Comparison of finite volume and one dimensional network methodologies for thermal management of lighting applications

Abstract

Signify is focused on building a state-of-the-art, innovative and sustainable solutions for industries, homes, buildings, and communities. In the last decade or so there has been a considerable shift from using traditional incandescent luminaires to highly efficient, cheaper, and robust LED (Light Emitting Diode) based lighting fixtures. LEDs are semiconductor devices and thus their life depends largely on operating temperatures. Thermal management of the lighting fixture, therefore, becomes crucial for the overall performance. Heat sinks are designed for given operating conditions for better thermal management. With the improved LED efficiencies there are two alternatives that the product designer can opt for namely, to increase the lumen output for the present fixture or to reduce the overall heat sink size. To assist the product designer in this aspect, the present paper reports the thermal management of lighting luminaries using two different modelling techniques such as Finite Volume Method (FVM) and One Dimensional (1D) resistive network analysis. These two modelling techniques are employed to predict the temperature profiles on the luminaire and then compared them with the actual test results. The processing time, accuracy, and method of implementation for both these techniques are then discussed.