Electronic fluorescent ballast using a power factor correction technique for loads greater than 300 watts

The authors describe various power factor schemes used to correct the power factor in electronic ballast or other types of power supplies. This system provides an acceptable sine wave voltage and current to the laps. When the input DC voltage to the power inverter is varied the arc current is also varied, and thus a dimming system is possible. The power inverter used for the fluorescent lamp load is a current-fed sine wave inverter while the unique power factor correction and dimming is accomplished with a boost approach. Keeping the invertor the same, several historical passive techniques were designed, built, and tested. The results are given for a matrix of low, normal, and high line voltages of a 4 lamp load greater than 300 W