Heat Transfer Analysis of a Cooking Pan Using COMSOL Multiphysics

This research project presents a comprehensive thermal and structural analysis of cookware materials using advanced finite element simulation. Through COMSOL Multiphysics, I investigated how different pan materials (aluminum, carbon steel, and cast iron) respond to various heat sources, analyzing heat distribution, thermal expansion, stress concentrations, and cooking efficiency.

What began as a class assignment quickly evolved into something much more. My partner and I became fascinated by the complexity of heat transfer in everyday objects and found ourselves driven to explore beyond the project requirements.

The study integrates SolidWorks geometry with COMSOL's Heat Transfer and Solid Mechanics modules to model real-world cooking scenarios. By applying natural convection and surface-to-ambient radiation, I analyzed heat distribution, thermal expansion, and stress concentrations across different pan materials.

Explore the full research paper below to see the detailed methodology, simulation results, and analysis.