Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Blog Posts

Why Do Golf Balls Have Dimples?
Why do golf balls have dimples? Can I model a golf ball with COMSOL Multiphysics? Can I use simulation to optimize my shot and make a par? Find answers to these questions and more…

Analyzing LED Bulb Designs with Heat Transfer Simulation
LED bulbs are billed as more energy efficient than traditional bulbs, but they are not 100% efficient in turning electricity into light, making thermal management a vital design consideration.

Fine-Tuning an HVAC System Design with Simulation
Do you find your office too hot, too cold, or just right? Using simulation, HVAC system engineers can assess indoor climate conditions and ensure maximum comfort among a building’s occupants.

How to Compute Residence Time in Flow Models with COMSOL®
You can compute residence time in flow problems using the Particle Tracing Module. Get the details in this blog post.

Simulating Wind Load on a Sports Car’s Side Door and Mirror
Vroom vroom: In this blog post, we use large eddy simulation (LES) and structural analysis to analyze wind loads and airflow on the door and side mirror of a sports car driving at high speeds.

Studying a 500-Million-Year-Old Dinner Party with CFD Simulation
From zebras to elephants to lions, Namibia is home to a variety of wildlife. However, this research team was on the lookout for the fossils of a 500-million-year-old organism.

New Method for Performing Topology Optimization of FSI Problems
Many topology optimization methods are only available for FSI problems within a purely academic scope. Enter the TOBS-GT algorithm for fluid-structure design…

The Beauty of Vortex Streets
Vortex streets occur quite frequently in nature and are relevant in a variety of technical applications. This fluid mechanics phenomenon can also be quite beautiful to watch!

Modeling a Rapid Detection Test in COMSOL Multiphysics®
Curious about how exactly the rapid detection tests for COVID-19 work? Get a comprehensive explanation here, as well as 3 example models in COMSOL Multiphysics®. (Part 2 of 2)

An Introduction to the Physics of Rapid Detection Tests
Rapid detection tests based on lateral flow assay (LFA), also called immunochromatographic tests, can be thought of as quite advanced, yet very robust, microlaboratories. (Part 1 of 2)

Analyzing Tsunami Waves with an Established Benchmark Model
The 1993 Hokkaidō earthquake in Japan caused tsunami waves that reached massive runup heights — one recorded wave in Monai Valley even reached as high as 32 m (~104 ft)!

Modeling the Behavior of an Oldroyd-B Polymer
Have you ever noticed that when a certain force is applied to a viscoelastic fluid, the fluid starts to look like beads on a string? Here, we showcase an example that uses an Oldroyd-B polymer.