Refrigerant-Cooled Phosphor Layer for High-Luminance Wavelength Conversion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wavelength conversion elements, such as phosphor light sources, face challenges in achieving high cooling efficiency and heat dissipation, which limits their luminance and efficiency, especially as they generate heat during laser radiation, and existing solutions like phosphor wheels with rotating substrates are not suitable for miniaturization and have reduced light extraction efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A wavelength conversion element comprising a phosphor layer with a refrigerant and a refrigerant transport member encapsulated in a housing, where the phosphor layer has gaps and is directly cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant, allowing efficient circulation and increased heat dissipation without the need for a rotating substrate, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and light extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a phosphor wheel with rotating substrate is used to dissipate heat, then heat dissipation is achieved, but the device complexity increases and miniaturization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the rotating substrate from the system entirely, replacing it with a stationary phosphor layer structure. The heat dissipation function is achieved through thermal conduction to heat sinks and convection via refrigerant flow, eliminating the mechanical rotation component while maintaining effective heat removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical rotation system is replaced with a stationary thermal management system using refrigerant circulation and heat sinks. The active cooling is achieved through fluid dynamics and thermal conduction rather than mechanical motion, simplifying the overall device structure.
2Temperature
If a phosphor wheel with rotating substrate is used, then heat dissipation is improved, but light extraction efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphor layer is applied locally to specific regions where light conversion is needed, rather than coating an entire rotating wheel structure. This localized approach allows optimized light extraction paths and reduces unnecessary material that would block or scatter light.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional rotating wheel surface to a three-dimensional stationary phosphor layer structure with controlled thickness and composition. This allows optimization of light extraction in the vertical dimension while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the same structure.
3Illumination intensity
If laser radiation power is increased to improve luminance, then luminance increases, but heat generation increases and cooling efficiency becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs phase change materials or refrigerant circulation that utilizes phase transitions (liquid-vapor cycles) to absorb and transport heat away from the phosphor layer. This provides high-capacity heat removal that scales with increased laser power, maintaining cooling efficiency even at higher luminance levels.
Solution Approach 2:
A refrigerant fluid acts as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the phosphor layer and the external cooling system. This intermediary enables efficient heat extraction by circulating through the system, absorbing heat during vaporization, and releasing it during condensation, providing scalable cooling capacity.
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
This configuration significantly increases the cooling efficiency of the phosphor layer, reduces peak temperature, and improves light emission efficiency, enabling the development of small, high-power wavelength conversion elements and light source modules for projection display devices.
Implementation Method 1
the phosphor layer has gaps therein. The refrigerant cools the phosphor layer. The refrigerant transport member circulates the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
directly cooled by the latent heat of vaporization of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
The refrigerant transport member circulates the refrigerant. This efficiently circulates the refrigerant in the phosphor layer
Implementation Method 4
a wavelength conversion element including a phosphor as a light source... a phosphor layer includes a plurality of phosphor particles
Data Source
AI summary
A wavelength conversion element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a phosphor layer; a refrigerant; a refrigerant transport member; and a housing. The phosphor layer includes a plurality of phosphor particles. The phosphor layer has a gap therein. The refrigerant cools the phosphor layer. The refrigerant transport member is provided in contact with the phosphor layer. The refrigerant transport member circulates the refrigerant. The phosphor layer, the refrigerant, and the refrigerant transport member are encapsulated in the housing.