Product
Due to the low conversion efficiency, small luminous flux, high cost, long-term discoloration of white light, and heat dissipation of high-power white LEDs, the short-term application of high-power white LEDs is mainly special work lamps in some special fields, and the medium- and long-term goal is the general lighting field.
Comparison of high-power and standard-power LED products
1. Simplified design process
Since it is necessary to consider greatly simplified thermal management, the design process required for standard LED arrays is much simpler than that required for high-power technology. In our theoretical example, 350mA current is required to drive a 1W LED, while six standard LED arrays only require 120mA current. High-power technology requires the use of heat sinks and metal core PCB boards to ensure that efficiency loss, reduced service life or fading caused by excessive junction temperature are avoided.
Because standard LEDs do not require the use of heat sinks, metal core printed circuit boards (MCPCBs), capacitors or resistors, these LEDs are easier to design, test and manufacture. This simplified process not only saves time and money in the production process, but also speeds up the time to market for products.
2. Cost savings
High-power LEDs require thermal management, which greatly increases the cost of LEDs. The most expensive addition to the design process is the heat sink. Heat sinks can be made from a variety of metal materials, including relatively cheap aluminum, as well as more expensive materials such as copper and silver that are more conductive. These expensive materials can add $1 to $10 to the cost of high-power products, which can be avoided with standard LED devices.
Similarly, high-power LEDs also require the use of MCPCBs as another passive cooling technology to control junction temperature. Because MCPCB materials have better thermal conductivity, these boards are more efficient in dissipating heat than the cheaper FR4 PCBs used by standard LEDs. However, their cost can be as high as 5 times the cost of FR4 PCBs. Using cheaper FR4 PCBs, eliminating the need for expensive heat sinks, and simplifying design considerations can save up to 60% of the cost.
3. Save space
When the internal space constraints of the device are very large, standard LEDs are usually the best choice. As mentioned above, high-power LEDs require the additional use of heat sinks and cooling technologies that are generally more space-consuming. The first task is to create more surface area for cooling through convection and radiation. Larger surface areas can help reduce heat more effectively, but they also increase the size of high-power LEDs. This increases design barriers for smaller spaces and smaller products.
Standard LED arrays typically do not require space-consuming drivers, capacitors, and resistors (all of which are required for high-power LEDs), saving up to 50% of space. For applications with limited space, standard LED arrays can provide the same brightness as high-power LEDs while significantly saving space.