Light Source Module with External Driver for Phosphor Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical engines with high brightness light sources face challenges in heat dissipation, leading to increased costs and larger sizes due to the need for heat-resistant fans and integrated heat sinks, which complicates cooling and may damage phosphor wheels.
Innovation Solution
A light source module design featuring a case with a wavelength transforming unit and a driver that includes a stator and fan blades, where the stator is located outside the accommodation space, generating air flows to cool the unit while minimizing the module's volume and avoiding heat accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fans are installed inside the optical engine to cool the phosphor wheel, then cooling effect is improved, but the fan motor generates additional heat that cannot be dissipated due to the airtight design
Solution Approach 1:
The driver (motor) is extracted from the airtight accommodation space and positioned outside. The driving shaft extends through the case to connect to fan blades inside the accommodation space, allowing the heat-generating motor to be separated from the sealed cooling environment while still providing rotational drive to the cooling fans.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving shaft serves as an intermediary element that transmits rotational force from the motor (located outside) to the fan blades (located inside the airtight space). This mediator allows mechanical power transmission while maintaining the separation between the heat-generating motor and the sealed cooling environment.
2Temperature
If heat-resistant materials are used for the fan, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The driver is extracted from the high-temperature zone (inside the airtight accommodation space) and positioned in the low-temperature zone (outside the case). This allows the use of standard, cost-effective motor materials rather than expensive heat-resistant materials, while still achieving effective cooling through the separated fan blade design.
3Temperature
If the optical engine is integrated with heat sink, then heat dissipation is improved, but the size of the optical engine is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The driver is extracted from the accommodation space and positioned outside the case, eliminating the need for internal heat sink integration. The airtight accommodation space can be optimized for compactness without requiring additional heat dissipation structures inside, reducing the overall optical engine volume.
4Illumination intensity
If high brightness light source is used, then image intensity is improved, but heat generation increases causing damage risk to phosphor wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple fan blades positioned at different locations within the accommodation space. This segmentation allows for more effective and uniform heat removal from the phosphor wheel and other heat-generating components, enabling the use of high brightness light sources without compromising component safety.
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
The solution effectively reduces the size of the light source module and projector while maintaining good heat dissipation performance, preventing damage to the wavelength transforming unit and allowing for high-intensity image projection.
Implementation Method 1
The wavelength transforming unit receives the excitation light from the light source. The excitation light is transformed into illumination light through the wavelength transforming unit.
Implementation Method 2
A first air flow is generated by the first fan blade driven by the stator rotating the driving shaft. The first air flow flows inside the case.
Data Source
AI summary
A light source module for providing an illumination light is presented. The light source module comprises a case, a light source, at least one first fan blade, a wavelength transforming unit and a driver. The case has an accommodation space, and the light source provides an excitation light to the accommodation space. The first fan blade and the wavelength transforming unit are disposed in the accommodation space. The wavelength transforming unit receives the excitation light from the light source. The excitation light is transformed into the illumination light through the wavelength transforming unit. The driver includes a driving shaft and a stator for rotating the driving shaft. The stator is located outside the accommodation space. The driving shaft passes through the case and connects to at least one first fan blade. A first air flow is generated by the first fan blade driven by the stator rotating the driving shaft. The first air flow flows inside the case. A projector is also provided.