Integration of COMSOL Multiphysics into an Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Curriculum

Robert J. Kerestes; Anthony M. Popovski; Feng Xiong

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Conference: 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual Conference
Publication Date: July 26, 2021
Start Date: July 26, 2021
End Date: July 19, 2022
Conference Session: Energy Conversion and Conservation Division Technical Session 1: Mechanical and CAD Track
Tagged Division: Energy Conversion and Conservation
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--37366
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/37366
Download Count: 779

Paper Authors

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Robert J. Kerestes University of Pittsburgh

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Robert Kerestes, PhD, is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering. Robert was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He got his B.S. (2010), his M.S (2012). and his PhD (2014) from the University of Pittsburgh, all with a concentration in electric power systems. Robert’s academic focus is in education as it applies to engineering at the collegiate level. His areas of interest are in electric power systems, in particular, electric machinery and electromagnetics. Robert has worked as a mathematical modeler for Emerson Process Management, working on electric power applications for Emerson’s Ovation Embedded Simulator. Robert also served in the United States Navy as an interior communications electrician from 1998-2002 on active duty and from 2002-2006 in the US Naval Reserves.

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Anthony M. Popovski University of Pittsburgh

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Anthony is a senior electrical engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School Of Engineering. He is pursuing a concentration in electric power. He also serves as an engineering ambassador on Pitt’s Freshman Engineering Leadership Team in which he gives engineering school tours and serves on student panels for prospective students.

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Feng Xiong University of Pittsburgh

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Abstract

There is a need for multiphysics simulation in undergraduate electrical engineering curricula, however, many programs do not include this at the undergraduate level. This paper discusses the integration of multiphysics simulation into an undergraduate curriculum at [university] for the purposes of educational enhancement and undergraduate research. In this paper, we will discuss an internal grant award that was used to fund 60 student licenses of COMSOL Multiphysics to enhance the electrical engineering curriculum in the aforementioned manner. This is done over the course of three major objectives. First, several modules that were developed over the summer of 2020 as part of a student special project. [Name] who is an undergraduate student at [university] developed a series of interactive modules which will have a video component to instruct junior electrical engineering students on how to use COMSOL Multiphysics as part of their required electromagnetics course. In these modules, students will learn about device geometry, material properties, simulations meshes, and simulation methods. Students will learn how to model energy storage devices such as parallel plate capacitors and energy transmission devices such as cylindrical conductors. The second major objective is undergraduate research. In this paper, an undergraduate research project which took place over the summer of 2020 at [university] as part of the [center]’s undergraduate research program will be discussed. In this project, undergraduate researcher, [student], modeled an aluminum conductor, steel reinforced, transmission line conductor, in order to verify its resistance, inductance, and capacitance. This model will be the basis for artificial intelligence application training of transmission line measurements. The third major objective is to integrate this multiphysics tool into a junior level semiconductor device theory course and a senior level applications of fields and waves course. These courses have traditionally given students’ difficulties due to the abstract and “hard to visualize” nature of the course. The implementation of COMSOL into these courses is discussed.

Citation
Format

Kerestes, R. J., & Popovski, A. M., & Xiong, F. (2021, July), Integration of COMSOL Multiphysics into an Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Curriculum Paper presented at 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual Conference. 10.18260/1-2--37366

TY - CPAPER
AB - There is a need for multiphysics simulation in undergraduate electrical engineering curricula, however, many programs do not include this at the undergraduate level. This paper discusses the integration of multiphysics simulation into an undergraduate curriculum at [university] for the purposes of educational enhancement and undergraduate research.
In this paper, we will discuss an internal grant award that was used to fund 60 student licenses of COMSOL Multiphysics to enhance the electrical engineering curriculum in the aforementioned manner. This is done over the course of three major objectives.
First, several modules that were developed over the summer of 2020 as part of a student special project. [Name] who is an undergraduate student at [university] developed a series of interactive modules which will have a video component to instruct junior electrical engineering students on how to use COMSOL Multiphysics as part of their required electromagnetics course. In these modules, students will learn about device geometry, material properties, simulations meshes, and simulation methods. Students will learn how to model energy storage devices such as parallel plate capacitors and energy transmission devices such as cylindrical conductors.
The second major objective is undergraduate research. In this paper, an undergraduate research project which took place over the summer of 2020 at [university] as part of the [center]’s undergraduate research program will be discussed. In this project, undergraduate researcher, [student], modeled an aluminum conductor, steel reinforced, transmission line conductor, in order to verify its resistance, inductance, and capacitance. This model will be the basis for artificial intelligence application training of transmission line measurements.
The third major objective is to integrate this multiphysics tool into a junior level semiconductor device theory course and a senior level applications of fields and waves course. These courses have traditionally given students’ difficulties due to the abstract and “hard to visualize” nature of the course. The implementation of COMSOL into these courses is discussed.

AU - Robert J. Kerestes
AU - Anthony M. Popovski
AU - Feng Xiong
CY - Virtual Conference
DA - 2021/07/26
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Integration of COMSOL Multiphysics into an Undergraduate Electrical Engineering Curriculum
UR - https://peer.asee.org/37366
DO - 10.18260/1-2--37366
ER -