UV Glossary
9-1
Part 1061253B
E 2006 Nordson Corporation
Section 9
UV Glossary
absorption Not reflecting. The partial loss in energy that results when light passes
through or reflects off a medium.
actinic UV Low-powered UV in the UVC band. Usually powered with several
100-watt power supplies or less instead of several 1000-watt power
supplies. Nordson’s UV Star and CoolWave product lines are much
higher in irradiance and energy density than actinic UV products.
additive bulb A mercury bulb that contains metal additives such as iron, gallium,
indium, or others. These bulbs produce variations in spectral output
as compared to mercury only bulbs.
adhesion The state in which two surfaces are stuck together.
arc length The distance measured between the electrodes in a quartz bulb. Also
Refer to effective cure length.
ASTM spec D3359-95a Refer to tape test.
ballast An inductive transformer device that stabilizes the amount of current
flowing through the bulb so that the power output remains constant.
black light UV Low powered UV composed of wavelengths in the UVA band. Usually
powered with several 100-watt power supplies or less instead of
several 1000-watt power supplies. Nordson’s UV Star and CoolWave
product lines are much higher in irradiance and energy density than
black light UV products.
bulb A sealed quartz tube that contains a mixture of inert gas and mercury
under medium pressure. Electrode bulbs are fitted with electrical
connections at the ends of the bulb. Microwave bulbs contain no
electrical connections. The mercury and inert gas are energized
(vaporized) by either a voltage arc or microwave energy. The
vaporized plasma gas emits UV light.
burn-in period The second stage of the startup process of an electrode UV bulb. The
total time that it takes the current and voltage inside the bulb to
stabilize during startup.
