Electric light bulbs have become a thing of the past. Their energy inefficiency has led to them being prohibited in Britain. You can no longer pop out and buy an old fashioned electric lightbulb. That could be about to change though. Why? Read on for an introduction to ‘light recycling’.

 

Innovation

Believe it or not, old electric light bulbs haven’t changed since Edison invented them. Their design and function still means they generate light through a filament wire that’s heated, and consequently emits a relatively high level of (redundant) heat energy. Only 5% of the energy produced by these now unsellable lightbulbs is converted into visible light.

Cue the new ‘hyper-efficient’ incandescent light bulb. The new invention has entered the world through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Their researchers have designed a lightbulb that functions similarly to an old fashion incandescent bulb, but with a significant difference. Their bulb captures the otherwise wasted heat energy and converts it into visible light.

 

How does it work?

The wasted heat energy does actually give off light, it’s just not visible light. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye. A structure around the existing lightbulb design reflects the infrared light, allowing it to be re-absorbed and subsequently re-emitted as visible light. It’s essentially recycling the wasted energy – which is why scientists have named the process ‘light recycling’.

The adjusted filament is also an important part of the process. “In a regular lightbulb, the filament is a long and curly piece of tungsten wire. Here, the filament is laser-machined out of a flat sheet of tungsten: it is completely planar,” explains Peter Bermel, one of the MIT scientists behind the project.

 

Hyper-efficient

The lightbulbs, when tested, have reached 6.6% efficiency, compared to 2-3% efficiency of conventional bulbs. The fluorescents and LEDs we currently use are between 7-13% and 5-15% respectively, but the new lightbulbs are still only at prototype stage. With other improvements planned, it’s thought the new bulbs could reach up to 40% efficiency. Incredible!

 

Lighting with a difference

At Premier Lampshades, our lampshades can make sure your lighting looks and feels perfect in any room. Our bespoke fabric lampshades are handmade with love, to give you a beautiful, unique and high-quality feature for your home. For more information on any of our stunning products, use our online enquiry form or call our friendly team on 01204 414 366.

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