One of the factors which has hampered takeover of LEDs in all lighting applications is the ability to manage the heat that LEDs produce. When LEDs run at higher temperatures they are not as efficient at producing light but most of all their longevity is significantly compromised. In other words, there’s only so much heat we can pack into a small LED package without using the large heatsinks and fans which add cost, bulk and failure risk to all LED light fixtures.
To combat this energy density issue, GE has recently released information about a new actively cooled PAR 38 LED spotlight using revolutionary solid-state micro jet engine cooling. This tiny active cooling jet engine pumps air across a specially channeled heatsink, the pumped air absorbs heat from the heatsink and it allows for more LEDs to be packed into a smaller area without fear of damaging their lifetime operation.
How much better is the jet engine cooled LED light? Where a normal PAR 38 spotlight puts out 1500 lumens while using 100 watts, GE’s jet cooled LED PAR 38 spotlight also produces 1500 lumens but it uses a third of the energy. With 19 LEDs visible in the press shots, tha means that the LEDs are each running at about a watt and a half, producing 45 lumens per watt. Now 45 lm/w is not a groundbreaking figure but being able to get that from an LED light as small as a PAR 38 sized lamp is incredible. No word on whether this prototype lamp is destined for commercialization soon, but since it’s from GE we wouldn’t be surprised to see this new PAR 38 LED sitting on the shelves at Home Depot in the future.
[via Wired]
