. So scientists had began to think about energy conservation methods. Also they are searching for new sources of energy rather than the traditional sources like coal, water and nuclear energy. Some good steps to conserve energy as well as to make use of solar energy had invented. Energy production methods from waves and winds are also going on.
One half of the energy is wasted as heat energy in incandescent lamps. Science hadn’t able to make any improvement to reduce this energy loss. Hence most of the incandescent lamps producing companies are either reducing the production or stopping the production completely. In that place Compact Fluorescent Lamps ( CFL ) are getting globally accepted.
The main advantage of Compact Fluorescent Lamp is that heat will not be generated and hence not liberated to atmosphere like incandescent lamps. Hence it is beneficial to all of the family as well as the nation. Also it is good for ecosystem . If we use Compact Fluorescent Lamps in our homes instead of all incandescent lamps the electricity bill will be lowered considerably. This is because Compact Fluorescent Lamps consume only very less power. Almost 70 % of the power generated in India is from coal. So reduction in power consumption will automatically reduce the coal consumption.
A 13 W Compact Fluorescent Lamp is enough to give the light of a 80 W incandescent lamp ! Light of 20 W Compact Fluorescent Lamp will be equal to 100 W Incandescent Lamp. That is almost five times power is getting saved !! Also the life of Compact Fluorescent Lamp is 8 to 10 years while that of incandescent lamp is only 1 to 2 years.
One of the interesting fact regarding India is that 20% of the electricity produced in India is utilized for lighting the bulbs only! If all these bulbs are replaced by Compact Fluorescent Lamps the consumption as well as pollution can be reduced to one fifth of the current one. Government had began to think in that way. Kerala Government had already started a project of distributing Compact Fluorescent Lamps freely to families lying below poverty line ( BPL families ).
Nowadays Compact Fluorescent Lamps are produced and marketed by local self servicing units constituted by unemployed youths. According to statistics of authorities 20 crores Compact Fluorescent Lamps are sold in India per year. The average increase in selling of Compact Fluorescent Lamps for the last five years is 370 % while that of other lamps is 30 to 35 % only. As told earlier production and marketing being carried out by local self employment bodies also , the actual statistics may be greater than this one.
The lack of quality control tests had badly affected the quality of Compact Fluorescent Lamps. The eco friendliness of Compact Fluorescent Lamps is also getting questioned nowadays. So there will rise a question now from all of you – What is the effect of Compact Fluorescent Lamps on ecosystem or will Compact Fluorescent Lamps effect ecosystem adversely ?
The straight forward answer for this question is a big YES. Compact Fluorescent Lamps contain Mercury . In a standard quality Compact Fluorescent Lamp the allowed mercury level is up to 4 mg. In locally made Compact Fluorescent Lamps the mercury content may be higher. Actually Mercury and Argon inside the Compact Fluorescent Lamps vapourises there and gives the white light. When bulb is in use it will not create any problem. But what happens when the damaged one is thrown out ? The bulb may broke down. As a result the mercury inside it may reach soil and water. Then it may be converted to the highly poisonous chemical namely Methyl Mercury . What is the bad effect of Methyl Mercury ? It affect our nervous system. Methyl Mercury is a neurotoxin. The only way to control this chemical formation is recycling of the used Compact Fluorescent Lamps. So the used and damaged Composite Fluorescent Lamps should not be thrown out to your surroundings. Instead keep it in a safe place and when get chance give it for re cycling.
Strict quality control tests are going on in developed countries where Composite Fluorescent Lamps are widely in use. In European Union countries the production is allowed on the condition that all such damaged one should be taken back by the production company itself. They get license only when this condition is satisfied. Hence the selling shops itself act as the returning shop. The damaged bulbs can be returned here and some amount can be received for it. Manufactures collect them and after recycling it is used up. Being no bribe and such malpractices the law is carried out by almost all in these countries.
Actually government had to think about issuing the Composite Fluorescent Lamps to all families in India. It may be given with some subsidy. Then only people will get encouragement to use them. Most of the Indians in rural area are still un aware about this type of energy saving lamps. Also special awards like “Oorjja Mithra” ( energy friend ) can be given to those who use maximum number of Composite Fluorescent Lamps. The award should be base on all energy saving activities.
Nowadays in market a new threat is coming against Composite Fluorescent Lamps. It is the introduction of Light Emitting Diode ( LED ) bulbs . They can utilize solar energy and will glow in very low voltage also. The life span also 10 times that of Composite Fluorescent Lamps. But the price is the only draw back. It is some what high. But in near future LED lamps will replace CFL lamps.
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