User Perspectives | Posted on
April 24th, 2013 by
Wolfgang Joppich
This week we have the honor of having Professor Wolfgang Joppich as a guest blogger. As you may know, COMSOL Multiphysics provides great default solvers for all applications. For the interested user, it is good to know that you can optionally tune or completely change the solver settings. We strongly recommend that you read this blog posting to get an experts’ perspective on the solver technologies offered by COMSOL.
I am an avid reader of the COMSOL Blog and an expert on the topic of solvers and multigrid methods. Therefore, when I read the “On Solvers” blog posts on multigrid methods and the v-cycle multigrid a while back, I felt compelled to respond. While I strongly agree with what is mentioned in the posts, the topic must be explored further.
Read more on: On Solvers: Benefits and Limits of Solution Methods
User Perspectives | Posted on
February 26th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
Metamaterials are a new and emerging technology with vast potential to reshape our views on what is and isn’t possible in this physical world of ours. Unlocking the mysteries and overcoming the obstacles associated with metamaterials would lead to a host of technological advances once thought impossible by even the most imaginative of individuals. From making computer chips smaller and faster than the most advanced current ones, to protecting structures from earthquakes, to developing imaging technology that doesn’t harm tissue (to replace x-rays), all the way to cloaking (also known as invisibility), the applications of metamaterials are exciting and boundless. However, the structures of metamaterials are enormously complicated, and in each area, there are significant obstacles to overcome. COMSOL Multiphysics has been used in research to solve the problems associated with these applications.
Read more on: Metamaterials Make Physics Seem Like Magic
Chemical | Posted on
February 1st, 2013 by
Fanny Littmarck
Microbubbles filled with oxygen can be injected into contaminated lakes to restore the water quality. Typically, water is purified via water-treatment plants, but this microbubble technique is both inexpensive and more environmentally-friendly in comparison. As seen in a COMSOL News 2011 article, oxygen microbubbles are a researcher’s way of copying nature’s own self-restoration mechanism for cleaning contaminated lakes.
Read more on: Injectable Microbubbles in Hydrology and Healthcare
News | Posted on
January 30th, 2013 by
Fanny Littmarck
Students at Ohio State University can take a course on numerical simulations in biomedical engineering with Richard T. Hart. In the course, they will learn how to use computer modeling to solve biomedical engineering problems. Hart is now providing anyone who is interested in this application area with three video tutorials from the course via the Ohio State University iTunes U page.
Read more on: In Silico: Numerical Simulations in Biomedical Engineering
User Perspectives | Posted on
January 17th, 2013 by
Andrew Griesmer
It’s that time of year again for all the foodies out there; on January 29th the 2013 Bocuse d’Or will be in full swing with 24 chefs each representing their country, vying for the Gold Medal in the Olympic Games of the culinary world. In this biennial event, the chefs will have to combine classical and innovative cooking techniques to come out on top. At the last Bocuse d’Or in 2011, Gunnar Hvarnes propelled past the competition with the aid of COMSOL Multiphysics. He successfully combined the art of cooking with the innovative science of cooking, earning him the Bronze medal.
Read more on: The Science of Cooking, Multiphysics meets Food
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
Conference | Posted on
December 19th, 2012 by
Fanny Littmarck
Each year we are excited to gather thousands of customers at the worldwide COMSOL Conference series. The events enable the entire user community to see the great projects colleagues have been working on and catch up face-to-face. This year, we wanted to capture some of these conversations and share them with you. That is why we sent our video director, Matt Milhomme, to the COMSOL Conference 2012 in Boston to conduct some interviews. We now have a video series of these 2-minute clips, and it tells a well-rounded story of what the conference is all about.
Read more on: What You Said about the COMSOL Conference 2012
Acoustics | Posted on
December 18th, 2012 by
Andrew Griesmer
SOund NAvigation Ranging, or Sonar, has been an important part of naval warfare and since the 1950’s. Although it is a relatively simple way to locate objects, it’s the best for doing so in water, emitting sound waves and listening for echoes made by objects in the water. In today’s world of undersea warfare, the threats and the necessary responses to them are becoming more important and urgent. Sonar systems are required to detect these threats, making it necessary for researchers to increase performance as well as reduce the weight, size, and cost.
Read more on: Multiphysics Simulation for Better and Faster Sonar Development
Acoustics | Posted on
December 12th, 2012 by
Fanny Littmarck
A while back, I wrote about permanent magnet generators and how they generate electricity upon being set in motion. When browsing the papers from our conference in Bangalore, one on the topic of ultrasonic micro motors caught my eye. These motors are electromechanical in nature and instead initiate motion with the application of an electric voltage. Furthermore, these motors are miniaturized to fit a micro-scale environment.
Read more on: Ultrasonic Micro Motors, It’s all in the Shape
Certified Consultants | Posted on
December 4th, 2012 by
Andrew Griesmer
Here’s a story we’ve all heard before: due to the inefficient nature and inevitable decline of fossil fuels, alternative energy resources are becoming increasingly popular. Wind energy is a popular source of alternative energy, with wind farms sprouting up all over the world. Here’s something you may not have thought about: lightning strikes are a major problem for these wind turbines. Intuitively, places with high wind speeds also have stormy weather, and a 150 meter tall metal pole makes an attractive target for lightning strikes. In fact, some extreme wind turbine sites experience 10 lightning strikes a day!
Read more on: Lightning-Proof Wind Turbines
