We've all had an incandescent light bulb in our homes at some point . These lights are known for their warmth and the cozy atmosphere they created. Their history dates back more than 130 years, having been invented by Thomas Edison. Although their use is currently declining due to their energy inefficiency, they are still used in some places. However, this type of lighting has taken a backseat to the advent of LED bulbs.
A scientist has developed a new incandescent light bulb whose efficiency could rival LED bulbs, raising a key question: will incandescent bulbs become obsolete, or are we witnessing a technological revolution? In this article, we'll break down the present and future of incandescent light bulbs and analyze their potential comeback.
Goodbye, incandescent light bulb
For more than a century, incandescent light bulbs have illuminated homes around the world. Despite their popularity and warm light, the energy consumption of these bulbs is disproportionate to the light they produce. Only 15% of their energy is converted into visible light, while the remaining 85% is wasted as heat.
With the arrival of LED bulbs on the market, the future of incandescent bulbs was seriously threatened. LEDs are not only more efficient, but their environmental impact is also much lower. They consume around 80% less energy and have a much longer lifespan.
With the introduction of energy-saving light bulbs (also known as compact fluorescents), incandescent bulbs slowly began to be replaced. However, these energy-saving bulbs did not achieve the massive success that LEDs have achieved. Their slow response to switching on and the time they needed to reach full brightness were inconvenient for situations where light was only needed for a short period of time.
Excessive heat generated by incandescent light bulbs is another problem that many have experienced. Who hasn't touched a lit incandescent light bulb and burned their fingers? This heat is not only felt by touch, but also contributes to overheating of rooms. Fortunately, LED bulbs, with their operation at much lower temperatures, have eliminated this problem.
New light bulb idea
Although incandescent light bulbs seemed destined for obsolescence, a group of MIT researchers has discovered how to improve their efficiency , giving them a new lease on life. The key lies in a redesign of the filament and its surrounding structure, resulting in less energy loss as heat.
Originally, the concept behind the incandescent light bulb is simple: a tungsten filament is heated to 2.700 °C, producing light. However, much of the energy it consumes is lost as infrared radiation (heat).
MIT has proposed surrounding the filament with structures that capture infrared radiation, then reabsorbing and transforming it back into visible light. This process, called light recycling , promises to significantly increase the energy efficiency of incandescent light bulbs. It is estimated that these improvements could allow them to convert up to 40% of the energy into visible light, a revolutionary leap considering that current incandescent bulbs only convert between 2% and 3% of the energy.
Modern mechanisms and necessary tests
The materials used to create these new infrared heat-capturing structures are abundant on Earth, meaning that production of this new technology could be very cheap and easily scaled up. In addition, it can be produced using conventional technology, which substantially reduces costs.
In fact, conventional incandescent light bulbs are estimated to be between 2% and 3% efficient, while the new bulbs developed at MIT could be up to 40% efficient. Not only does this represent a substantial improvement in energy performance, but it could compete directly with LED bulbs and other energy-efficient lighting sources.
However, it's not all that simple. Initial tests have shown a maximum efficiency of 6,6% in early prototypes, which is a significant advance, already outperforming many compact fluorescent bulbs. Although there is still much room for improvement, the fact that these figures are being achieved in the early stages of testing is very promising.
Recycling light: a key breakthrough
The procedure used by the MIT scientists is called light recycling . This process involves capturing unwanted light waves and recycling them to create usable energy. By applying this technique, incandescent light bulbs could potentially compete with LEDs in terms of efficiency.
One of the key points in the development of this technology is the creation of a photonic crystal. This crystal is capable of filtering out unwanted wavelengths of light, allowing only those that produce visible light to be used.
Thanks to this advance in the manufacturing of these crystals, new incandescent bulbs could compete not only in efficiency, but also in cost and ease of production with LED bulbs, which would open up new possibilities for consumers.
Although LED bulbs will continue to be an efficient and necessary solution in the global energy transition, these new incandescent bulbs could find their niche in the market, providing greater options for users and promoting competition between different lighting technologies.
With future advances, it would not be unreasonable to see much more efficient incandescent light bulbs in stores, with a proposal focused on sustainability and energy savings.