Low-Voltage DC Power Distribution for LED Luminaires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED lighting systems in buildings pose safety risks due to high operating temperatures and exposure to high-voltage AC current, and they compromise system efficiency with multiple stages of power translation.
Innovation Solution
A system that distributes low-voltage DC power directly to LED luminaires through a centralized lighting controller, eliminating the need for individual current drivers and high-voltage wiring, and incorporates renewable energy sources for resilient power delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-voltage AC current is used to power LED luminaires, then power delivery capability is improved, but safety risks increase due to exposure to high voltage and high operating temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters from high-voltage AC current to low-voltage DC current throughout the system. This fundamental parameter change enables safe touch voltages while maintaining adequate power delivery capability for LED luminaires, directly resolving the contradiction between power delivery and safety risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional AC power distribution infrastructure with a DC power distribution system. This substitution eliminates the need for high-voltage AC wiring and associated safety hazards, while providing sufficient power delivery through optimized low-voltage DC architecture
2Use of energy by moving object
If individual current drivers are mounted in each LED luminaire fixture, then power conversion is improved, but system complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power conversion function from individual luminaire-level components into a centralized DC-DC converter located in the power distribution panel. This consolidation reduces the number of individual current drivers from hundreds or thousands per building to a single centralized unit, significantly reducing system complexity and installation costs while maintaining power conversion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized DC-DC converter serves multiple luminaires simultaneously, providing universal power conversion service to the entire lighting system. This multi-functional approach replaces numerous individual drivers with a single unit that can serve many luminaires, reducing overall system complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple stages of power translation are used in LED lighting systems, then adaptability to different power sources is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to multiple conversion losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power conversion function from the luminaire fixtures and relocates it to a centralized DC-DC converter in the power distribution panel. This extraction eliminates intermediate conversion stages at the luminaire level, reducing the number of conversion steps from multiple to a single stage, thereby minimizing energy losses while maintaining adaptability to different power sources through the centralized converter's design
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems for powering and controlling lighting fixtures in office buildings, homes, industrial facilities, and similar structures using low-voltage direct-current (“DC”) electricity. Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems for distributing DC power from a lighting controller to various LED luminaires. Embodiments include (a) a power source configured to provide electricity at approximately 48 volts DC; (b) an LED lighting fixture that includes a cool LED luminaire tuned toward the blue end of the visible light spectrum and a warm LED luminaire tuned toward the red end of the visible light spectrum; (c) a variable input control device for setting the color/temperature of the light emitted by the LED lighting fixture; and (d) a lighting controller comprising a watt meter, a capacitor bank, a cool LED controller, a warm LED controller, an input controller, a lighting computer; and (e) a site computer that communicates with the lighting controller via a building network to provide certain operational controls over the LED lighting fixture.