Light emitting diode cooling systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047560-B2
Application number	US-202016781788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	May 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A cooling system for a light emitting diode assembly includes a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat from a fluid to ambient air, an enclosure configured to house the LED assembly, and a pump configured to circulate the fluid through the enclosure, through the LED assembly, or both, and through the heat exchanger. The fluid is configured to absorb heat at the LED assembly and generated by the LED assembly, and the heat exchanger is configured to cool the fluid and remove the heat absorbed by the fluid at the LED assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooling system for a light emitting diode (“LED”) assembly, comprising:
a fluid configured to absorb heat at the LED assembly and generated by the LED assembly, wherein the fluid is transparent or semi-transparent, and wherein the fluid is configured to enable light emitted by the LED assembly to pass through the fluid;
a heat exchanger configured to remove heat absorbed by the fluid at the LED assembly and exchange heat from the fluid to ambient air;
an enclosure configured to house the LED assembly, wherein the enclosure is transparent or semi-transparent; and
a pump configured to circulate the fluid between the enclosure and the LED assembly and through the heat exchanger, wherein the LED assembly comprises at least one LED array configured to operate above a predetermined power density, and wherein the predetermined power density is between 50 watts per square inch and 250 watts per square inch.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a radiator configured to exchange heat with ambient air.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises one or more fans configured to draw air across at least a portion of the heat exchanger to exchange heat from the heat exchanger to air.

4. The cooling system of claim 1 , comprising the LED assembly, wherein the LED assembly is configured to transmit light through the enclosure in a front emission configuration or a side emission configuration.

5. The cooling system of claim 1 , comprising the at least one LED array, wherein the at least one LED array comprises a plurality of LEDs configured to operate above the predetermined power density, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured to remove heat absorbed by the fluid at the at least one LED array while the plurality of LEDs operate above the predetermined power density.

6. The cooling system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one LED array has a surface area equal to or less than 4 in 2 , and wherein the at least one LED array is configured to operate at or above the predetermined power density for more than 1 minute.

7. The cooling system of claim 6 , wherein the LED assembly is configured to operate above a total power of between 400 watts and 5000 watts.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 , comprising a flexible diaphragm configured to expand, retract, or both, as a volume of the fluid increases, decreases, or both.

9. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein a first refractive index corresponding to the fluid and a second refractive index corresponding to the enclosure are matched.

10. The cooling system of claim 1 , comprising the LED assembly, an inner annular passage formed within the LED assembly, and an outer annular passage formed between the LED assembly and the enclosure, wherein the pump is configured to circulate the fluid through the outer annular passage and the inner annular passage to absorb heat at the LED assembly.

11. The cooling system of claim 1 , comprising:
the LED assembly configured to emit light; and
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive an input signal indicative of a temperature at the LED assembly;
determine whether a difference between the temperature at the LED assembly and a target temperature exceeds a threshold value; and
adjust operation of the heat exchanger, the pump, or both, based on the difference between the temperature at the LED assembly and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value.

12. The cooling system of claim 11 , wherein adjusting operation of the heat exchanger, the pump, or both, comprises adjusting operation of fans of the heat exchanger configured to force air over the heat exchanger to cool the fluid circulating through the heat exchanger.

13. The cooling system of claim 12 , wherein adjusting operation of the fans of the heat exchanger comprises:
causing the fans to increase an air flow over the heat exchanger in response to the temperature being greater than the target temperature and the difference between the temperature and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value; and
causing the fans to decrease the air flow over the heat exchanger in response to the temperature being less than the target temperature and the difference between the temperature and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value.

14. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises acrylic, polycarbonate, glass, or a combination thereof.

15. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the fluid is between 1.4 and 1.6.

16. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the enclosure is between 1.44 and 1.5.

17. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is configured to contact the LED assembly.

18. A cooling system for a light emitting diode (“LED”) assembly, comprising:
a fluid configured to absorb heat at the LED assembly and generated by the LED assembly, wherein the fluid is transparent or semi-transparent, and wherein the fluid is configured to enable light emitted by the LED assembly to pass through the fluid;
a heat exchanger configured to remove heat absorbed by the fluid at the LED assembly and exchange heat from the fluid to ambient air;
an enclosure configured to house the LED assembly, wherein the enclosure is transparent or semi-transparent;
a pump configured to circulate the fluid between the enclosure and the LED assembly and through the heat exchanger;
the LED assembly configured to emit light; and
a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive an input signal indicative of a temperature at the LED assembly;
determine whether a difference between the temperature at the LED assembly and a target temperature exceeds a threshold value; and
adjust operation of the heat exchanger, the pump, or both, based on the difference between the temperature at the LED assembly and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value, wherein adjusting operation of the heat exchanger, the pump, or both, comprises adjusting a flow rate of the fluid through the LED assembly, the enclosure, and the heat exchanger.

19. The cooling system of claim 18 , wherein adjusting the flow rate of the fluid comprises:
causing the pump to increase the flow rate of the fluid in response to the temperature being greater than the target temperature and the difference between the temperature and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value; and
causing the pump to decrease the flow rate of the fluid in response to the temperature being less than the target temperature and the difference between the temperature and the target temperature exceeding the threshold value.

20. A cooling system for a light emitting diode (“LED”) assembly, comprising:
a fluid configured to absorb heat at the LED assembly and generated by the LED assembly, wherein the fluid is transparent or semi-transparent, and wherein the fluid is configured to enable light emitted by the LED assembly to pass through the fluid;
a heat exchanger configured to remove heat absorbed by the fluid at the LED assembly and exchange heat from the fluid to ambient air;
an enclosure configured to house the LED assembly, wherein the enclosure is transparent or semi-transparent;
a pump configured to circulate the fluid between the enclosure and the LED assembly and through the heat exchanger;
the LED assembly configured to emit light; and
a controller compris

Assignees

• Nbcuniversal Media Llc

Inventors

• Edwards Charles

Classifications

• F21V29/58 Primary

  characterised by the coolants · CPC title

• F21V29/61

  characterised by control arrangements · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V29/59 Primary

  with forced flow of the coolant · CPC title

• F21V29/57

  characterised by control arrangements · CPC title