Thermal Management Process in Automotive Exterior Lighting Products

Abstract

In this study, the thermal management process in the design phase investigated for automotive headlamp and LED (Light Emitting Diode) light
module. Thermal management has importance for long lifetime and material selection. Halogen light source leads to warm in the design space as
between 5-10 percent of power is only transferred into visible light and the rest converts into heat. While the energy of LEDs transfer at least 20
percent into visible light and the rest of the energy generates heat within electronic components and spreads over PCB (Printed Circuit Board).
Nevertheless, the heat dissipation on PCB should be controlled because LEDs have junction temperature (T-junction), which is critical for
luminous flux degradation and cooling system. Hence, thermal management of LED light module for automotive headlamp investigated with
numerical experimentation and results compared with tests which have a good correlation with each other. Numerical experiments performed
in headlamp is investigated in terms of temperature distribution. Also, the halogen light source was considered within the same design space
and temperature distribution was presented with numerical experimentation and results compared with tests. In numerical experimentation, it is
important to predict close results for both LED and halogen light sources in the design phase as both relate to performance of lighting product.
While halogen light source directly affects the plastic materials, considered in the design, LEDs result in degradation of luminous flux and
have effect on PCB materials. Plastic materials’ thermal performance is defined with Vicat softening temperature. Well-correlated numerical
experimentation with tests is achieved by utilizing FloEFD thermal simulation software.