Heatsink Design
Heatsink Design
Heatsink Design
Version 20120529
Background
Thermal management is a crucial ingredient in the design of a luminaire used in solid
state lighting (SSL). Light output, reliability, and lifetime increase as LED junction
temperature (Tj) decreases. Module case temperature (Tc) has been correlated to Tj,
and therefore, it is very important to keep Tc of the Xicato module below 90ºC. To assist
with thermal management, Xicato has designed several reference heatsinks (HS) that
customers can integrate into their design. See the Thermal Class Matrices on the
‘Members Lounge’ at www.xicato.com for more information on pairing different Thermal
Classes with various standard HS.
It is also possible, however, to design the luminaire such that the luminaire itself acts as
the HS. When designing a luminaire that also acts as HS, several factors must be taken
into consideration, including:
1. Natural convection flow patterns
2. Luminaire orientation
3. Operating environment
4. Material selection
In order to assist in the thermal design, Xicato can run thermal simulations on the
luminaire and provide feedback and recommendations for improvement, if necessary.
See “Thermal Simulation Request Form” on the ‘Members Lounge’ or contact your
Xicato representative for more information.
The higher the thermal conductivity (k), the more heat is transferred across the solid.
Design Considerations
Natural Convection
Natural convection occurs in the absence of forced fluid flow, such as wind, HVAC, or an
active thermal solution such as a fan. Natural convection is heat transfer that occurs due
to fluid flow that is induced by buoyancy forces that arise from density differences
caused by temperature variations in the fluid.
In simple terms, it is heat transfer due to fluid flow (in our case, typically air) that is
generated by the difference in density of air at different temperatures. Warm air is lighter
Luminaire Orientation
HS orientation is critical to module case temperature as the following demonstrates.
Figure 5 shows that this HS design may be good for a 45° orientation. Air would flow up
into the channels between fins and remove heat as it rises. Thermal analysis or testing
would need to be performed to determine whether or not the HS would pass in this and
all orientations.
Depending on the most common orientation, a HS like that in Figure 4 may be preferred
over the HS in Figure 2 for a 90° orientation, or vice versa in a 0° orientation. When a
HS has a wide range of orientation, it is best to consider the worst-case orientation for
luminaire validation.
Another type of HS design is the pin-fin HS. Figure 6 shows a typical pin-fin HS design.
Based on research of the pin-fin HS market, HS heights above 50mm are usually not
available without special ordering a taller design.
Pin-fin heatsinks typically have a worst-case orientation of 0°, while 90° is actually the
best-case orientation. The reason for this is due to the fin design. In a 0° orientation,
very little air flows into the center fins, reducing the effectiveness of these fins. In a 90°
orientation, air flows through all fin channels very easily. Because of this, the more the
heatsink tilts from vertical, the better the heatsink performs, which is the exact opposite
behavior of a typical extruded heatsink. Pin-fin heatsinks can be a great choice for
adjustable luminaires but usually are not the best choice for a fixed downlight, though
the difference in case temperature between best and worst-case orientation is typically
not as dramatic as it is with extruded heatsinks.
Copper has a high thermal conductivity but it is also much more expensive and heavier
than aluminum. Because aluminum is less expensive than copper and still has a
relatively high thermal conductivity, it is the most common material choice in HS design.
Additionally, aluminum is light, strong, and accepts many finishes (for aesthetic and
radiative heat transfer purposes).
Two types of fabrication processes are common for HS design: extrusion and casting.
Extrusion is the process of creating objects of a fixed cross sectional profile by pushing a
material through a die of the desired cross section. Casting is a manufacturing process
where a hot liquid is poured and subsequently cooled in a mold that contains a hollow
cavity of the desired shape.
The extrusion process is ideal when the HS has a constant cross sectional profile. It is
most common, however, that a luminaire that also acts as HS will not have a common
cross section, making casting the more popular method.
Al 6063 is the recommended material for an extrusion. Al ADC6 Cast is recommended
when casting is used. Note that there can be a significant difference between generic
cast aluminum and one that is carefully selected for its thermal properties. For example,
compare the thermal conductivity of Al ADC6 and A380 (see Table 1). Also compare the
thermal conductivity of Al ADC6 and 6063. Because the thermal conductivity of Al 6063
is higher than that of Al ADC6 and other cast alloys, extruded heatsinks usually perform
better from a thermal standpoint than a similar size cast HS.
Lastly, surface finish should also be considered. Table 2 shows a wide range of
emissivity for several common aluminum surface finishes. A high emissivity surface may
reduce module case temperature by a few degrees at high enough temperatures.
The case temperature is just below the 90ºC maximum Tc specification, and this module
is supported by the XSA-38 HS.
1
For more information on Thermal Classes, contact your Xicato representative.
Notice that the slots in the luminaire serve to create fins that improve HS thermal
performance. Also note that an opening in the bottom of the luminaire is needed to allow
fresh air to travel into the HS. If the slots at the bottom of the luminaire were not present,
this would be a poor HS design, as very little air would flow through the fins and cool the
module.
The HS was simulated for a Thermal Class G module at a 45° orientation and a 40ºC
ambient temperature. The results are shown below.
The results for this HS are similar to those of the Xicato reference HS XSA-38. This
luminaire meets thermal requirements, and is a suitable design for a Thermal Class G
module.
Note that the luminaire described in this section is a simplified luminaire and is only
shown as an example of how to incorporate thermal management into the luminaire
design. An actual luminaire may be much more complicated, as mechanical, aesthetic,
size envelope, and other factors need to be taken into consideration. Xicato encourages
our partner fixture manufacturers to work directly with us via thermal simulation to
optimize luminaire designs.
Fin Blockage
The Xicato reference heatsinks were designed to meet the maximum XSM Tc for optimal
flow through the fins. When using a reference HS, care should be taken to ensure that
the top and bottom of the HS is open to the environment. In the example below, a cover
was placed over the top of XSA-38 and a thermal simulation was conducted with a
Thermal Class G module.
2
For more information on the Luminaire Validation Program, visit the ‘Members Lounge' or contact your
Xicato Representative.
HS in an enclosure
Special design considerations must be taken into account when designing a luminaire
inside of an enclosure (e.g., an IC fixture or an fixture inside a concrete enclosure).
Because of the added complexity of designing with an enclosure, see the Application
Note “Heatsinking In An Enclosure” for more details.
Conclusions
Thermal management is critical to the design of SSL luminaires. To assist in the thermal
design, a Xicato reference HS can be used in conjunction with the Thermal Class Matrix.
Additionally, the luminaire itself can be designed such that it is used as part of the
thermal solution. To summarize, the three most important factors to consider when
designing a luminaire that uses a passive thermal solution are:
1. Orientation and natural convection flow patterns
a. Proper fin alignment
b. Proper ventilation
2. Operating environment
3. Material selection
a. Thermal conductivity
b. Weight
c. Cost
d. Fabrication
e. Surface finish
Once an initial luminaire has been designed, Xicato can run a thermal simulation and
determine pass/fail and provide feedback for design improvement. In order to submit a
simulation request, download the Thermal Simulation Request and Definition Form from
the ‘Members Lounge’ and submit to [email protected].