A Novel Heat Dissipation Optimization Design Scheme of Printed Circuit Board

In order to enhance the thermal reliability of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) and prevent overheating-induced damage that could lead to VCU failure, this study focuses on optimizing the heat dissipation of a vehicle controller’s PCB. The proposed approach involves constructing thermal resistance and thermal path models for the chip, utilizing an electrothermal mixing method to simulate the PCB. Subsequently, a thermal test bench was utilized to measure the overall board temperature using a thermal imager, which was then compared to simulation results from the electric heating mixture. The study concludes with a PCB heat dissipation optimization design that considers copper foil thickness, thermal hole placement, and the structure of fin type radiator to enhance heat dissipation. By optimizing the PCB layout and incorporating heat sinks, the temperature distribution across the board is effectively reduced. Experimental findings indicate a 16.02°C decrease in the maximum PCB temperature post-optimization compared to pre-optimization levels, showcasing a successful optimization outcome.