Methodology for developing a low-pressure discharge lamp model with electron density variation and ambipolar diffusion

In this study, the procedure for developing a low-pressure discharge lamp model incorporating novel features of the electron density variation and the ambipolar diffusion process is introduced. The model can accurately predict not only the lamp electrical terminal characteristic but also the electron density and electron temperature inside the fluorescent lamp. The results are comparable with the outcome from the complicated plasma models. The lamp model can accurately predict the lamp characteristics at both high- and low-operating frequencies, and the voltage spikes caused by arc re-ignition at each half-cycle when the lamp is operated at mains frequency. This model can be easily implemented into MATLAB/Simulink as a simple, accurate and user-friendly CAD lamp model. The detailed genetic algorithm schemes used to determine the model parameters are included in this study.