High-output LED-based light engine for profile lighting fixtures with high color uniformity using freeform reflectors

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Entertainment Technology
• Solid-State Lighting

Background:

• Stage lighting traditionally relies on High-Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs.
• LED-based light engines (LEs) offer advantages like fast switching, color mixing, and longer lifespans.
• Single LEDs lack the lumen output for high-output profile fixtures, necessitating multi-LED designs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model and test a multi-LED light engine for high-output profile fixtures.
• To design a red, green, and blue LED light engine using a dual-reflector system.
• To evaluate the optical efficiency and lumen output of the prototype.

Main Methods:

• Custom ray-tracing software was employed for optical system design.
• A prototype light engine was constructed using twelve CBT-90 LEDs.
• Optical performance was simulated and experimentally verified.

Main Results:

• Simulated optical system efficiency reached 0.626 with ideal reflector coating.
• The prototype light engine achieved an output of 6744 lumens.
• The prototype demonstrated an experimental efficiency of 0.412.

Conclusions:

• The developed LED light engine shows promise for replacing HID sources in stage lighting.
• Lower-than-simulated efficiency was attributed to reflector coating imperfections.
• Optimization of the reflector coating is expected to significantly enhance system efficiency.