liminfoCOMSOL Reference
Free reference guide: COMSOL Reference
About COMSOL Reference
The COMSOL Multiphysics Reference is an organized quick-lookup guide covering the core physics interfaces including Solid Mechanics, Heat Transfer (conduction/convection/radiation), Laminar and Turbulent Flow (k-epsilon, k-omega SST), Electrostatics, AC/DC electromagnetics, and Wave Optics for electromagnetic wave propagation simulations.
This reference provides detailed entries for the complete COMSOL modeling workflow: geometry creation with Boolean operations, material property assignment from the built-in library, mesh generation (free triangular/tetrahedral, mapped, swept, and boundary layer mesh), and solver configuration for stationary, time-dependent, frequency domain, eigenfrequency, and parametric sweep studies.
Beyond setup, the guide covers multiphysics coupling (thermal expansion, nonisothermal flow, FSI, electromagnetic heating), post-processing visualization (surface plots, line/cut line plots, arrow/streamline plots), derived value calculations, data export formats, Application Builder for GUI-based simulation apps, and LiveLink for MATLAB integration.
Key Features
- Physics interface reference: Solid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Laminar/Turbulent Flow, Electrostatics, AC/DC, Wave Optics
- Geometry, Materials, and Multiphysics Coupling setup with practical configuration examples
- Mesh generation guide: free triangular/tetrahedral, mapped, swept, and boundary layer mesh with y+ guidelines
- Solver study types: Stationary, Time Dependent, Frequency Domain, Eigenfrequency, and Parametric Sweep
- Convergence troubleshooting: damping factors, auxiliary sweeps, segregated solvers, mesh refinement tips
- Post-processing: surface plots, cut line extraction, arrow/streamline visualization, and derived values
- Application Builder and LiveLink for MATLAB automation and optimization workflows
- Category-filtered browsing across Physics Interfaces, Model Setup, Mesh, Solver, and Post-processing
Frequently Asked Questions
What physics interfaces does this COMSOL reference cover?
The reference covers seven major physics interfaces: Solid Mechanics (stress/strain/buckling), Heat Transfer (conduction/convection/radiation), Laminar Flow (Navier-Stokes), Turbulent Flow (k-epsilon, k-omega SST, Spalart-Allmaras), Electrostatics, AC/DC Module (magnetic fields, electric currents), and Wave Optics for electromagnetic wave propagation with PML boundaries.
How do I find information about COMSOL mesh settings?
The Mesh category includes three detailed entries: Free Triangular/Tetrahedral mesh with size controls and curvature factors, Mapped mesh for structured grids including swept and corner refinement, and Boundary Layer Mesh with stretching factor, first layer thickness, and y+ guidelines for CFD accuracy. Use the search bar or click the Mesh category to find them.
Does the reference explain COMSOL solver types and convergence issues?
Yes. The Solver section covers Stationary studies (direct/iterative solvers, Newton method), Time Dependent studies (BDF time stepping, adaptive time steps), Frequency Domain analysis, Eigenfrequency analysis, and Parametric Sweep. It also includes a dedicated convergence troubleshooting entry with tips on mesh refinement, damping factor adjustment, and segregated solver approaches.
Can I find information about multiphysics coupling in COMSOL?
Absolutely. The reference includes a Multiphysics Coupling entry covering Thermal Expansion (thermal-structural), Nonisothermal Flow (fluid-thermal), Electromagnetic Heating (EM-thermal), and Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI), explaining how coupling nodes are automatically added between physics interfaces.
What post-processing visualization options are documented?
The Post-processing section covers Surface Plots with color map options, Line Plot / Cut Line for extracting results along paths, Arrow and Streamline plots for vector field visualization, Derived Values for computing surface averages, volume integrals, and point evaluations, and Export options for data (CSV/TXT), images (PNG/PDF), animations (GIF/AVI), and reports.
Does the reference cover COMSOL Application Builder and MATLAB integration?
Yes. The reference documents the Application Builder for creating GUI-based simulation apps with form editors, 3D viewers, and Java method customization, plus deployment via COMSOL Server and Compiler. It also covers LiveLink for MATLAB with code examples for opening models, running simulations, evaluating results, and modifying parameters programmatically.
Is this COMSOL reference suitable for beginners?
This reference is designed as a practical quick-lookup guide for engineers and researchers actively working with COMSOL Multiphysics. The organized structure with clear descriptions and configuration examples helps beginners understand key concepts, but it serves best as a companion reference during modeling rather than a step-by-step tutorial.
Is the COMSOL Reference free to use?
Yes, the COMSOL Reference is completely free with no registration, download, or usage limits. All content is processed in your browser with no server communication. It supports dark mode and works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.