Note: This discussion is about an older version of the COMSOL Multiphysics® software. The information provided may be out of date.

Discussion Closed This discussion was created more than 6 months ago and has been closed. To start a new discussion with a link back to this one, click here.

Swept mesh through multiple layers; electrical current

Please login with a confirmed email address before reporting spam

Hello all - I am modeling DC current through an electrode assembly. The goal of the simulation is to determine the uniformity of current density, then run a parametric sweep over the location and size of welds and terminal blocks. The electrode plates have a very high aspect ratio - 0.5mm thick x 250 mm wide, and some of the weld features are just 1-2 m. Without the ability to use shell or beam elements, the free mesh requires many, many elements. I would like to instead map the face of the electrodes and sweep through their thickness, but am having problems where the plates intersect the welds.

Can anyone recommend a way to sweep the mesh over the entire model, or sweep individual domains and knit them?

Thanks in advance.


1 Reply Last Post Jul 15, 2017, 9:04 p.m. EDT

Please login with a confirmed email address before reporting spam

Posted: 7 years ago Jul 15, 2017, 9:04 p.m. EDT
In case anyone is interested, I found a way to create a swept mesh for this type of problem. First, I created WorkPlane1 at z=0 and sketched ALL the edges of the model, not just the first domain. Then, I extruded WorkPlane1 to the total height of the model. Finally, I created additional work planes that corresponded to the thickness of the electrode and the terminal, then used these work planes to partition the geometry.

To make the mesh, a free triangular mesh is created on WorkPlane1. The surface mesh is then extruded for all domains. The result is prismatic elements, not tetrahedral elements, so it is simple to define the number of element through the thickness of the electrode (distribution property of the sweep) without creating small nodes in the other domains.

The result gives you a bunch of unnecessary domains, which can then be excluded from the analysis when defining the physics. I've attached a new file that shows this method. If anyone else has a more elegant way to solve the problem, please post a reply.

Cheers,
Peter
In case anyone is interested, I found a way to create a swept mesh for this type of problem. First, I created WorkPlane1 at z=0 and sketched ALL the edges of the model, not just the first domain. Then, I extruded WorkPlane1 to the total height of the model. Finally, I created additional work planes that corresponded to the thickness of the electrode and the terminal, then used these work planes to partition the geometry. To make the mesh, a free triangular mesh is created on WorkPlane1. The surface mesh is then extruded for all domains. The result is prismatic elements, not tetrahedral elements, so it is simple to define the number of element through the thickness of the electrode (distribution property of the sweep) without creating small nodes in the other domains. The result gives you a bunch of unnecessary domains, which can then be excluded from the analysis when defining the physics. I've attached a new file that shows this method. If anyone else has a more elegant way to solve the problem, please post a reply. Cheers, Peter

Note that while COMSOL employees may participate in the discussion forum, COMSOL® software users who are on-subscription should submit their questions via the Support Center for a more comprehensive response from the Technical Support team.