CAPE-OPEN Interfaces in COMSOL Multiphysics Version 4

COMSOL Multiphysics version 4 features a CAPE-OPEN Thermo socket, supporting both 1.1 and 1.0 CAPE-OPEN standards. External property packages are accessed from the software's graphical user interface, where functions for thermodynamic and physical property calculations are set up. These property functions provide increased detail and accuracy for the modeling of multiphysics processes based around fluid flow, heat and mass transfer.

We furthermore report on the current status of a COMSOL/CAPE-OPEN Unit Operations plug, adhering to the 1.0 CAPE-OPEN standards. This interface will allow COMSOL multiphysics models to be used as unit operation models inside chemical flowsheeting environments, hereby expanding the modeling opportunities in chemical process simulations. Modeling examples will be presented to illustrate the concepts and utility of these new COMSOL/CAPE-OPEN interfaces.