Alexandra Foley | May 7, 2014
Each year, electrical and electronic engineers and designers share their groundbreaking work in the IEEE Spectrum® insert, Multiphysics Simulation. In this 2014 edition, top tech companies and research institutions, from around the globe, share their simulation stories. We are excited to announce that you can now read and download the magazine on our website!
Lexi Carver | May 6, 2014
Superconductors are used in applications where high current density and magnetic fields are present — including electric generators, biomagnetic technology, and common products, such as fast digital circuits. Theoretically, an unlimited amount of current can flow through a wire made of a superconducting material. However, what happens to a superconductor as the current density exceeds critical limits? Let’s find out.
Fanny Littmarck | May 2, 2014
It’s no news that accurate mechanical analysis is key to avoiding product failure and manufacturing issues. What may be new is how you do it. Simulation software offers a modern approach to analyzing mechanical component and system designs. Watch this video to learn how COMSOL Multiphysics enables you to speed up time-to-market and optimize product designs.
Walter Frei | April 30, 2014
We all know that COMSOL Multiphysics can take partial derivatives. After all, it solves partial differential equations via the finite element method. Did you know that you can also solve integrals? That alone shouldn’t be very surprising, since solving finite element problems requires that you integrate functions. The COMSOL software architecture allows you to do a bit more than just evaluate an integral; you can also solve problems where you don’t know the limits of the integral! Here’s how.
Mark Fowler | April 28, 2014
Phillip Oberdorfer | April 24, 2014
In the second part of our Geothermal Energy series, we focus on the coupled heat transport and subsurface flow processes that determine the thermal development of the subsurface due to geothermal heat production. The described processes are demonstrated in an example model of a hydrothermal doublet system.
Fanny Littmarck | May 5, 2014
According to AMPHOS 21, a COMSOL Certified Consultant, one of the proposed solutions to releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere is to store the CO2 in geological formations, a technique referred to as carbon dioxide sequestration. This notion led the engineers at AMPHOS 21 to study the physical and chemical processes that occur during the injection of the gas into earth’s subsurface.
Mateusz Stec | May 1, 2014
Engineers simulating fatigue in nonlinear materials are faced with two challenges. You must correctly represent the material behavior with a constitutive relation and find a fatigue model that captures the life-controlling mechanism. Both challenges require a thorough material knowledge. Today, we will address these challenges when modeling thermal fatigue in nonlinear materials.
Bettina Schieche | April 29, 2014
If you use finite element simulation software, such as COMSOL Multiphysics, you will come across the expression “weak form” at some point. When you do, you may wonder what this expression means. Weak form is actually a very powerful concept. Here, you will learn about its basic ideas and corresponding benefits.
Alexandra Foley | April 23, 2014
Magnetic fields are fundamental forces in the universe. Without them, planetary orbits, electricity, and elementary particles could not exist. Helmholtz coils are used by scientists to generate uniform magnetic fields to study electromagnetism and its characteristics. They are used in MRI, spectroscopy, magnetoresistance measurements, and equipment calibrations. Here, we’ll look at what Helmholtz coils are, why they are important, and how can they be modeled.