DC level dimmable LED driver using DC distribution

This paper proposes a dc level-dimmable light emitting diode (LED) driving circuit using dc distribution. Eliminating lifetime-limiting electrolytic capacitors in LED ballast circuits by dc distribution improves system reliability. This new dimmable circuit controls LED lamps with minimum communication interfaces. The proposed dc-level dimming driver also improves system efficiency by matching the ballast input voltage to load condition. Detailed loss analysis confirms the efficiency improvements. The performance of this system is verified by 24-W LED lamp circuit implementation. The experiments confirm this method saves 8.1% energy compared to a conventional wire communication dimmable LED driver circuit.