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Discrepancy between 2D and 3D plot of heat simulation

Posted Feb 5, 2015, 8:18 a.m. EST MEMS & Nanotechnology, Heat Transfer & Phase Change, MEMS & Piezoelectric Devices, Results & Visualization Version 4.4 2 Replies

Carsten Gade
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Hi,

I'm building a 3D Comsol model simulating the conductive heat transfer in a thin membrane with a Pt electrode on top - the point of interest is how much heat the electrode carries away. The temperature is fixed to 973 K on three of the edges and on the last edge it is set to 273 K.

The standard 3D visualization looks as expected: The maximum temperature reaches 973 K and the Pt electrode transfers some heat away. Then, when I visualize the same results by a cut plane placed at the surface the distribution looks identical, however the maximum temperature reached is now 1011K (more than that specified on the boundary!)

Why this discrepancy?

Thanks in advance,
Carsten Gade
MSc student, DTU
2 Replies Last Post Feb 6, 2015, 3:34 a.m. EST
Thure Ralfs COMSOL Employee

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Posted: 10 years ago Feb 6, 2015, 2:33 a.m. EST
That has to do with interpolation, if you set resolution to "No refinement" in the plot, you will not see this. One problem with the model is that you assign two different temperatures to the same point (where your two boundary conditions meet), and that is not physical.
That has to do with interpolation, if you set resolution to "No refinement" in the plot, you will not see this. One problem with the model is that you assign two different temperatures to the same point (where your two boundary conditions meet), and that is not physical.
Carsten Gade
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Posted: 10 years ago Feb 6, 2015, 3:34 a.m. EST
Thanks! I get your point with respect to the boundary conditions, however isn't this always the case? Boundaries has to meet somewhere, and what is the condition exactly here - how does one specify that? Would you select the edge and specify a temperature here?
Thanks! I get your point with respect to the boundary conditions, however isn't this always the case? Boundaries has to meet somewhere, and what is the condition exactly here - how does one specify that? Would you select the edge and specify a temperature here?

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