Performing Topology Optimization with Milling Constraints

Topology optimization is associated with extreme design freedom and thus extreme performance, but the resulting designs are often incompatible with conventional manufacturing techniques. The development of manufacturing constraints for topology optimization is an active research topic. The COMSOL Multiphysics® software supports milling constraints, and in this blog post we will explain how to use such functionality and show examples.

The Intriguing Stresses in Pipe Bends

For many structural engineers, beam theory is a popular analysis tool. Using the equations can be beneficial when considering structural behavior, as they are easy to apply and provide useful results. However, it’s also known that due to the simplicity and convenience, beam theory is applied even when some underlying assumption may not hold up too well. This blog post…

4 Examples of Fuel Cell Modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics®

Fuel cells are one of the most talked about new technologies in the clean energy domain. Fuel cells generate electricity via electrochemical reactions involving hydrogen and oxygen, where the sum reaction yields hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction. Simply put, if a fuel cell has a steady supply of hydrogen and oxygen, it will generate electricity. Furthermore, the byproduct generated in…

Modeling the Pulsed Laser Heating of Semitransparent Materials

It’s quite common to use focused laser light to rapidly heat materials for various purposes, including within the semiconductor processing industry. Here, we will look at a Gaussian profile laser beam with periodically pulsed intensity, heating up two different semitransparent materials deposited onto a silicon substrate. To model this, we will solve a multiphysics modeling problem using the temperature field…

How Decaying Shells Help Preserve the Alkalinity of the Seas

Calcium carbonates produced by sea creatures help to maintain the ocean’s alkalinity — and also serve as a natural sink for anthropogenic carbon dioxide. To better understand essential but obscure deep-sea galvanization processes, Olivier Sulpis of Utrecht University developed an innovative 3D reactive-transport model that shows how seashells help preserve calcite grains in seafloor sediments. Read…

Shape Optimization in Electromagnetics: Part 1

Shape optimization can be used to improve designs in many different physics areas. In this blog post, we will focus on shape optimization in wave optics. We will go over the shape optimization features in the COMSOL Multiphysics® software and show what you can expect to achieve when these features are used for wave optics applications. Read…

Major News in COMSOL Multiphysics® Version 6.1

COMSOL Multiphysics® version 6.1 introduces new functionality for detached eddy simulation, thermal analysis of satellites, winding layouts for electric motors, and robust mechanical contact. A new interface enables the analysis of battery packs with several hundred cells. Simulation of acoustically driven flows is made possible by a new acoustic streaming interface. New mesh repair tools for the handling of misaligned models provide…

Bridging the Terahertz Gap with Simulation Software

Rather than coining the phrase “x-ray vision,” perhaps comic book writers should have called it “terahertz vision” instead. The precise blend of electromagnetic and material properties in the terahertz spectrum enables efficient applications such as simultaneous noncontact package inspection with spectroscopic characterization — to determine, for example, whether a package contains baking flour or an illegal or otherwise dangerous substance….