Sep 23, 2013 - One is the ability to test out various geometrical and physical characteristics of a model, thereby overcoming impor- tant design challenges.
796 CHAPTER 14 NUMERICAL METHODS
14.8 APPLICATION NOTE—COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS COMSOL Multiphysics (formerly FEMLAB) is a software package based on finite element analysis (FEA). It can be used for various physics and engineering applications, especially coupled phenomena, or multiphysics. COMSOL Multiphysics also allows for entering complex systems described by partial differential equations (PDEs). The COMSOL Multiphysics simulation environment facilitates all the steps in the modeling process: defining geometry, meshing, specifying the governing physics, solving, and then visualizing the results. It also serves as a platform for the application-specific modules.
FIGURE 14.42 COMSOL logo. (Image made using COMSOL Multiphysics® and is provided courtesy of COMSOL®.
Model setup is quick, thanks to a number of predefined physics interfaces for applications ranging from fluid flow and heat transfer to structural mechanics and electrostatics. Material properties, source terms, and boundary conditions can all be spatially varying, or time-dependent, or they can be functions of the dependent variables. One can freely mix physics interfaces into new multiphysics combinations; coupling with any applicationspecific module is possible. COMSOL Multiphysics also offers an extensive interface to MATLAB and its toolboxes for a large variety of programming, preprocessing and postprocessing possibilities.
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14.9 Application Note—CST Microwave Studio 797
COMSOL is a flexible platform that allows users to model all relevant physical aspects of their designs. Expert users can go deeper and use their knowledge to develop customized solutions, applicable to their unique circumstances. This all-inclusive modeling environment makes it possible to use COMSOL to build a general model with real-world precision. Certain characteristics of COMSOL become apparent with use. Compatibility stands out among these. COMSOL requires that every type of simulation included in the package be combinable with any other. This strict requirement mirrors what happens in the real world. In nature for instance, electricity is always accompanied by some thermal effect; the two are fully compatible. Enforcing compatibility guarantees consistent multiphysics models. Another noticeable trait of the COMSOL platform is adaptability. If a model needs a change, it is accommodated by the software. Additional physical effects can be appended. If one of the inputs to the model requires a formula, the same can be entered. Using tools like parameterized geometry, interactive meshing, and custom solver sequences, one can quickly adapt to varying requirements. COMSOL also has several problem-solving benefits. One is the ability to test out various geometrical and physical characteristics of a model, thereby overcoming important design challenges. The flexible nature of the COMSOL environment facilitates further analysis by making what-if cases easy to set up and run. Simulations can be taken to the production level by optimizing any aspect of the model. Parameter sweeps and target functions can be executed directly in the user interface.
14.9 APPLICATION NOTE—CST MICROWAVE STUDIO A specialist tool for the 3D EM simulation of high-frequency components, CST MWS enables the fast and accurate analysis of high-frequency devices such as antennas, filters, couplers, planar and multilayer structures and SI and EMC effects. Exceptionally user friendly, CST MWS quickly gives users an insight into the EM behavior of their highfrequency designs. CST promotes complete technology for 3D EM. Users of this software are given great flexibility in tackling a wide application range through the variety of available solver technologies. Beside the flagship module, the broadly applicable time domain solver, and the frequency domain solver, CST MWS offers solver modules for specific applications. Filters for the import of specific CAD files and the extraction of SPICE parameters enhance design possibilities and save time. In addition, CST MWS is embedded in various industry standard workflows through the CST design environment. CST Microwave Studio is being used by a number of engineers as an industry standard development tool. CST Microwave Studio offers the choice of six powerful solver modules. In addition to its market- and technology-leading time domain solver featuring the Perfect Boundary Approximation (PBA), modules based on methods including FEM, MOM, MLFMM, and SBR are available each offering distinct advantages in their own domains. In CST’s complete technology for 3D EM simulation, the seamless integration of the solvers into one user interface enables the easy selection of the most appropriate solver for a given problem class, delivering improved simulation performance and unprecedented simulation reliability through cross verification.
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