Notes:
I had a lot invested into a static phosphor, but after testing a phosphor wheel (used in this build) the intensity performance was unbelievable. There was no comparison. I just dropped everything and started working on phosphor wheels. A phosphor wheel could reach 5~20x the intensity a static phosphor can do. Depends on the wheel diameter.
During operation, the phosphor wheel (PW) gets insanely hot. It can reach up to 180C+ and begin to burn at 250C.
The PW is actively cooled from the back by pumped air through a HEPA filter into the laser/optic chamber. At the same time, the chamber remains under positive pressure to keep dust out of the laser/optic chamber.
Wow this is amazing! Astonishing work you’ve done here. This truly is the technology that supersedes LEDs in the years to come for high intensity lighting.
How many diode banks/diodes do you have focused onto one little spot in the phosphor? I see multiple banks of diodes in your photos.
Perhaps some large heat fins attached to the phosphor disk would give it the extra cooling surface area it needs. Something shaped like turbine blades or just a couple of protruding rings to give it more surface area. It’ll have to be centered just right to maintain stability.
So it looks like Maxablaster may not be the best thrower out there.
Congrats likevvii, this took a lot of effort and it seems that the effort paid off.
Please do :innocent: We’d all love to hear it I’m sure! Every last miniscule and silly detail. (ha! okay, maybe I should speak for myself…)
As sunnysunsun commented, my immediate thought was adding surface area to the radiating surface of the PW. Also, at these temps, radiant dissipation isn’t anything to snuff at, so anodizing the aluminum plate should help cooling too (dye not necessary) as Al2O3 has much higher emissivity than Al. The natural oxide layer is too thin to behave like alumina.
Another thought is using a collar in conjunction with the wheel. Mounting will be extra difficult, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t behave the same as with a static phosphor. — I’m imagining this mounting to a shield covering the cooling/off-center portion that should reduce a boat load of spill artifacts too. This front (inner? recoil design makes this a bit ambiguous) shield can also contain additional forced air ducts/fans.
So many orders of magnitude from anything most of us have ever seen, it’s crazy to think that there will be more light loss in the lens than many flashlights even make.
I have so many thoughts and questions. Can’t wait for beamshots but I’m 100% positive they won’t do it 10% justice.
I wish I had the time and money to build stuff like that!
You’re basically combining all the best features, LEP, phosphor wheels, recoil reflectors, and liquid cooling.
Is the reflector glass or electroformed?
I had some issues with my first electroformed reflector, eve the slightest wire pushing on it would cause deformation.
Mounting it without distorting the parabola is difficult, so I ordered mine with a mount preinstalled.
WOW !! that project is very expensive !!
Congrats for Millionaire to have such a project to share with us.
What an engineering task that is plan and build. Great job !!
Are you an Electrical or Mechanical Engineer ?
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