COMSOL Inc. announces the release of the latest version of its Multiphysics 4.4 software for modeling and simulation of electrical, mechanical, fluid and chemical applications.
New Interface Enhances User Productivity
The new version offers a new ribbon design user interface that groups commands and displays them as needed, making it easier for users to find and use the tools available and get work done faster. Commands are grouped and ordered according to the main modeling tasks, which are themselves grouped under dedicated tabs for definitions, geometry, physics, mesh, study, and results. The COMSOL Desktop brings several additional workflow improvements, such as a one-click select feature that enables faster selections in the graphics window. Using this feature, users can now hover over a boundary or domain to highlight it, and then select it with a single click. Another noteworthy feature is the new auto-complete search function, which allows you to quickly find the postprocessing variables you need among the many that are created when working with multiphysics models.
Multiphysics Coupling Capability Enables Streamlined Setup of Models
A completely new Multiphysics node is now available in the model tree, enabling streamlined setup of multiphysics models. It allows users to easily expand upon combinations of single-physics interfaces by choosing from a list of relevant multiphysics couplings. The Multiphysics node provides the user with a comprehensive overview of the available couplings in the model so they can then control how to account for multiphysics phenomena by deciding how the physics included in your simulation interact with one another.
Other performance-boosting improvements include:
Geometry and Mesh – Core functionality enhancements include new geometry subsequences for user-defined geometric primitives, if/else statements in the model tree for geometry creation, and mesh export to NASTRAN® file formats.
Mechanical and Acoustics – The Structural Mechanics Module now provides easy access to rotordynamic forces and includes a new fast penalty method for contact. Joints with friction and three new joint types have been added to the Multibody Dynamics Module, while new evaluation methods for nonlinear materials and thermal fatigue are now included in the Fatigue Module. The Acoustics Module now offers aeroacoustics simulations based on the linearized Euler equations, enabling better simulations of noise in jet engines, mufflers, and gas flow meters.
Heat Transfer – The Heat Transfer Module now includes two fast and memory efficient methods for modeling radiation in participating media, the thermoelectric effect, and heating in biological tissues.
Fluid – Surface wall roughness for turbulent flow and a more efficient outlet boundary condition have been added to the CFD Module. Mass and energy conservation for laminar flow is greatly enhanced thanks to updated flow formulations.
Electrical – The AC/DC Module now contains a nonlinear magnetic material library. A new feature in the RF Module enables the simulation of components with ports on interior boundaries. The Wave Optics Module now includes scattering with a Gaussian background field and Laser Heating interface. The Semiconductor Module has been enhanced with many updates, including heterojunctions and tools for impact ionization.
Multipurpose – The Optimization Module is now expanded with a new gradient-based method for topology optimization, and a gradient-free method for geometric dimensional optimization. Particle-field and fluid-particle interactions can now be easily modeled in the Particle Tracing Module using a new efficient method.
Interfacing – User-defined selections can now be synchronized in LiveLink™ for SolidWorks® and material selections and material names can be synchronized within LiveLink™ for Inventor®. The ECAD Import Module now enables multiphysics simulations using the ODB++ format for printed circuit board (PCB) designs.
For additional information about COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4, check out its web site here.
Barb Schmitz
bschmitz@wtwhmedia.com
