Cryogenic techniques are used to treat a wide range of cosmetic dermatological problems as well as remove internal tumors and other damaged tissue. Shifting from the typical nitrogen-based approach, researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. sought to investigate the potential of using a thermoelectric cooler, or Peltier device, to cool a cryogenic probe. Here’s a look at how COMSOL Multiphysics provided them with the tools to do so.

Have you ever wanted to quickly predict the temperature of an enclosed structure, such as your house, that is exposed to ambient environmental conditions? The temperature inside depends on the surrounding air temperature, wind speed, and solar loads, all of which have significant variability. For simplicity, we often also want to approximate the inside air as well-mixed. Today, we will discuss the tools in COMSOL Multiphysics that help you quickly build such thermal models.

Bolometers have the ability to detect and measure the power of incident electromagnetic radiation. This allows them to be used in a range of technologies, from night vision cameras to far-reaching astronomy projects. Designing bolometers often requires devoting a lot of time and energy to the development phase, as these devices must be optimized for sensitivity and customized for their specific applications. To efficiently design bolometers with increased sensitivity, AltaSim Technologies utilized the simulation capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics.

Reservoirs, dams, and other outdoor structures need to be strong, reliable, and sound. The porous materials found within these structures can be easily damaged by pressure changes that cause fluid flow and gradual caving and sinking. Using the multiphysics simulation capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics and the Poroelasticity interface, we can accurately analyze porous materials to evaluate and avoid deformation in such structures.

When an electronic device overheats, it risks starting a fire. Cooling components, such as heat sinks, are designed to prevent this, but can’t always keep up with advancing technology. Simulation offers a solution by illustrating how well various heat sink designs conduct heat and how adding elements like manifold microchannels (MMC) improves performance. Today, we’ll explore how an MMC heat sink operates with simulation.

Thermostats are used in most homes for controlling furnaces and air conditioners to maintain a comfortable interior temperature. A simple thermostat controlling a heater will have on and off setpoints. Such a control scheme is easy to implement within COMSOL Multiphysics using the Events interface, as presented in a previous blog post. Today, we will expand this technique to include a delay, a time lag between turning the heater on or off, in a thermostat simulation.

Manned vessels traveling through space require highly efficient and reliable life support systems, such as carbon dioxide removal assemblies (CDRAs). Poorly designed systems can shorten missions and cause potential danger. Simulating CDRA systems, however, can be quite time-consuming and difficult due to their complex nature. To address such challenges, a team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center developed a 1D model in the COMSOL Multiphysics® software to efficiently analyze the 4-bed molecular sieve (4BMS) of a CDRA system.

When designing a device or process, it is important to not only study the system itself, but to also account for the effects of the environment around it. Historical weather data can help to address such effects by offering deeper insight into the weather patterns across different locations and time frames. Take a closer look at how such data can foster better design decisions, with a particular emphasis on its benefits within heat transfer modeling.

Maximizing the efficiency of the learning process, while keeping students engaged — this is the common goal that professors hope to achieve in any course. In the realm of physics- and engineering-based courses, simulation apps are helping to strike such a balance by introducing students to complex concepts in a simplified format. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the innovative ways that university professors are utilizing apps within the classroom.

Lasers, focused beams of photons of a single wavelength, find use in a wide variety of applications today — from noninvasive surgeries and fiber optic communication to material processing and even DVD players. Let’s see how a research team from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) used the power of multiphysics simulation to investigate laser-material interaction to avoid the damage of optics internal to high-power laser systems.