Thermal management for LED lighting systems is aimed at maintaining the junction temperature of the LEDs and the operating temperature of other system components below a set limit. The ability of an LED system to dissipate heat is ultimately dependent upon the design of the thermal path from the die to the surroundings.

Thermal Management Technologies for LED Lighting Systems
High temperature is the most important failure accelerator in LED lighting systems. Thermal management was historically not a design factor for incandescent, florescent or metal halide lamps. The waste energy produced in these lamps is dissipated as infrared energy in the radiant beam of light...