AB05 Datasheet, PDF (1/12 Pages) Lumileds Lighting Company – LUXEON® Power Light Sources

Application Brief AB05
Thermal Design Using
LUXEON^® Power Light Sources
Introduction
LUXEON^® Power Light Sources provide the highest light output with the smallest footprint of any Light
Emitting Diodes (LEDs) in the world. This is due, in part, to LUXEON's ground breaking thermal design.
LUXEON is the first LED solution to separate thermal and electrical paths, drawing more heat away from
the emitter core and significantly reducing thermal resistance. As a result, LUXEON packages handle
significantly more power than competing LEDs. LUXEON's larger, brighter emitters together with its
unique high power capabilities provide a tremendous amount of light in a small, durable package. This, in
turn, provides lighting designers with a unique opportunity to explore new designs and product ideas and
to improve the quality, energy efficiency, safety and longevity
of existing products.
Lighting designers working with LUXEON Power Light Sources do need to consider some potentially
unfamiliar factors, such as the impact of temperature rise on optical performance. Proper thermal design
is imperative to keep the LED emitter package below its rated operating temperature. This application
note will assist design engineers with thermal management strategies.
We recommend taking the time to develop a thermal model for your application before finalizing your
design. The LUXEON Custom Design Guide provides important details about operating temperatures for
each LED emitter package. Once you determine your target temperature, a thermal model will allow you
to consider the impact of factors such as size, type of heat sink, and
airflow requirements.
Index
Lighting designers needing additional development support for thermal
management issues will find ample resources. The thermal management
industry has grown along side advances in electronics design. The
thermal analysis resources section at the end of this document provides
a useful introduction to some industry resources.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Minimum Heat Sink Requirements .2
Thermal Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Inputs/Output of the Thermal Model 4
Heat Sink Characterization . . . . . .4
Attachment to Heat Sinks . . . . . . .7
Best Practices for Thermal Design .8
Evaluating Your Design . . . . . . . . .8
Validation of Method . . . . . . . . . . .11