Simulate and optimize real processes in modern multiphysics software from COMSOL

Electromagnetism modeling has traditionally been a strong point of COMSOL software. World leaders in the field rely on it: ABB, Samsung or even Rolls-Royce. The last-mentioned company developed a 3.5 MW electric motor for large icebreakers in COMSOL. In just two years without a single physical prototype.

The simulation is divided into several modules according to frequency and purpose. The AC/DC Module allows you to simulate static and low-frequency fields very efficiently. Thanks to it, you can simulate an electric motor, transformer, skin effect, eddy currents and any other phenomena associated with electrostatics, magnetostatics or low-frequency electromagnetism. You can use the RF Module to simulate high-frequency fields, such as various types of radars, antennas or antenna arrays. Simulations of microwaves or microwave heating are usual.

Modelling of higher frequencies refers to the Wave Optics Module for micro- and nano-optical simulations.

Highly valued is Plasma Module in the area of modeling especially low-temperature plasma and Semiconductor Module for detailed simulations of semiconductors: bipolar transistors, MEFSETs, MOFSETs, IGBTs, Schott diodes and P-N junctions.

COMSOL modules library

Companies around the world use COMSOL to develop optical devices. Examples can be the manufacturers of light fixtures Philips or HELLA Lighting.

Optics are divided into two modules. You can find the wave formulation in the Wave Optics Module and the ray formulation in the Ray Tracing Module.

Wave optics allows you to model micro- and nano-optical devices such as: photonic crystal, waveguide, coupler, optical fiber, laser, plasmonic grating, optoelectronics, metamaterials, graphene, holographs and much more. The module offers a highly time-saving and above all reliable numerical method "Beam Envelope" for optically larger systems as well as the traditional "full-wave" discretization of Maxwell's equations. binoculars, automotive lighting, cameras, GRIN (Graded-index) lenses, interferometers, lasers, lidar systems, optical filters, spectrometers, telescopes or sun ray tracing.

Ray and wave approaches can be combined in one model similar to e.g. optical modules with heat transfer.

COMSOL modules library

Did you know that heat transfer is the most commonly modeled physical phenomenon in COMSOL? Heat is calculated in electrotechnical, strength, CFD, acoustic, optical and chemical applications. It is therefore not surprising that COMSOL is ready to meet the demands of the most demanding users of mathematical simulations of heat transfer. With high precision and yet economical.

The simplest tasks of heat transfer in solids and liquids incl. "Surface-to-Ambient Radiation" boundary conditions are a built-in functionality of the COMSOL Multiphysics foundation.

All the more complex physical models of heat transfer are included in the Heat Transfer Module. These are, for example, forced and natural convection with various types of numerical simplification, models for Surface-to-Surface radiation in various optical media including transparent ones, heat transfer with phase change (melting, solidification, evaporation...), heat transfer in porous media, models for heating of biological tissue for biomedical applications and, last but not least, a tool for calculating the moisture-temperature field in building materials.

The icing on the cake is the Metal Processing Module, which allows simulating the heat treatment of metals with phase changes in structures (breakdown of austenite, hardening, cementation, etc.)

COMSOL modules library

Fluid flow simulation (CFD) has many pitfalls. Choose the certainty of reliable and easy-to-use software with many specialized tools. Judge for yourself, you can model internal and external aerodynamics, incompressible and compressible fluids, laminar and turbulent flow, single-phase and multi-phase fluids, Newtonian and non-Newtonian (Polymer Flow Module) fluids, flow in porous materials, micro-channels (Microfluidics Module) or the simulation of molecular flow in vacuum systems (Molecular Flow Module).

For the simulation of laminar flow of an incompressible fluid even the COMSOL Multiphysics core is sufficient, so there is no need to purchase any module. CFD Module extends the core with turbulent flow simulations (RANS or, LES) and it also includes multiphase flow solution methods (including bubbles and surface simulation), "Shallow Water" equations, Darcy's law, Brinkman equations, transonic and supersonic flow regimes or, conversely, flow with dominant viscous effects.

The superstructure is a Mixer Module for flow models in rotating machines. Those involved in subsurface flow modeling (porosity with various types of saturation or fracture flow) will find a solution in the Subsurface Flow Module and a similar focus (but more for process engineers) is the Porous Media Flow Module strong>.

If you need to calculate geometrically extensive pipe systems, e.g. to model the temperature and pressures in the heating system, you will appreciate the very easy-to-use Pipe Flow Module.

COMSOL modules library

Are you looking for an intuitive, yet powerful FEA software for simulations of elasticity, strength and movement of mechanisms? Companies and universities across science, research and industry rely on COMSOL.

Computations of natural shapes and frequencies, stress and deformation of linear materials (including thermal deformations) can only be calculated with the COMSOL Multiphysics core.

More complex tasks involving contacts, friction, bolted and glued connections, fractures, membranes or shells can already be solved in the Structural Mechanics Module. This module can be extended with a number of modules.

Nonlinear Structural Materials Module is an extension that has pre-prepared and debugged algorithms for models of hyperelasticity, plasticity, porous plasticity, nonlinear elasticity, viscoelasticity, alloys with shape memory, creep, viscoplasticity and brittle materials.

If you analyze or design composite objects, you will be delighted by the simplicity and precision with which the models available in the Composite Materials Module.

The Geomechanics Module extension allows you to define different behavior models of concrete, rock and soil (plasticity, elastoplasticity, nonlinear elasticity).

The Fatigue extension Module contains low-cycle and high-cycle fatigue models for analyzing fatigue curves, cumulative damage, or vibration and thermal fatigue.

The Rotordynamics Module extension is a comprehensive yet intuitive tool for rotor calculations and different types of bearings (incl. hydrodynamic).

A separate chapter is the simulation of the movement of mechanisms (Multibody Dynamics Module) and the structural simulation of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), e.g. piezo crystals.

COMSOL modules library

If we had to pick one single industry in which COMSOL Multiphysics offers a revolutionary solution, it is acoustics. Companies such as SAMSUNG, Harman, Tectonic Audio Labs, Brüel & Kjær, or even the Mahindra car company use COMSOL for ease of use and wide range of applications.

The basic functionality for the propagation of pressure waves through a solid material can be found in the core of COMSOL Multiphysics. All other instruments are contained in the Acoustics Module. Just choose what type of task you are solving and set the required parameters.

You will solve electroacoustics of speakers and microphones, microacoustics (for example, mobile phone microphones), ultrasound devices with a wide scope for biomedicine (flow meters, imaging ultrasound, focused ultrasound HIFU and subsequent heating), high-energy ultrasonic shocks in liquids or the design and optimization of acoustics in architecture thanks to geometric acoustics (cinemas, auditoriums, concert halls and halls).

How is it possible that one module has such a wide application? The background software selects the optimal methods depending on the frequency and the size of the computational domain, while the user concentrates only on the geometry, material selection, boundary conditions and processing of the results. Finite Element Method (FEM), Finite Surface Method (BEM), Galerkin Discontinuous Method (DG-FEM), Ray Acoustics and Acoustic Diffusion are available.

COMSOL modules library

Chemistry and electrochemistry are strongly multiphysical disciplines that require precise coupling of several balance equations. Together with intuitive control, this is a feature that made COMSOL popular with, for example, Volkswagen, which developed a modular electrification platform in it for the next generation of electric cars.

Chemical Reaction Engineering Module is a tool for simulation and design of chemical processes. In it, you can simulate reactions in an ideal mixture by entering stoichiometric equations (0D), or you can model kinetic, thermodynamic and transport properties with subsequent simulation of the transport of chemical elements, the transfer of heat, mass and energy in 1D, 2D or 3D geometry. This module has applications in many branches of chemistry regardless of scale from nanotechnology to micro-reactors to environmental studies and geochemistry.

More specialized is the Battery Design Module. It is a state-of-the-art program for calculating battery cells and whole batteries. It enables a detailed simulation of the cell's porous electrodes as well as a simulation of the thermal management of the entire battery. Ion transport, charge balance, chemical and electrochemical reactions, Joule heat and cooling are modeled regardless of battery type.

Fuel Cell & Electrolyzer Module is a similarly specific add-on focused on modeling fuel cells and electrolysis. You will use it to simulate water electrolysis systems and all types of fuel cells, including PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell), AFC (Alkaline Fuel Cell) and SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell).

The chemistry portfolio is completed by modeling modules technological processes of electrodeposition (Electrodeposition Module), corrosion and corrosion protection (Corrosion Module) or electrochemistry (Electrochemistry Module). The last mentioned one is ready for modeling electrolysis, electrodialysis, electrochemical sensors, bioelectrochemistry, glucose sensors, gas sensors, hydrogen and oxygen production or even desalination of sea water.

COMSOL modules library

COMSOL Multiphysics can be purchased with a number of handy multi-purpose modules that can accelerate development and research. Whether it is the extended options for importing and editing CAD geometries, or for example the Material Library database - additional ten thousand material sheets ready for your simulations.

Particle Tracing Module strong> is an extension for fluid flow or electromagnetic field modeling. It allows you to trace immaterial or material particles and calculate particle-particle, particle-fluid and particle-field interactions. Either Newtonian, Lagrangian or Hamiltonian formulations are applied.

Do you need to accurately and quickly calculate the density, viscosity, thermal conductivity and other quantities of a specified fluid mixture depending on pressure and temperature? Then the Liquid & Gas Properties Module is here for you.

A unique helper is the Uncertainty Quantification Module, which evaluates the uncertainty of simulated results based on specified input tolerances.< br>
An extremely powerful ally is the Optimization Module. You can enter almost any numerical input in COMSOL Multiphysics with a parameter. Of course, you can always run the calculation again with different parameter values, but why make it complicated when you can simply enter the criteria and let the optimization algorithm calculate the optimal design? Shape, dimension and topological methods are available.

But the two-way connection with MATLAB & Simulink software is completely unique. It allows you to save the COMSOL model as a *.m script, call any function from MATLAB in the COMSOL model, export the model from COMSOL as a digital twin (Digital Twin) to the control circuit in the Simulink environment.

COMSOL modules library