Multiphysics for Real World Simulations

All simulation in engineering and science starts with a mathe-matical model. For a computer model to accurately describe a system or device, it has to account for coupled physics phenomena - multiphysics.

COMSOL Multiphysics is based on partial differential equations (PDEs) - the fundamental equat-ions that describe the laws of science. It solves any coupled PDE or physics phenomena using the finite element method.

An example of this is the elec-trical conductivity of a material that is affected by Joule heating, which in turns affects the electric current that creates the Joule heating. Fluids can impose defor-mation on a structure, which in turn can affect the path that this fluid can take; a concept known as fluid-structure interaction.

Such multiphysics models are quite common and, thanks to the increasing computer power available for engineers and scientists, are now able to be simulated. COMSOL Multiphysics is suitable for both single physics and multiphysics applications. It can set up computer models with unlimited and arbitrary combinations of different formulations of the laws of physics.