COMSOL Tips & Tricks

Another new year means another opportunity to talk COMSOL Tips & Tricks. Last year, we held our four-day COMSOL Training Classes six times, and each class reminded us that there are some highly useful and practical tips and tricks we have picked up along the way. Here are a few more for you to consider:

  • Solutions to fluid flow problems should be checked for mass conservation by integrating the mass flux through the inlet and outlet boundaries.  If the error is too high, try refining the mesh in regions of high shear or using second order elements for the velocity variables.
  • In wave-type problems, remember that it’s important that your mesh resolution is fine enough to resolve the smallest wavelength of your physics.  Having at least 12 degrees of freedom per wavelength is recommended.  Remember, if the minimum wavelength of your problem is defined as a parameter, under your mesh settings you can specify a maximum element size based on this parameter.

rainbow-bent-tube

  • Remember that it is good practice for multiphysics problems to set-up and debug the physics one at a time.After each physics is added, try to solve.  This is helpful for at least two reasons:

            a.      It is easier to make sure each physics is set-up properly.

            b.      It is easier to deal with any convergence issues as they arise.

We recently updated our calendar for this year’s COMSOL Training Classes. The first one in April will be here before we know it. You can use this link to learn more and check out all the dates for this year. https://altasimtechnologies.com/training/comsol-training/


What are some of the best Tips & Tricks you have picked up along the way? Share them with us and we might be able to give you credit as we publish them in a future article.