COMSOL Multiphysics^® 6.3 Release Highlights

For users of the Polymer Flow Module, COMSOL Multiphysics^® version 6.3 introduces functionality to simulate non-Newtonian fluids in porous media, new interfaces for rotating machinery with nonisothermal flow, and three new tutorial models. Read more about these updates below.

Non-Newtonian Flow in Porous Media

The ability to model the flow of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media is often required when modeling applications in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and food technology fields. The Brinkman Equations; Darcy's Law; Free and Porous Media Flow, Brinkman; and Free and Porous Media Flow, Darcy interfaces have been extended with non-Newtonian fluid formulations. This extension allows for the modeling of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media as well as modeling of systems that consist of open channels and porous media when using the Brinkman Equations interface. The non-Newtonian fluid formulation covers fluid behaviors spanning from shear thinning to shear thickening. This formulation can be seen in the Blood Flow in a Stenosed Pulmonary Artery and Homogenization of Non-Newtonian Porous Media Flow tutorial models.

Rotating Machinery, Nonisothermal Flow

The Rotating Machinery, Nonisothermal Flow multiphysics interfaces have been added to the Polymer Flow Module. They feature inelastic non-Newtonian fluid model formulations for modeling, for example, extruders and mixers found in the polymer and food industries. The viscosity model also includes thermal effects including Exponential, Arrhenius, Williams–Landel–Ferry, and User defined thermal functions. The Flow in an Internal Mixer and Pasta Extrusion tutorial models demonstrate this functionality.

New Tutorial Models

COMSOL Multiphysics^® version 6.3 brings new tutorial models to the Polymer Flow Module.