Pool Light Heat Sink Using Water-Flow Cooling for Brightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pool lights face challenges with thermal management, leading to either dim lighting or heat-related failures, limiting their brightness and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A light fixture design featuring a heat sink that conducts heat efficiently and interfaces directly with water for dissipation, combined with a lens retainer allowing water flow to enhance cooling, and a sealing mechanism to keep critical components dry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If higher power LEDs are used to increase brightness, then illumination intensity improves, but heat generation increases making thermal management more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A heat sink serves as an intermediary thermal management component between the LED module and the surrounding water environment. The heat sink conducts heat away from the LED and transfers it to the water, enabling higher power LEDs to operate at brighter intensities while managing the thermal load through this intermediate thermal exchange structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes water flow (hydraulics) as a cooling medium to remove heat from the heat sink. Water circulates through channels or contacts the heat sink surface, carrying thermal energy away from the LED module, thereby enabling effective thermal management of high-power lighting components.
2Temperature
If existing thermal management solutions like heat sinks are used, then thermal management improves, but the light fixture still fails due to heat-related issues
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is designed to continuously remove heat from the LED module through constant water circulation and heat sink conduction. This continuous thermal exchange action prevents heat accumulation and ensures sustained reliable operation, eliminating the intermittent or insufficient cooling that leads to heat-related failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes thermal management parameters including heat sink surface area, water flow rate, and thermal conductivity materials to maximize heat dissipation efficiency. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system achieves reliable thermal management that prevents overheating failures while maintaining high lighting output.
3Temperature
If water flow is increased to enhance cooling, then thermal management improves, but the complexity of the sealing mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into multiple independent sealing elements positioned at critical interfaces where water flows. Each sealing element handles a specific portion of the water-tight barrier function, allowing for simpler individual components that collectively provide effective sealing while enabling water flow for thermal management.
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 design achieves brighter and more reliable lighting by efficiently dissipating heat into the surrounding water, preventing heat-related failures, and ensuring the fixture's longevity.
Implementation Method 1
A lighting module can be mounted to the heat sink such that it transmits heat to the heat sink by way of conduction
Implementation Method 2
The lens retainer can include at least one aperture that allows water to flow into a cavity formed within the lens retainer
Data Source
AI summary
A light fixture, methods for installing the light fixture, and systems that incorporate the light fixture are provided. The light fixture includes a housing that connects to a power source at one end and interfaces with a heat sink, lighting module, and associated lens at the other end. A lens retainer includes an aperture that allows water to flow into a cavity formed within the lens retainer when installed. A portion of the heat sink is exposed to the cavity and can form a surface of the cavity, thereby being exposed to water when the light fixture is submerged. The exposed portion of the heat sink can include a three-dimensional shape such as a V-groove to enhance heat transfer characteristics.