Vertical pumping apparatus and method for distribution mercury in a pumping and lamp gas-filling process

A method of internally distributing Hg in a fluorescent tube body in a vertical pumping device, comprising:

• providing a bottom by closing the downward facing end of the fluorescent tube body;
• arranging, in a first position, at least one first solid body comprising a predetermined first amount of bound Hg to be able to achieve a first release of the first amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body by gasification;
• arranging, in a second position, at least one second solid body comprising a predetermined second amount of bound Hg to be able to achieve a second release of the second amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body by gasification;
• achieving the said first release of the first amount of Hg with heat and under pressure attained in the fluorescent tube body for purification;
• achieving the said second release of the second amount of Hg with heat and under pressure attained for the occluded mercury vapour of the fluorescent tube body;
• and
• releasing the fluorescent tube body from the vertical pumping device, wherein a valve unit is arranged in such a manner as to be openable so that, in the first position, the first solid body can drop down to the bottom by gravity and, in the second position, the second solid body can drop down into the fluorescent tube body by gravity.

A method of internally distributing Hg in a fluorescent tube body in a vertical pumping device, comprising:

• providing a bottom by closing the downward facing end of the fluorescent tube body;
• arranging, in a first position, at least one first solid body comprising a predetermined first amount of bound Hg to be able to achieve a first release of the first amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body by gasification;
• arranging, in a second position, at least one second solid body comprising a predetermined second amount of bound Hg to be able to achieve a second release of the second amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body by gasification;
• achieving the said first release of the first amount of Hg with heat and under pressure attained in the fluorescent tube body for purification;
• achieving the said second release of the second amount of Hg with heat and under pressure attained for the occluded mercury vapour of the fluorescent tube body;
• and
• releasing the fluorescent tube body from the vertical pumping device, wherein a distribution valve is arranged with a first valve element delimiting an upper and a lower chamber of the distribution valve, and a second valve element delimiting the lower chamber and the fluorescent tube body, the method comprising placing, after the distribution valve has been applied connecting to the fluorescent tube body, the first and the second solid body in the lower and the upper chamber, respectively.

A vertical pumping device for pumping of fluorescent tube bodies, the vertical pumping device comprising:

• a tower being rotatable about a vertical axis comprising several peripherally arranged support positions exhibiting upper and lower support blocks for supporting the fluorescent tube bodies, the vertical pumping device being arranged to dispose the support positions in indexed process positions at stepwise rotation of the tower, wherein the vertical pumping device comprises a first indexed process position, provided with a first amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body, which is releasable from at least one first solid body comprising a predetermined first amount of bound Hg and, wherein a distribution valve arranged at each support position is designed to take up the first and the second solid body and, in separate process positions, feed them further on to the respective fluorescent tube body, each distribution valve comprising a first and a second valve element, each of which is separately influenceable by magnet units fixedly arranged in predetermined process positions in the vertical pumping device to arrange the first and the second body in a first and a second position, respectively;
• and
• a second indexed process position provided with a second amount of Hg in the fluorescent tube body, which is releasable from at least one second solid body comprising a predetermined second amount of bound Hg.