COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4 Released

COMSOL announced the release of COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4, the latest version of its platform for the modeling and simulation of electrical, mechanical, fluid, and chemical applications.

A ribbon design has been introduced to the COMSOL Desktop environment, when run on Windows platforms, to provide easier navigation and an enhanced user experience, the company says. By grouping commands and displaying them as needed, the ribbon makes it easier to find and use tools. 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. Another new feature is the new auto-complete search function, which allows users to quickly find the postprocessing variables they need among the many that are created when working with multiphysics models.

“The new user interface in COMSOL 4.4 offers excellent usability and guidance by delivering a complete overview of all the physics and features available in a structured way,” said Ed Fontes, CTO at COMSOL. “The ribbon provides users with a clear picture of the workflow of the modeling process, helping them to quickly and easily determine the functionality that is available for each of the steps involved.”

A new Multiphysics node is now available in the model tree, enabling streamlined setup of multiphysics models. It allows users to expand upon combinations of single-physics interfaces by choosing from a list of relevant multiphysics couplings. The new Mixer Module, an add-on to the CFD Module, was designed specifically for the analysis of stirred mixers and reactors used in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, food, fine chemical, and consumer products. With its dedicated features for simulating mixer and impeller designs, as well as concentrations, velocities, and temperature profiles, the company says the module is ideal for accurately modeling a variety of industrial processes. The Mixer Module expands on the rotating machinery capabilities of the CFD Module by providing features for the simulation of turbulent and laminar flow, Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, free surfaces, non-isothermal flow, and reacting flow.

The Structural Mechanics Module now provides 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.

The Heat Transfer Module now includes two memory-efficient methods for modeling radiation in participating media, the thermoelectric effect, and heating in biological tissues. 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, and the Semiconductor Module has been enhanced with heterojunctions and tools for impact ionization.

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 more information, visit COMSOL.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.