UVC LED Fin Encapsulation for Thermal and Airflow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing UV light systems face challenges in providing sufficient UV light intensity for effective pathogen deactivation due to heat dissipation issues with high-powered UV-C LEDs, which can lead to reduced radiant flux, life, and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A fin-based filtration system with a heat sink design that dissipates heat generated by UVC LEDs, redirects airflow, and creates air vortexes to enhance exposure to UV radiation, using adjustable fins to optimize irradiation and dwell time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high-powered UV-C LEDs are used to provide sufficient UV light intensity for pathogen deactivation, then the UV irradiation efficacy is improved, but heat dissipation problems worsen leading to reduced radiant flux, life, and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the air treatment function into separate zones: a first chamber for particulate filtration and a second chamber for UV irradiation. This segmentation allows the UV LEDs to operate in a dedicated environment with optimized heat dissipation pathways, reducing thermal interference and improving reliability while maintaining high irradiation intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat sink structure acts as an intermediary between the UV-C LEDs and the surrounding environment, providing a dedicated thermal management pathway. The heat sink absorbs and dissipates heat away from the LEDs, preventing temperature-related degradation of radiant flux and reliability while allowing the LEDs to operate at high intensity.
2Illumination intensity
If high-powered UV-C LEDs are used to provide sufficient UV light intensity for pathogen deactivation, then the UV irradiation efficacy is improved, but heat dissipation problems worsen leading to reduced radiant flux
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink serves as a thermal intermediary that intercepts heat before it can transfer to the LED junction. By providing a low-thermal-resistance pathway to the ambient environment, the heat sink prevents temperature rise that would otherwise cause radiant flux degradation, maintaining high UV output efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal parameters of the LED operating environment by introducing active heat dissipation through the heat sink. This parameter change (temperature control) prevents the natural degradation of radiant flux that occurs with temperature increase, allowing sustained high-intensity operation.
3Temperature
If conventional heat sinks are built into substrates of UVC LEDs, then heat dissipation is provided, but as LED intensity increases, heat dissipation becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from two-dimensional substrate-based heat dissipation to three-dimensional finned heat sink structures. The extended surface area of the fins provides additional thermal pathways in multiple dimensions, dramatically increasing heat dissipation capacity to match high-power LED operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation function is segmented from the LED substrate and placed in a separate chamber environment. This allows the heat sink to operate independently with optimized fin configurations and airflow patterns, providing sufficient heat dissipation capacity for high-intensity LEDs without being constrained by substrate limitations.
4Reliability
If airflow is redirected to increase exposure time to UV radiation, then pathogen deactivation efficacy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air treatment system is segmented into sequential chambers: first for filtration, then for UV irradiation. This segmentation naturally extends exposure time without requiring complex airflow control mechanisms, as air must pass through each chamber in sequence. The simplicity of the segmented design maintains ease of operation while improving deactivation efficacy.
Solution Approach 2:
Particulate filtration is performed as a preliminary action before UV irradiation. This removes particles that would otherwise shield pathogens from UV light, pre-conditioning the air to maximize UV effectiveness. The preliminary filtration simplifies the overall system by addressing one protection mechanism before the other, rather than requiring complex integrated controls.
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 system achieves over 99% efficacy in deactivating airborne pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 by ensuring sufficient UV irradiation and prolonged exposure, effectively sterilizing air before circulation.
Implementation Method 1
An example non-limiting system uses a finned heat sink to dissipate heat generated by UVC LEDs
Implementation Method 2
Ultraviolet light has been demonstrated to deactivate viruses
Implementation Method 3
redirects airflow, and creates air vortexes to enhance exposure to UV radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A germicidal UVC LED array includes a fin design that uses a heatsink to dissipate the high-powered UVC LEDs generated heat, redirect the air to increase or decrease the air pressure providing pressure stabilization, and redirect the air to a channel to expose it to the maximum amount of irradiation from the UVC LEDs. This design creates air vortexes to expose the pathogens to radiation for a longer period of time or to direct the pathogens to higher light-intensity regions illuminated by the LEDs. The fin arrangement with the heatsink can be arranged at any angle. It can be placed around the edge of the duct system to provide a frame.