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I need to simulate a monomodal applicator in a rectangular waveguide for the purpose of microwave heating (so I need to solve, among other things, the heat equation). Which is the best simulator: COMSOl or CST?
Any advice or suggestion would be very appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Iaia
Both are completely different solutions: COMSOL is a diff-equation solver, Matlab like, where you need to write your own code in order to full use its capabilities. It means, the time you need to master it is huge.
CST is a professional tool oriented towards 3D Electromagnetic Simulation, ready to use. Its learning curve is pretty cool, you get excelent results very fast.
wish you the best
Think carefully if you really need to solve the heat equation. If this is indeed the case, CST MWStudio is out of the question.
loucy,
you seem to be pretty quick to assume what CST can't do. Their EMS solver can do this - perhaps not full multi-physics stuff but you can do a thermal solution using MWS losses - pretty convenient.
Comsol is conceptually pretty powerful but you really need to know what you are doing and also know whether the results make sense - the number of factors that can affect the results is higher - same for Ansys - most people cannot say, without some sort of measurement, whether the results can be trutsed or not - the mesh is for example different for an electromagnetic field than for a thermal mesh.
Comsol really cannot compete with MWS / EMS when it comes to user friendliness, CAD import and post-processing etc.
If you are a programming / Matlab type then by all means is Comsol a potentially good tool - however, for companies, Comsol would actually be the expensive option since you need skilled people to use it - most RF and MW engineers don't want to be thinking about the equations being used but the actual design of the device - if the software has been validated and is widely used, then software such as CST's is very attractive.
I used to be very acquainted with the equations but I now want to concentrate on design and not equations and then design.
Just my opinion but I'm sure there are a lot of people who think similarly.
aw