THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES AND SYSTEMS
One or more embodiments presented herein include a light emitting system and/or device that can include a thermal management system. The thermal management system can provide for transport and/or dissipation of heat generated by a light emitting device.
1 . A light emitting system comprising:
an illumination component;
a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and
a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.
2 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates disposed under the heat spreading component.
3 . The light emitting system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates are in thermal communication with the light emitting device.
4 . The light emitting system of claim 3 , further comprising fins disposed in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates.
5 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component comprises a graphite material.
6 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity greater than about 400 W/mK.
7 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an out-of-plane thermal conductivity less than about 20 W/mK.
8 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels disposed to penetrate at least a portion of a out-of-plane thickness of the heat spreading component, wherein the out-of-plane conduction channels are configured to have thermal conductivity substantially larger than the out-of-plane thermal conductivity of the heat spreading component.
9 . The light emitting system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels comprise metal.
10 . The light emitting system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates in thermal communication with the light emitting device, wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels are in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates.
11 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more liquid crystal layers disposed over the illumination component.
12 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to a majority of the light transmitted through the illumination component.
13 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity and an out-of-plane thermal conductivity, wherein the thermal conductivity in the first direction is the in-plane thermal conductivity and the thermal conductivity in the second direction is the out-of-plane thermal conductivity.
14 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component is disposed under the illumination component.
15 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than ten times the second thermal conductivity.
16 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than twenty times the second thermal conductivity.
17 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
18 . The light emitting system of claim 1 , wherein the solid-state light emitting device is in thermal communication with the heat spreading component.
19 . The light emitting system of claim 18 , wherein the solid-state light emitting device is directly on the heat spreading component.
20 . A method of forming a light emitting system comprising:
providing an illumination component;
providing a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and
providing a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.