Optimization of Parametrized Heat Fins Design Based on Thermal Simulation

Heat fins are used to improve thermal solutions in Electronic Control Units (ECU) as being the most common and cost-effective way to enable heat transfer and protect electronics side of the unit. Heat fins have limitations, including material, manufacturability, fins position, and available area size. Research was done to reveal existing solutions and their usability. Existing literature presents solutions with good effect in heat transfer, but this paper introduces solutions designed to be easily manufactured and cost-effective. Most of the solutions proposed by the literature with high thermal improvement are mostly fitting on prototypes. The case study proposed in the paper consists in a parametrized heat fins configurable design. The different solutions are introduced in a thermal simulation to highlight the efficiency of the heat transfer. Fins number and shape prove to be the most critical factors in heat transfer. However, thickness and shape are essential, as they affect the distance between fins and air flow.