ITRI develops alternate current LEDs
While ordinary 110/230 volt AC power must be converted to DC with a lower voltage for LED usage, at a cost and efficiency loss, Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has developed an alternate current light emitting diode (ACLED) with a luminous efficacy of 50lm/W, which does not need a AC-DC converter.
Taiwan-based LED maker Tyntek, Epistar and Forward Electronics, a Tatung subsidiary, expect to commence ACLED volume production by this June with a monthly capacity of one million units.
The ACLED made by ITRI can operate directly from an AC power supply at 60Hz/110V without the need for an AC-DC converter and it can be applied in indicators and neon lights. In addition to ITRI, US and Korean makers also possess ACLED Technology.
A Japan-language research firm report noted that LEDs converted to alternative current (AC) will be applied mainly in indoor illumination, while LED converted to direct current (DC) will be applied in outdoor signboards and light streets.
