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Best Beginner Textbook for Comsol

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Hello,

I am an aspiring chemical engineer in my junior year going for my Bachelors. This is the first summer I have free from taking classes and did not receive any internships so I want to learn how to use this program. I have taken classes on Transport Phenomena and my professor told me this would be a good program to learn in the field. I have not purchased a copy yet but I will try to see if my school will be able to get me a copy(of comsol). So back to the main question.. what is the best textbook to buy for a beginner like me? I have no idea where to start and I still have my transport phenomena textbook by Bird Stewart and Lightfoot that I can use for the math/physics in this program I believe. Thank you.

5 Replies Last Post 18.05.2012, 12:01 GMT-4
Jeff Hiller COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 1 decade ago 18.05.2012, 09:32 GMT-4
Hello Jimmy,
OK, I am biased, but I would recommend COMSOL's 2-day Intensive training course over any textbook. It'll get you going much faster.
The course schedule is here: www.comsol.com/events/?type[]=course
Best,
Jeff
Hello Jimmy, OK, I am biased, but I would recommend COMSOL's 2-day Intensive training course over any textbook. It'll get you going much faster. The course schedule is here: http://www.comsol.com/events/?type[]=course Best, Jeff

Ivar KJELBERG COMSOL Multiphysics(r) fan, retired, former "Senior Expert" at CSEM SA (CH)

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Posted: 1 decade ago 18.05.2012, 10:17 GMT-4
Hi

I agree with Jean-François the courses are excellent (and I'm not from COMSOL, I'm a user like you), unfortunately there are not that many books to start with, or too many not really for beginners.

Check the ones at www.comsol.eu/support/books/ and ask your library to get a few (hope libraries still exist by modern universities, I start to feel like a dinosaurus here ;)

The book of Pryor (old one for 3.5, I do not know the new v4 one) was really going step by step with many screen shots, but not enough math/physics for my taste, and did not bring me much more than the model library, and it came too late w.r.t. my learning curve.
One I really liked was the one of Zimmermann, unfortunately it's also "already old" because it uses 3.5 and v4 is now so different that for a beginner it is confusing. Still the content remains highly valuable, and when you know a little COMSOL the book is excellent also with v4, ontop of all it's one dealing a lot with chemistry. Somebody could make the examples in v4 today and post them on the model exchange hereby, it would be an excellent student work (unfortunately I have none working for me ... ;)

--
Good luck
Ivar
Hi I agree with Jean-François the courses are excellent (and I'm not from COMSOL, I'm a user like you), unfortunately there are not that many books to start with, or too many not really for beginners. Check the ones at http://www.comsol.eu/support/books/ and ask your library to get a few (hope libraries still exist by modern universities, I start to feel like a dinosaurus here ;) The book of Pryor (old one for 3.5, I do not know the new v4 one) was really going step by step with many screen shots, but not enough math/physics for my taste, and did not bring me much more than the model library, and it came too late w.r.t. my learning curve. One I really liked was the one of Zimmermann, unfortunately it's also "already old" because it uses 3.5 and v4 is now so different that for a beginner it is confusing. Still the content remains highly valuable, and when you know a little COMSOL the book is excellent also with v4, ontop of all it's one dealing a lot with chemistry. Somebody could make the examples in v4 today and post them on the model exchange hereby, it would be an excellent student work (unfortunately I have none working for me ... ;) -- Good luck Ivar

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Posted: 1 decade ago 18.05.2012, 11:04 GMT-4
Oh thanks.. I just checked it out and you guys seem like to stay on the west coast. Unfortunately for me, I reside in New York.. Any other options if i can't make any of these? Thanks!

One more question.. Would I already need experience in CAD since it seems like all the illustrations people use are imported from CAD.
Oh thanks.. I just checked it out and you guys seem like to stay on the west coast. Unfortunately for me, I reside in New York.. Any other options if i can't make any of these? Thanks! One more question.. Would I already need experience in CAD since it seems like all the illustrations people use are imported from CAD.

Ivar KJELBERG COMSOL Multiphysics(r) fan, retired, former "Senior Expert" at CSEM SA (CH)

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Posted: 1 decade ago 18.05.2012, 11:23 GMT-4
Hi

start using the COMSOL CAD it allows you to do many things, but often an external CAD is easier as you can use that one for your drawings and much more. It all depends on what you need and your engineering environment.

In anycase start simple, if you are learning new things

--
Good luck
Ivar
Hi start using the COMSOL CAD it allows you to do many things, but often an external CAD is easier as you can use that one for your drawings and much more. It all depends on what you need and your engineering environment. In anycase start simple, if you are learning new things -- Good luck Ivar

Jeff Hiller COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 1 decade ago 18.05.2012, 12:01 GMT-4
Check those locations again, Jimmy. The most frequent location for those courses is near Boston, Massachusetts.
Check those locations again, Jimmy. The most frequent location for those courses is near Boston, Massachusetts.

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