Using Heat Release Rate (HRR) vs. Temperature-Time Curve as Input

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Hello,

I am modeling a fire scenario in COMSOL and have the fire defined by a Heat Release Rate (HRR, kW) versus time curve. Is it possible to use an HRR-time curve directly as an input in COMSOL? Can a tabulated HRR-time function be imported and used directly as a time-dependent heat source? My objective is to model the thermal response of a structure subjected to a fire characterized by a measured/design HRR-time history. Any guidance or example models would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


1 Reply Last Post Oct 26, 2026, 9:25 p.m. EDT
Robert Koslover RF/Antennas

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Posted: 1 hour ago Oct 26, 2026, 9:25 p.m. EDT
Updated: 1 hour ago Oct 26, 2026, 9:27 p.m. EDT

I haven't worked on your particular kind of model, but in general, computed (output) data from a Comsol run can be saved, and then imported and used to define conditions (input) for other runs. Tabulated or plotted data can be exported to text files (the kind you can open with text file editors). Then, if importing tabulated values vs. time, to use in a time-domain model as part of a source specification, you probably should import the data into an interpolated function. Include some smoothing, so your time-domain model won't struggle with an unphysical ragged definition.

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Robert A. Koslover
I haven't worked on your particular kind of model, but in general, computed (output) data from a Comsol run can be saved, and then imported and used to define conditions (input) for other runs. Tabulated or plotted data can be exported to text files (the kind you can open with text file editors). Then, if importing tabulated values vs. time, to use in a time-domain model as part of a source specification, you probably should import the data into an interpolated function. Include some smoothing, so your time-domain model won't struggle with an unphysical ragged definition.

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