Applications of fluorescent lighting

The fluorescent tube has certain desirable characteristics not possessed by its predecessors. Fundamentally, it is a low-brilliancy, large-area source, and good diffusion may be secured without the use of elaborate equipment. For high-level, localized general illumination, or uniform general lighting where low ceilings prevail, these characteristics are desirable. However, the light flux from this lamp cannot be projected great distances without loss which more than counterbalances its inherently high efficiency. The fluorescent lamp has the further advantage of being able to create a reasonably accurate reproduction of daylight, a characteristic which is a necessity in many specialized operations. Furthermore, a wide variety of colors may be secured without the use of absorption screens. In some cases this means nearly 200 times the usable light per watt.