Tips & Tricks | Posted on
February 14th, 2013 by
David Kan
In a popular post from last year, I discussed accessing and manipulating the underlying equations in COMSOL. This blog post instigated reader comments, and most of the respondents appreciated, or even required, the ability to look at the mathematical model (i.e., equations) behind the physics. While considering this, I realized that there is more to the story, and with a little perspective, the community could benefit from further discussion.
Read more on: Multiphysics versus FEA
Multiphysics | Posted on
December 31st, 2012 by
David Kan
Hydraulic fracturing (popularly referred to as “fracking”) is a method to increase production of oil and gas from certain types of geological formations. It has been used for decades, but recently, as the practice has increased, fracking has become a controversial topic. I will avoid taking sides in this debate, but the fact that there is a conflict implies there needs to be a deeper understanding of the process and its effects.
Read more on: Is Fracking Safe? Scientists Turn to Simulation to Investigate
Multiphysics | Posted on
September 28th, 2012 by
David Kan
Most of us take mathematical modeling for granted. After all, we’re taught physics and calculus almost hand-in-hand. But we owe a lot to the early pioneers like Isaac Newton, who demonstrated and strongly promoted interpreting natural phenomena through equations. Differential equations are especially useful since most things change as time marches on. Since we live in 3D space, partial differential equations (i.e., equations that express change in more than one “direction”) arise as the prominent tool to express continuum level physics for engineering purposes.
Read more on: Equations: Who needs them?
Tips & Tricks | Posted on
September 25th, 2012 by
David Kan
I give a lot of COMSOL workshops — about 20 so far this year. These are great events and they include hands-on minicourses, which allow me to connect with the audience. One topic that I often spend a few minutes on might surprise you: icons. The icons, especially those found at the nodes in the Model Builder, are packed with useful information. They’re easy to miss because they’re small, but knowing what they mean can be a big help.
Read more on: User Tip: All about Icons
Tips & Tricks | Posted on
September 12th, 2012 by
David Kan
At the heart of any simulation software are the solvers. Those are things that take geometry/mesh/physics to the computational results. While it’s convenient to think about solvers in terms of the type of study (think time-dependent, parametric, or eigenvalue), there is a hierarchy of solvers that are usually employed. And at the foundational level of any simulation — and for every iteration — there is a linear solver.
Read more on: Moore’s Law for Solvers
Multiphysics | Posted on
September 11th, 2012 by
David Kan
Coupled physics phenomena (like electrical heating, fluid structure interaction, and conjugate heat transfer) demand multiphysics, which I’ve written about previously in “What is Multiphysics?”. But what if you just have a simple analysis to do — one that has been simplified to the point where only a “single physics” (to coin a term) is considered? What benefits does multiphysics have for this?
Read more on: Multiphysics Makes Single Physics Simulations Better
Multiphysics | Posted on
September 4th, 2012 by
David Kan
If you’re a cynic (like I am sometimes) the term “multiphysics” might irk you. There’s only one set of physical laws, after all. There’s nothing “multi” about it. So what is multiphysics?
Read more on: What is Multiphysics?
Fluid | Posted on
June 22nd, 2012 by
David Kan
We developed COMSOL Multiphysics to empower the engineering and science communities with state-of-the-art simulation tools. A key ingredient of this empowerment is flexibility. COMSOL users are already well aware of the full compatibility between various physics. This means you can put any (yes, really any) combination of COMSOL physics together. But that’s not the only way our multiphysics simulation tool is flexible.
Read more on: The Secret Sauce in the Pipe Flow Module
Tips & Tricks | Posted on
June 18th, 2012 by
David Kan
Version 4.3 was released just a few weeks ago, and it has already generated a lot of buzz. With three new products and many enhancements, there is a lot to sink your teeth into.
Not the least of these enhancements are the “little things” — small usability improvements that can make life a lot easier (and modeling more efficient) for COMSOL users.
Read more on: Version 4.3 Highlights — the Little Things
Electrical | Posted on
May 29th, 2012 by
David Kan
On the 17th of May, 27 engineers and scientists related to the oil and gas industry gathered in Northwest Houston to learn more about COMSOL Multiphysics applications for well logging. This area of research and development is of particular interest to the oil services companies, who make tools that help maximize the output from wells. These tools are highly advanced technological devices. They work by being inserted into a wellbore and detecting how much hydrocarbon (e.g., oil) is in the surrounding earth (called the formation).
Read more on: Report from Well Logging Workshop in Houston
