Air Cooled HPS Lamp Fixture with Turbulent Heat Sink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing horticulture light fixtures for indoor plant growth, particularly those using double-ended high pressure sodium lamps, face challenges in air cooling due to the lamps' sensitivity to moving air and the degradation of gasket materials by ultraviolet and infrared light, leading to inefficiencies and potential failures.
Innovation Solution
An air-cooled double-ended HPS lamp fixture design that uses a housing with a cooling chamber and flow disruptors to create turbulent air flow, isolating the reflector from moving air and employing a compressively deformed gasket protected from direct light to maintain a constant temperature and prevent excessive current draw, while ensuring a positive air-tight seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If forced air cooling is applied to the double-ended HPS lamp, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but lamp efficiency and light output deteriorate due to excessive current draw
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture is divided into two separate chambers: a first chamber containing the double-ended HPS lamp with stagnant air for efficient light output, and a second chamber for forced air cooling to remove heat. This segmentation allows each chamber to have different air flow conditions optimized for their respective functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat sink is introduced as an intermediary component between the lamp and the cooling air. The heat sink absorbs heat from the lamp through conduction and transfers it to the forced air flow, preventing direct contact between moving air and the lamp while still achieving effective heat removal.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the fixture is sealed to protect the growing atmosphere, then atmospheric control is improved, but heat removal capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed fixture is segmented into multiple chambers with distinct functions: the first chamber maintains the controlled growing atmosphere while housing the lamp, and the second chamber handles forced air cooling. This allows the fixture to be hermetically sealed for atmospheric protection while still enabling effective heat removal through the separate cooling chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink acts as a mediator that enables heat transfer from the lamp to the cooling air without requiring direct access to the lamp chamber. This allows the growing atmosphere to remain sealed and controlled while heat is efficiently removed through the intermediate heat sink and cooling chamber system.
3Reliability
If gasket materials are used to seal the fixture, then sealing capability is improved, but material durability deteriorates due to UV and infrared degradation
Solution Approach 1:
A heat sink is positioned between the lamp and the gasket materials, serving as a protective intermediary. The heat sink blocks direct exposure of the gaskets to intense UV and infrared radiation from the lamp, preventing degradation while still allowing the gaskets to perform their sealing function effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink serves multiple functions: it cools the lamp, transfers heat to the cooling air, and simultaneously protects the gasket materials from radiation damage. This self-service approach allows a single component to address multiple problems without requiring additional protective measures for the gaskets.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively manages heat transfer through turbulent air flow, preventing excessive current draw and maintaining a stable environment for the lamp, while ensuring a durable seal that protects gasket materials from degradation, thus enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the lighting system for indoor plant growth.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling air stream disposed through the cooling chamber between the first duct and the second duct
Implementation Method 2
turbulence enhancement of the cooling air stream by a diverter that disrupts the air stream creating eddies over the top of the reflector
Data Source
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AI summary
An air cooled double ended high pressure sodium lamp fixture for growing plants in confined indoor spaces. The fixture seals the lamp and heat generated by the same to a reflector interior. Flow disruptors create turbulence in a cooling chamber thereby enhancing thermal transfer into a cooling air stream that flows over and around the reflector's exterior side thereby convectively cooling the lamp using the reflector as a heat sink. The lamp is effectively maintained at operational temperatures and the fixture housing is insulated from the hotter reflector by a gap of moving cooling air, allowing use of the double ended HPS lamp in confined indoor growing spaces.