Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for recovering of fluorescent material from faulty glass bodies (1) of discharge lamps by crushing (11) the lamps, separating and recovering the fluorescent components thereof. The method comprises the steps of breaking the faulty glass bodies (1) in a crusher, removing all metallic component parts if present in the glass bodies (1) by means of electromagnetic separation (13), separating a remaining fraction forming a reusable waste from the broken scrap including glass particles and fluorescent material particles by sieving (15), separating the fluorescent material from the surface of the glass particles in a liquid by washing (19), and obtaining a reusable fluorescent material from the liquid suspension by means of at least one sedimentary deposition (21). The method comprises the step of treating of the remaining fraction by heat for removing the binding material from the fluorescent material if it is necessary.
Abstract:
This invention concerns a compact fluorescent lamp with a double helix shaped discharge tube in which the two strands of the helix are constituted by two helix shaped tube portions. These tube portions define a central axis of the discharge tube. The double helix formed by the discharge tube has a central section and a first end section. These sections are defined along the central axis, and the lamp base for receiving ends of the tube portions is disposed at the first end section. An inner diameter of the central section of the helix is larger than an inner diameter of the first end section. The invention further relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing coiled shaped discharge tubes, in particular the above described discharge tube of the discharge lamp. A radially segmented molding core is used for manufacturing the discharge tube. Once the coiling of the discharge tube on the molding core is completed, the segmented molding core is shrunk radially, and then is withdrawn from the coiled discharge tube axially.