Electrolytic capacitors are no longer the lifespan shortcoming of LED drivers

 With the rapid development of LED lighting and the gradual improvement of light efficiency, LED manufacturers have put forward higher requirements for LED drivers , connectors and other devices. What is the current development status of electrolytic capacitors, which have always been pointed out as the short board of LED lamp life? In the tide of LED lighting , how can LED drivers, as the weak link, meet the challenges? New Century LED Network reporter interviewed Mr. Liu Yongpeng, general manager of Zhaoqing Emerald Electronics Co., Ltd., a professional electrolytic capacitor manufacturer.

　　Improving competitiveness through quality and technological innovation

　　"The most important thing about LED products is the consumers." Mr. Liu Yongpeng told the reporter of New Century LED Network, he pointed out that the core demand of consumers is 'saving energy and money', and long life is the basis of cost saving and the direct demand of customers for product development. Therefore, as the core component of LED lamps, the life of capacitors must also be longer and longer.

　　The life of the entire LED lamp is affected by comprehensive factors such as light decay, heat, power supply, capacitors, etc., and Emerald Electronics focuses on making breakthroughs from the improvement of capacitors. According to Mr. Liu Yongpeng, Emerald Electronics' solid-state electrolytic capacitors have exceeded 30,000 hours at 105°C and reached 300,000 hours at 85°C. In this field, Emerald Electronics has prepared capacitor solutions to meet the development needs of the LED industry.

　　Mr. Liu Yongpeng said: "Liquid capacitors have inherent defects. The operating temperature range is not wide enough. The life span cannot be guaranteed at extremely low or high temperatures. The performance of capacitors will also be affected in harsh environments. For example, at temperatures above 125°C, the life span will be rapidly shortened. At extremely low temperatures below -40°C, the activity of liquid capacitors will weaken, and the electrical performance of liquid capacitors in the circuit will also be weakened. However, the cost is relatively low, making them suitable for indoor lighting."

　　"At present, electrolytic capacitors will not become the short board of LED lights in terms of life and temperature, because it is no longer the era of liquid electrolytic capacitors," Mr. Liu Yongpeng told the reporter of New Century LED Network. Outdoor lighting has requirements for both life and ambient temperature, so new technologies and new products are needed to solve some problems that cannot be solved at present. According to Mr. Liu Yongpeng, the material inside the solid capacitor is a high molecular polymer with electrostatic properties, which can greatly improve the temperature range of use. For example, the high-voltage solid capacitor designed and launched by Zhaoqing Emerald Electronics recently can work very normally between -55° and 100°, meeting the use requirements of outdoor lighting in harsh environments.

　　Some new solutions have also solved the problem of short lifespan. For example, for hundreds of street lamps on a road, the customer divides the control power supply into two sections. One section is the AC part, and hundreds of street lamps are centrally powered under the lamp posts of the AC power supply; while the DC power is retained in the luminous part of the lamp head. The solution of retaining DC power separates the high voltage, and the solid-state capacitor solution is placed in the DC output part, solving the shortcoming of liquid capacitors. The capacitors are still safe after several years of use.

　　Electrolytic capacitors are still difficult to replace, solid capacitors are becoming the trend

　　Since LED lighting has gradually become popular, there have been constant disputes about the use of electrolytic capacitors in lighting solutions. Opponents believe that electrolytic capacitors are the killer of LED lamp life and seriously affect the life of LED lamps, while supporters believe that the role of electrolytic capacitors in filtering ripples cannot be ignored, especially the low-frequency flicker caused by high ripple current without electrolytic capacitors has begun to attract more and more attention, so supporters suggest using high-specification electrolytic capacitors to solve the problem. As an electrolytic capacitor manufacturer, what does Emerald Electronics think?

　　Mr. Liu Yongpeng said: "The idea of ​​the electrolytic capacitor-free solution is correct, but this solution is not necessarily the most useful." He said that there are several concepts of electrolytic capacitor-free at present. One of them is to separate the front and back ends of the power supply and replace the original liquid electrolytic with a laminated wavelength ceramic capacitor, but the price of this wavelength ceramic capacitor is very expensive. Its cost is several times higher than that of electrolytic capacitors.

　　So how can we solve this problem? "We are looking for a better solution that can extend the life of electrolytic capacitors without increasing costs too much," said Mr. Liu Yongpeng. This solution is solid-state electrolytic capacitors, which are almost the same cost as liquid electrolytic capacitors, but much lower than white ceramic capacitors. Their performance can reach the same level as white ceramic capacitors. This solution has been exhibited at the 18th Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition and has received widespread attention and recognition from customers.

　　"In general, electrolytic capacitors are not a challenge for us, but an opportunity." Mr. Liu Yongpeng further said that if liquid capacitors cannot meet the requirements, then we need to find other solutions to improve the lifespan from the consumer's perspective while also taking into account the cost. We must consider choosing a solid electrolytic capacitor solution.

　　Future development direction: safety, long life, miniaturization

　　According to the data in 2012, the Chinese LED power supply market is worth more than 10 billion yuan, which is a very large market capacity, and it is growing at a rate of 40% per year. The upward channel has actually been opened. But at the same time, the LED industry is still facing many problems. In this regard, Mr. Liu Yongpeng said frankly: "There are indeed many unresolved problems, but this is a good thing. Low-cost and high-reliability lamps are products that every user needs. This is a trend and something that the industry must strive to achieve."

　　Mr. Liu Yongpeng told the reporter of New Century LED Network: "If we want to satisfy the market with our products, we must first consider the following points: 1. Safety 2. Long life 3. Miniaturization, which are the directions of product development. If the product can achieve longer life, smaller size and greater safety, then it will be more competitive.

　　There is a dividing line in the driving power supply of LED lamps. In the future, high-end products of LED driving power supply must use solid-state capacitors; low-end products, or home lighting, can be retained with liquid electrolytic capacitors.

　　Mr. Liu Yongpeng also said that the core issue of LED industry development is still to understand the market demand and then reduce costs by improving specific technology and management. Only by insisting on quality assurance and technological innovation can we solve the technical problems of capacitors or market competition problems. Emerald Electronics will launch some new products and new solutions every year to promote the development of the industry and boost its own revenue.