Depends on the wattage of the bulb. A 100 W UV bulb uses approximately 0.5 kWh of electricity per year. So yes, it consumes a little electricity, but it's still a good investment. The quick answer is “yes”, more than true.
Light at the UV-C (254 nm) wavelength eliminates and prevents microbial accumulation and growth, as well as the accumulation of organic materials. This accumulation accumulates in all commercial air treatment systems to a greater or lesser extent and serves as an obstacle between air and the surfaces of the cooling coils, reducing the efficiency of heat transfer. Once this insulating material is removed, the original levels of efficiency and airflow return. Phoseon UV LED curing lamps last more than 60,000 hours if properly maintained, while conventional mercury lamps must be replaced every 1000 to 2500 hours.
Additional expenses associated with mercury UV curing include increased energy costs, the loss of substrate associated with each lamp change, the cost of adequate mercury disposal, the cost of repetitions associated with insufficient curing of old UV bulbs, replacement blinds, reflectors, one-quart lenses & dichroic filters. Upgrading to Phoseon UV LED technology dissolves these additional maintenance costs and offers significant environmental benefits with the elimination of mercury. UV LED lamps offer more than 50% lower CO2 emissions. Studies have shown that, in certain applications, replacing mercury lamps with UV LED lamps can reduce 67 tons of CO2 per year.
With traditional UV curing processes, the tremendous heat associated with mercury UV lamps required a lot of electricity to operate. In addition to large amounts of electricity, these bulbs must be replaced frequently, creating a large amount of waste. If built correctly, LED curing systems have a very long lifespan of up to 60,000 hours and do not require replacement of any bulbs. Mercury lamps produce ozone, which is dangerous to breathe, especially in a small space such as a printing press.
Air exhaust systems are required to remove toxic fumes from presses. These exhaust systems can be eliminated with UV LED curing, making this a much more environmentally friendly process. Fluorescent lamps are a specific type of gas-charged luminaires that produce light through a chemical reaction in which gases and mercury vapor interact to produce ultraviolet light inside a glass tube. The UV light illuminates a layer of phosphor inside the glass tube, which emits a white “fluorescent” light.
Fluorescent lights have a variety of great advantages over older lighting technology, such as incandescents. They are much more efficient, so they consume less energy. They also have a longer lifespan, approximately 13 times longer, so they don't need to be replaced as often. Fluorescent lighting has been around for more than 100 years and is still an economical option for modernizing old lamps.
Fluorescents are often a very efficient way to provide lighting over a large area, are more efficient and last longer than incandescent bulbs; however, relying solely on fluorescent lighting has been shown to have negative effects on ergonomics and health. The light that comes from fluorescent bulbs is omnidirectional. When a fluorescent bulb comes on, it scatters light in all directions or 360 degrees around the bulb. This is extremely inefficient because only 60 to 70% of the light emitted by the lamp is used and the rest is wasted.
Certain areas tend to overlight due to wasted light, especially in office buildings, and may require additional accessories in the lamp itself to properly direct the bulb's output. In a 1993 study, researchers found that exposure to UV rays when sitting under fluorescent lights for eight hours equates to one minute of exposure to the sun. Health problems related to light sensitivity can be aggravated by artificial light in sensitive people. Researchers have suggested that the UV radiation emitted by this type of lighting has caused an increase in eye diseases, especially cataracts.
Other medical professionals have theorized that retinal damage, myopia, or astigmatism can also be attributed to the side effects of fluorescent light. Usually, you should wait 10 to 30 seconds for older fluorescents to reach their maximum brightness. Many newer models now use “quick start” or similar technology, such as those mentioned above. Over the past few decades, study after study has demonstrated random links between exposure to fluorescent lights and several negative effects.
All of these problems are based on the quality of the light being emitted and on the underlying condition of people. Of the more than 35 million people who suffer from migraine, most are likely to suffer from generalized sensitivity to light. Nine out of ten autistic people have environmental sensitivities, which are reported to be worsened by fluorescent lights. And in certain types of epilepsy, artificial lighting has been shown to trigger seizures.
For now, fluorescent lighting products may be cheaper than their more efficient LED counterparts, but there are drawbacks to fluorescent lighting that need to be considered. The aspect of early failure rates is something to consider if you use fluorescent lights in conjunction with lighting controls, such as motion sensors, which are activated frequently and run out. With traditional UV curing processes, the tremendous heat associated with mercury UV lamps requires a significant amount of electricity to operate, in addition to invisible maintenance costs. While LED (light-emitting diode) technology will replace fluorescent light as the “queen” of green lighting options in the very near future, many facility managers are still using fluorescents in their buildings.
The UV LED is not only good for the environment, but it also has a very positive effect on the finances, sustainability, health and safety of company operations. The Bobst M5 430 10-color Eticod press with UV LED curing was properly installed and put into operation. As a fluorescent light ages and becomes less and less efficient over time, it requires more and more voltage to produce the same amount of light, until the voltage finally exceeds the capacity of the ballast and the light fails. .