Avaliação do emprego de um pré-regulador boost de baixa frequência no acionamento de LEDs de iluminação

Abstract

This work is mainly focused on the evaluation of the use of a low-frequency and low-cost converter intended to drive light emitting diodes employed in low power lighting fixtures. The proposal considers at first a high power factor boost pre-regulator converter featuring a low frequency switching of the main power device, which is driven twice each electric mains cycle. An experimental prototype with output power of 11 W is implemented and proves the concept feasibility. In this case, photometry studies show a reduction of 11% in the LEDs luminous efficacy, as compared to an ideal DC operation, which is due to the discontinuous nature of the output current. The boost pre-regulator presented a power factor of 0.97 and a global efficiency of 59%, something that can be imputed to the use of an underrated low frequency transformer. Despite some disadvantages, the discontinuous nature of LEDs current allows the converter to avoid using electrolytic capacitors, what confers an extended lifetime to the proposed driver. A similar circuit, which does not need transformers at all and is devised to be employed in street lighting, is also evaluated by means of numerical simulation. Moreover, another low frequency pre-regulator based on the Ćuk converter is evaluated with the aid of computer simulation, and the results show that it could be attained in practice a high global efficiency, high luminous efficacy and extended driver lifetime. Finally, a complementary study accomplished during this dissertation evaluates the influence of the geometric positioning of the LEDs for the luminous distribution over a given plane to be lit. Mathematical and experimental analysis have been developed contributing for the right allocation of lighting unities along the heatsink bar which bears the lighting fixture prototype.