Led heat sinks guarantee high light output and prolong the service life of high-performance leds

LEDs have become very popular, which is mainly due to their excellent energy efficiency and long service life. While the lighting efficiency of LEDs is much higher than that of conventional incandescent light bulbs, 75 to 85 percent of the consumed power is still lost in the form of heat, depending on the light colour and the luminous intensity. This heat is transferred by the depletion layer through the metal connections to the PCB and dissipates into the environment. The temperature of the depletion layer also affects the dominating wavelengths and the brightness of the LED, and thus the colour of the emitted light. As the temperature increases, the brightness of the luminaire is gradually reduced while there is a marked colour change. Application-specific thermal management is therefore a must and can be achieved by mounting heat sinks that ensure uniform light output and colour while prolonging the service life of the LED.