Physical Phenomena Modeling in COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS

Food and Health Sciences, Medical engineering

About this course

Numerical simulations are increasingly being used to develop new and optimize existing products and devices. Numerical simulations can greatly reduce the number of prototypes needed and thus significantly accelerate and reduce development costs. Another sector where numerical simulations are used is a sector where it is difficult to verify ongoing physical processes (eg, heating the biological tissue under electrodes for direct brain simulation). Last but not least, based on numerical simulations, we can plan treatment where, based on knowledge of material properties, we can define the amount of power delivered to the device (eg radiofrequency ablation in oncology or cardiac surgery). Computer modeling involves the creation of geometry, setting of material properties and boundary conditions and, last but not least, the choice of differential equations, the method of discretization of the computing area and the processing of results. The accuracy of the results obtained, the length of calculations and the computational power requirements are very dependent on the numerical model setting. The lectures cover the most common problems in electrical engineering, thermics, mechanics, chemistry, acoustics and fluid dynamics. The acquired knowledge will be tested by the students when designing individual parts of devices and devices.

Expected learning outcomes

The course aims to introduce the possibilities offered by current numerical simulation of physical phenomena, particularly in relation to biomedical engineering. For these purposes, the COMSOL Multiphysics software platform will be used to perform numerical simulations of individual physical phenomena and their combinations. Furthermore, students will try to create a real anatomical 3D model using segmentation in Materialise Mimics and 3-Matic. This model will be used for numerical simulation in COMSOL or will be printed on a 3D printer.