BulbCollector Forums
BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Antique Bulb Discussion => Topic started by: Ed Covington on September 10, 2000, 09:03:00 pm
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About 20 years ago I wrote up a paper for a class I was taking and I thought perhaps someone might be interested in the content of the paper. It had to do with a new lamp. The lamp would emit almost exclusively in the visible region with practically no infrared or ultraviolet radiation. The source of the light would be the firefly. The total emission rate of the Cuban firefly is about 0.00001 watt with a lumen output of about 0.00785 lumen. Therefore, if we used the globe of the normal 100-watt tungsten lamp we would need only 223,000 fireflies for the same output of 1750 lumens. The rate of rise of light in the firefly is faster than that of the tungsten lamp (0.08 second), so it could be used as a flasher. The efficacies of different light sources in lumens per watt are: carbon filament, 2.8; welsbach mantle, 7.5; tungsten filament, 17-34; sun, 100; low pressure sodium, 102; firefly, 490-570. Sounds like a sure bet to me! Anyone interested in this new light source?
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Dear Ed
Whatever you were smoking 20 years ago, you have found IT again. I lost you at "20 Years ago I wrote a paper ..."
Why would you want to lock Fireflys in a glass tube for light output ??? They wouldn't last without air & then THEIR 'light' would go out. What's the point ? Can you explain ??? Sorry.
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Carrie Manthey
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Carrie, I didn't think I would have to tell the viewers that this was a tongue-in-cheek posting. I tried to pick a humorous topic in that course and the instructor enjoyed it. However-- you should derive something from this nonsense. The message gave, more or less, the upper limit of efficacy. In addition, an A19 bulb would not hold 223,000 fireflies. One could use a perforated bulb for a continuous supply of oxygen. No electricity would be needed and temporary light increase could be obtained by shaking the bulb. Color rendition could be altered by changing the species of firefly. I guess I can count you out for starting manufacture of such a lamp--right?