Fragrance lamp
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A fragrance lamp, also known as a perfume lamp, effusion lamp, or simply by the name-brand Lampe Berger is a catalytic diffusion lamp that purifies the air while imparting a fragrance. The catalytic combustion technology was originally developed in the 1800s for use in hospitals and mortuaries. A Frenchman named Maurice Berger was the first to receive a patent on the technology (in 1897) and the company he founded, Lampe Berger, is the largest worldwide manufacturer of the device though there are a growing number of companies making catalytic fragrance lamps. Molecules that cause bad smells are inherently unstable and the fragrance lamp's flameless, low-temperature catalytic combustion speeds up the decomposition process, converting odor molecules into harmless substances (such as carbon dioxide and water). Research has shown that the catalytic process can also effectively eliminate up to 85% of bacteria in a room for up to 30 hours after initial operation has stopped. While the medical use of the technology has waned, modern innovation has found a new application for the lamps in homes and offices. Using an unscented lamp fuel a catalytic diffusion lamp is surprisingly effective in eliminating bacteria and various odors (pets, food, tobacco). With fragrance added to the isopropyl alcohol based lamp fuel the catalytic burner lamp becomes a fragrance lamp, diffusing aroma into the air while it purifies. Some perfumes are based on natural aromatics (essential oils), giving the lampes an aromatherapy application as well.
The fragrance lamp's process is initiated by lighting the stone burner seated at the mouth of the lampe. After a few minutes the flame is extinguished by blowing it out but the heated burner remains active as the flameless, low-temperature catalytic combustion process simultaneously purifies the air and diffused aromatics. The lamp's normal operational temperature is too low to combust virtually anything (including alcohol), making the fragrance lamp much safer to operate than scented candles. The low operating temperature also means that, unlike scented canldes, the aromatics are diffused very efficiently into the ambient air without being burned.
