COMSOL Multiphysics: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:37, 26 August 2025

Latest revision as of 17:40, 26 August 2025

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{{Short description|MultiphysicsPhysics simulationand softwareengineering andsoftware companypackage}}

{{third-party|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox software

| name = COMSOL Multiphysics

| developer = COMSOL AB

| latest_release_version = 6.3

| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2024|11|19}}

| operating_system = [[Cross-platform]]

*| genre = [[Computer-aided engineering (CAE) ]],

[[Category:Finite element softwareanalysis]]

| logo = Comsol logo.svg

| screenshot = File:An_application_of_shell_and_tube_heat_exchanger_which_includes_the_model_and_an_instance_of_running_application.jpg_NOte.jpg

| caption =

| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[EULA]]

| website = [https://www.comsol.com {{URL|www.comsol.com]}}

}}

{{Infobox company

| name = = COMSOL AB

| logo = Comsol_logo.svg

| logo_sizetype = 200px[[Private company]]

| imagetraded_as = Adonis_16.jpg

| image_caption=foundation Headquarters in = [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] (1986)

| type___location = Private

| founderkey_people = Svante Littmarck, FarhadCEO COMSOL SaeidiGroup

| industry = CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM software

| key_people = Svante Littmarck (CEO, COMSOL Group)<br> Farhad Saeidi, (President, COMSOL AB)

| founded = 1986

| industry = CAD/CAM/CAE/PLM[[Computer software]]

| founder = Svante Littmarck, Farhad Saeidi

| products = COMSOL Multiphysics,

| hq_location_city = Stockholm

COMSOL Server, COMSOL Compiler

| hq_location_country= Sweden

| num_employees= 600+ (2025) =

| num_locations= 16

| revenue =

| key_people = Svante Littmarck (CEO, COMSOL Group)<br>Farhad Saeidi (President, COMSOL AB)

| operating_income =

| products = COMSOL Multiphysics, Application Builder, COMSOL Compiler, COMSOL Server, add-on products

| net_income =

| num_employees= 600+ (2025)

| assets =

| website = [https://www.comsol.com www.comsol.com]

| equity =

| homepage = {{URL|www.comsol.com}}

}}

'''COMSOL Multiphysics''' is a [[finite element]] analyzer, solver, and [[simulation software]] package for various physics and engineering applications, especially [[Coupled mode theory|coupled]] phenomena and [[Multiphysics simulation|multiphysics.]] The software facilitates conventional physics-based user interfaces and coupled systems of partial differential equations ([[Partial differential equation|PDEs]]). COMSOL Multiphysics provides an [[Integrated development environment|IDE]] and unified workflow for electrical, mechanical, fluid, acoustics, and chemical applications.

'''COMSOL Multiphysics''' is both a multiphysics simulation software product and, in some countries, the registered name of COMSOL subsidiaries. The software is developed by the Swedish company COMSOL AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with its U.S. headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts. COMSOL Multiphysics is a finite element analysis (FEA) platform for modeling and simulating systems governed by partial differential equations (PDEs). The software and company are active across industry, academia, and government research, with subsidiaries registered as COMSOL Multiphysics in countries including Germany, India, and Switzerland.

Beside the classical problems that can be addressed with application modules, the core Multiphysics package can be used to solve [[Partial differential equation|PDEs]] in weak form. An API for [[Java (programming language)|Java]] and [[MATLAB]] can be used to control the software externally. The program also serves as an application builder for physics applications. Several modules are available for COMSOL,<ref>{{cite web|title=COMSOL Modeling Software|url=https://www.comsol.com/|website=COMSOL.com|publisher=Comsol, Inc.|accessdate=20 November 2015}}</ref> categorized according to the applications areas of Electrical, Mechanical, Fluid, Acoustic, Chemical, Multipurpose, and Interfacing.

== History ==

COMSOL was founded in 1986 in Stockholm, Sweden, by Svante Littmarck and Farhad Saeidi. In 1998, the company released the first version of FEMLAB, a specialized finite element package, and opened its first U.S. office in Burlington, Massachusetts, to support adoption in North America. In 2005, FEMLAB was renamed '''COMSOL Multiphysics®''' to reflect expanded capabilities for coupled physical phenomena beyond the finite element method.<ref name="LabTalk2005">[https://laboratorytalk.com/article/57606/femlab-becomes-comsol-multiphy Laboratory Talk. (2005). "COMSOL Multiphysics is new name for FEMLAB."]</ref>

== See also ==

In 2014, COMSOL added the '''Application Builder''' and '''COMSOL Server™''', enabling custom simulation apps and browser-based deployment.<ref name="Eng2014">[https://www.engineering.com/application-builder-launched-with-comsol-multiphysics-5-0/ Engineering.com. (2014). "Application Builder Launched with COMSOL Multiphysics 5.0."]</ref> The '''COMSOL Compiler™''' followed in 2018,<ref name="DE2018">[https://www.digitalengineering247.com/article/compiler-new-modeling-tools-headline-latest-comsol-release Digital Engineering 24/7. (2018). "Compiler, New Modeling Tools Headline Latest COMSOL Release."]</ref> and the '''Model Manager''' was added in 2021.<ref name="COMSOL2021">[https://www.comsol.com/release/6.0 COMSOL AB. (2021). "Version 6.0 Release Highlights."]</ref> Today, the company operates 16 offices worldwide across Europe, Asia, and North America, as well as a distributor network that extends to six continents.<ref name="COMSOLCompany">[https://www.comsol.com/company COMSOL AB. (2025). "Company Overview."]</ref>

* [[Finite element method ]]

* [[Multiphysics simulation ]]

*[[Category:EngineeringList of computer simulation software]]

== Products References==

{{Reflist}}

'''COMSOL Multiphysics''' is the core simulation platform, allowing users to combine multiple physical domains—such as heat transfer, structural mechanics, electromagnetics, fluid dynamics, and chemical processes—within a single computational environment.

== External links ==

The platform is modular, with add-on products that extend its capabilities:

* {{Official website|www.comsol.com}}

* '''Physics-specific modules''': Specialized functionality for acoustics, structural mechanics, electromagnetics, batteries, microfluidics, CFD, chemical engineering.<ref name="COMSOLProducts">[https://www.comsol.com/products COMSOL AB. (2025). "Products."]</ref>

* '''LiveLink™ products''': Interfaces for third-party software including MATLAB®, Simulink®, Revit®, Autodesk Inventor®, PTC Creo®, SolidWorks®, Excel®, and more.<ref name="Mathworks">[https://www.mathworks.com/products/connections/product_detail/comsol-multiphysics.html MathWorks. (2025). "COMSOL Multiphysics."]</ref>

* '''Application Builder''': Tools for creating custom simulation applications with tailored interfaces.

* '''COMSOL Server™''': Distribution of apps within organizations via web or browser client.

* '''COMSOL Compiler™''': Compilation of standalone executables that run without a COMSOL license.<ref name="DE2018" />

* '''Model Manager''': Project management, version control, and collaboration for simulation models.

* '''Multipurpose modules''': Capabilities for optimization, uncertainty quantification, and shape/topology studies.<ref name="COMSOL2018">[https://www.comsol.com/release/5.4/optimization-module COMSOL AB. (2018). "Optimization Module – Version 5.4 Release."]</ref>

{{CAE software}}

== Industry Applications ==

{{Authority control}}

COMSOL Multiphysics is used in a wide range of engineering and scientific fields for modeling and simulating systems governed by PDEs. Documented applications in peer-reviewed literature and trade publications include:

* '''Battery modeling and energy storage''' – Simulation of lithium-ion performance and degradation for design optimization and safety analysis.<ref>[https://www.engineering.com/story/battery-modeling-in-comsol-a-physics-based-approach Engineering.com. (2022). "Battery Modeling in COMSOL: A Physics-Based Approach."]</ref><ref>Zhang, L., Wang, Y., & Chen, Z. (2021). "Modeling of lithium-ion battery degradation using COMSOL Multiphysics." ''Journal of Power Sources'', 482, 228888. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228888</ref>

* '''Acoustics''' – Sound propagation, noise control, vibroacoustics, and room acoustic simulation.<ref>Pedersen, G. B. W. (2021). "Wave-based and ray-based modeling of room acoustics in COMSOL Multiphysics." ''Acta Acustica'', 5, 26. doi:10.1051/aacus/2021021</ref>

* '''Fuel cells''' – Proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell modeling and flow-field optimization.<ref>Kundu, S., Jambunathan, R., & Ramasubramanian, M. (2019). "Numerical modeling of PEM fuel cell using COMSOL." ''International Journal of Hydrogen Energy'', 44(29), 15330–15341. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.04.121</ref>

* '''MEMS''' – Design and simulation of accelerometers, resonators, and pressure sensors.<ref>Shahab, S., Patel, R., & Lin, L. (2020). "Design and simulation of MEMS accelerometer using COMSOL." ''Microsystem Technologies'', 26, 1981–1990. doi:10.1007/s00542-019-04627-1</ref>

* '''Microfluidics''' – Electrophoretic, thermophoretic, electroosmotic, and related transport phenomena in chip-scale devices.<ref>Ahmed, T., et al. (2021). "Microfluidic particle sorting using multiphysics modeling." ''Scientific Reports'', 11, 93486. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-93486-0</ref>

* '''High-frequency electromagnetics''' – RF devices, antennas, and waveguides.<ref>Ahmed, X. M. D., Islam, M. R., & Islam, T. (2021). "Design and Simulation of a Dual-Band Microstrip Patch Antenna Using COMSOL Multiphysics." In 2021 11th International Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (ICECE). IEEE. doi:10.1109/ICECE54739.2021.9580846</ref>

* '''Thermal management in spacecraft''' – Multiphysics models for radiation, conduction, and convection in space environments.<ref>[https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/pub/features/articles/34481 NASA Tech Briefs. (2019). "Multiphysics Modeling for Spacecraft Thermal Design Using COMSOL."]</ref>

* '''Optics and photonics''' – Simulation of photonic structures and optical waveguides.<ref>[https://www.laserfocusworld.com/optics/article/14198284 Laser Focus World. (2021). "Simulation Tools for Photonic Design: COMSOL and Beyond."]</ref>

* '''Cross-disciplinary research''' – Applications such as magnetic field-assisted crystal growth,<ref>Qiu, R., et al. (2024). "Magnetic field-assisted crystal growth studied by multiphysics simulation." ''Scientific Reports'', 14, 52673. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-52673-5</ref> microfluidic particle sorting,<ref>Ahmed, T., et al. (2021). ''ibid.''</ref> and heat transfer in nanostructured materials.<ref>Sato, H., et al. (2018). "Thermal transport in nanostructured materials." ''Scientific Reports'', 8, 20501. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-20501-2</ref>

[[Category:MultiphysicsFinite simulationelement software]]

== Academic and Research Use ==

[[Category:Finite element software for Linux]]

COMSOL Multiphysics is widely used in academic research and graduate-level teaching, particularly in engineering and applied physics. Examples include its adoption in courses at Stanford University.<ref>[https://web.stanford.edu/~peterk/Courses.html Stanford University. (2025). "Course materials referencing COMSOL Multiphysics."]</ref> Its flexibility for multi-scale and multiphysics problems has been noted in reviews of numerical simulation techniques.<ref>Zhang, J., et al. (2022). "A review of multiphysics simulation methods for complex systems." ''Journal of Manufacturing Processes'', 73, 221–245. doi:10.1016/j.jmapro.2021.10.043</ref>

[[Category:Computer-aided engineering software]]

[[Category:Physics software]]

== See also ==

* Finite element method

* Computer-aided engineering (CAE)

* Multiphysics simulation

{{physics-software-stub}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.comsol.com Official website]

[[Category:Computer-aided engineering software]]

[[Category:Finite element software]]

[[Category:Software companies of Sweden]]

[[Category:Multiphysics simulation software]]

[[Category:Engineering simulation software]]