Microwave-powered ultraviolet rotating lamp, and process of use thereof

摘要

The present invention is a microwave excited electrodeless bulb and a process of generating ultraviolet light with a microwave excited electrodeless bulb. A process of generating ultraviolet light with a microwave excited electrodeless bulb in accordance with the invention includes providing an electrodeless bulb (19) with an envelope (32) containing an ultraviolet emissive material which emits ultraviolet light in response to microwave excitation. The envelope is filled with an ultraviolet emissive material. The envelope has a major internal dimension (30) between 1/3 and ½lambd to which a strong field of the microwave excitation is coupled during emission of ultraviolet light with lambd being the free space wavelength of the microwave excitation which varies between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz. The strong field is produced by a microwave source having a steady state rated output power of no greater than 0.85 kW. The bulb is rotated at a rotational velocity of at least 20 revolutions per minute. Ultraviolet emission occurs in selected ranges between 200 and 300 nm while a stream of air is directed in contact with the rotating bulb to provide cooling thereof.