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I got a question fellows, Do you t

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Sergio1

Mechanical
Jul 27, 2001
3
I got a question fellows,
Do you think that the LED technology would replace at one point the common & current light bulb.
 
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For special cases only. LED’s are monochromatic, i.e.single wave length. They are common in traffic signals and warning indicators yet fail where ever light similar to natural lighting is required. However, I do grant that WHITE LEDS are available (actually a LED inside of a phosphorous coated container hence changing the wavelength) yet they have limited use in solar-powered light and flashlights.

 
There is a "white light initiative" that seeks to develop efficient white LED's. This research is ongoing and has reported limited success. As Rich2001 indicated, one strategy is to use a filter, which is not too efficient. Another strategy is to use particular wavelengths of light, which, when combined, produce white light. This is much more efficient, but presents a major challenge with today's technology. If efficient white LED's are successfully produced, there is little doubt that they will eventually replace the common filament light bulb. However, it will probably take some time, given that existing light sockets would almost certainly require replacement to accomodate LEDs.
 
While lower energy consumption and longer lifetimes for an LED based lighting system are certainly attractive, there are still several challenges that need to be dealt with, notably brightness and color rendition. Brightness will be the easiest to overcome, likely to reach parity within a few years at most. Color rendition will be more of a problem either using the UVLED/Phosphor designs or the multiple emitter designs. Spectral curves are currently far from flat in either case and until this is overcome, it is unlikely that they would see general use in lighting applications. Airline industry and architectural accent lighting perhaps even street lighting are likely to be the intial areas that this technology will make inroads.
 
Of course, back in 1943, Thomas Watson, then chairman of IBM said "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." So who knows what the future will bring? What is impossible today may well become outdated technology 20 years from now. Patricia Lougheed
 
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