VAPOR CHAMBER COOLING OF SOLID-STATE LIGHT FIXTURES
A lighting module has an array of light emitters, a heat sink having a first surface, the array of light emitters being mounted to the first surface, a vapor chamber inside the heat sink, the vapor chamber including a liquid and arranged to absorb heat from the first surface until the liquid becomes vapor, and a cooling unit thermally coupled to a second surface of the heat sink opposite the first.
1 . A lighting module, comprising:
an array of light emitters;
a heat sink having a first surface, the array of light emitters being mounted to the first surface;
a vapor chamber inside the heat sink, the vapor chamber including a liquid and arranged to absorb heat from the first surface until the liquid becomes vapor; and
a cooling unit thermally coupled to a second surface of the heat sink opposite the first surface.
2 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the array of light emitters comprises at least one substrate having multiple light emitters arranged on the substrate.
3 . The lighting module of claim 2 , wherein the array of light emitters comprises multiple substrates, the substrates being one of either stacked in both a vertical and horizontal direction or stacked in a horizontal direction.
4 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the array of light emitters comprises a single line of emitters.
5 . The lighting module of claim 1 wherein the heat pipe comprises one of copper, aluminum or brass.
7 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises one of water, alcohol, ethylene glycol, or fluorocarbon-based fluid.
8 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a fan configured to blow air across at least a portion of the second surface.
9 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises one of either ridges or fins on at least a portion of the second surface.
10 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises a liquid cooling unit having a pipe mounted to the second surface.
11 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the array of light emitters is mounted to the heat sink using a thermal interface material.
12 . The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the array of light emitters is mounted to at least one substrate and the substrate is mounted to the heat sink.