COMSOL Multiphysics®

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does COMSOL utilize FEM or FVM or both?
  COMSOL utilizes only Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving a wide range of engineering and physics problems. The choice of FEM is due to its flexibility and accuracy in handling complex geometries, material properties, and boundary conditions. It allows for precise modeling of various physical phenomena, including:

  Structural mechanics

  Electromagnetics

  Fluid flow

  Heat transfer

  Acoustics

  Chemical engineering

  And many more
• How can I download COMSOL Multiphysics?

  To download COMSOL Multiphysics, you’ll need a valid license. Here’s a general guide on how to obtain and download the software:

  1. Obtain a License:

  Academic License: If you’re a professor, lecturer, or affiliated with an academic institution, you may be eligible for an academic license. Check with your institution’s IT department or contact COMSOL to inquire about academic licensing options.
  Commercial License: For commercial use, you’ll need to purchase a commercial license from COMSOL. Contact us to discuss your specific needs and obtain a license.

  2. Download the Software:

  COMSOL Access Account: Create a COMSOL Access account if you don’t have one already.
  Log In: Log in to your COMSOL Access account.
  Download Installer: Once logged in, you will be able to download the appropriate installer for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

• How can I use the COMSOL Application Builder to create custom applications?
  The COMSOL Application Builder is a powerful tool that enables you to create custom simulation applications based on your COMSOL models. These applications can be shared with colleagues, clients, or other users who may not be familiar with COMSOL itself.

  Here’s a general overview of the process:

  Create a COMSOL Model:

  Build your simulation model using COMSOL’s Model Builder.

  Define the geometry, physics settings, mesh, and study settings.

  Design the Application Interface:

  Use the Application Builder to design the user interface for your app.

  Add input parameters, output plots, and other interactive elements.

  Customize the appearance and behavior of the app to suit your needs.

  Define App Functionality:

  Use the Method Editor to write scripts that control the app’s behavior.

  These scripts can be used to update model parameters, run simulations, and display results.

  Test and Debug:

  Test your app to ensure it works as expected.

  Use the debugging tools provided by the Application Builder to identify and fix any issues.

  Deploy the App:

  Once you’re satisfied with your app, you can deploy it in various ways:

  Standalone App: Compile the app into a standalone executable that can be run on any computer with the COMSOL Runtime Environment.

  Web App: Deploy the app to a web server and access it through a web browser.

  COMSOL Server App: Integrate the app into a COMSOL Server environment for remote access and batch processing.
• Where do I access the COMSOL application library?
  You can access the COMSOL Application Library directly within the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Here’s how:

  Open COMSOL Multiphysics: Launch the software on your computer.

  Access the Application Libraries: Go to the File menu and select Application Libraries.

  This will open a window where you can browse through various categories of models and applications. You can search for specific applications, filter by product module, or browse the categories.
• Where do I access the COMSOL documentation?
  You can access the COMSOL documentation at doc.comsol.com webpage or directly within the COMSOL Multiphysics software. Here’s how:

  Open COMSOL Multiphysics: Launch the software on your computer.

  Go to Files > Help.

  This will open the COMSOL documentation, which contains a wealth of information regarding all modules.
• Is there an online version of COMSOL Multiphysics

  Currently, there isn’t a fully online version of COMSOL Multiphysics. It’s primarily a desktop software that requires installation on a local machine.

• Does COMSOL run on GPU?
  Currently, COMSOL does not directly support GPU acceleration for general-purpose simulations. While GPUs are excellent for parallel processing, especially in machine learning and deep learning, COMSOL’s solvers are often complex and require a different type of parallelization that is more suited to CPUs.

  However, the latest 6.3 version (released in November 2024) offers significant performance improvements. GPU-accelerated computations for time-explicit pressure acoustics can now reduce simulation times by up to 25x. Additionally, efficient surrogate model creation with GPU-based training support is available.