In version 5.2 of COMSOL Multiphysics, we offer a new feature for simulating corrosion in slender structures. This significantly speeds up the total time spent when working with structures such as oil platforms. By using the boundary element method (BEM) and specialized beam elements in the Current Distribution on Edges, BEM interface, there is no longer a need for a finite element mesh to resolve the whole 3D structure, saving time for large corrosion problems consisting of slender components.

Today, we welcome a new guest blogger, Alexandre Oury of SIMTEC. He discusses the analysis of current distributions in a molten salt electro-refiner. In a webinar highlighting electrochemical recycling processes, SIMTEC presented a computational approach for predicting current distributions in a molten salt electro-refiner. The three main types of current distribution (primary, secondary, and tertiary) were treated, with a particular emphasis on the first two types. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, we implemented primary and secondary current distributions in an electrolysis cell.

Diabetes is an incurable global killer: the World Health Organization estimates 350 million diabetics worldwide, with an average annual fatality rate close to 1%. Fortunately, modern medical science enables diabetics to manage their glucose levels and intake, so many countries have seen greatly reduced danger of the disease. Many diabetics must track their glucose levels throughout the day, requiring an accurate method for measuring the concentration of glucose in blood. For modern sensor designs, the method of choice is electrochemistry.

When designing electrochemical cells, we consider the three classes of current distribution in the electrolyte and electrodes: primary, secondary, and tertiary. We recently introduced the essential theory of current distribution. Here, we illustrate the different current distributions with a wire electrode example to help you choose between the current distribution interfaces in COMSOL Multiphysics for your electrochemical cell simulation.

During my time as a PhD student, a blue “Chemical Landmark” plaque was fitted to the building a couple of hundred yards down the road from my lab. The plaque commemorates the achievements of the researchers who made the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery viable. Whether or not you know about the electrochemistry of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, you probably rely on one. We carry them around in our phones and laptops, and ride in cars and planes that use them for power. […]

Corrosion is one of the most serious factors affecting the transportation industry. In an effort to minimize its impact, a German research institute and the manufacturers of Mercedes-Benz joined forces to investigate the corrosion occurring in automotive rivets and sheet metal. Using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation, they were able to study corrosion’s effects on car components.

The printed circuit board (PCB) is the heart of almost any electronic product, carrying the components and copper wires supporting its functionality. The manufacture often involves electroplating, a process that can vary between designs. This leaves you, the engineer behind its simulation and optimization, constantly creating new models. What if you could push much of this work onto the designers, engineers, and technicians behind its design and manufacture, having them run their own electroplating simulations for PCBs? See how here.

What’s a penny made of? Though they appear to be solid copper coins, they actually don’t contain much copper at all these days. Instead, the U.S. Mint saves money by applying only a veneer of valuable metal onto a less expensive one. Have you ever thought about the manufacturing process by which this is achieved? Let’s find out.

In electrochemical cell design, you need to consider three current distribution classes in the electrolyte and electrodes. These are called primary, secondary, and tertiary, and refer to different approximations that apply depending on the relative significance of solution resistance, finite electrode kinetics, and mass transport. Here, we provide a general introduction to the concept of current distribution and discuss the topic from a theoretical stand-point.

My colleague, Edmund Dickinson, recently blogged about cyclic voltammetry, and how this can be modeled. It was a fantastic blog entry, as it really described the application, and how to implement such models in COMSOL Multiphysics. While Edmund has a background in electroanalysis, where cyclic voltammetry, potentiometry, and electrochemical impedance are important tools, I had a different but similar life before COMSOL, working within industrial electrolysis. For both of us, the new Electrochemistry Module would have been the perfect tool […]