Simulation of Gaseous Flow in a Microchannel

by Wang, Yi-Ting

A numerical prediction using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method (DSMC)has been performed on low speed gas flows through a short parallel plate microchannel(L/Dh=6). Computations were carried out for nitrogen, argon, and helium gas. Micro pressure driven flows are simulated with the inlet value of the Knudsen numbers ranging from 0.09 to 0.2. The effects of varying pressure, wall temperature, inlet flow and gas transport properties on the wall heat transfer, pressure and velocity distribution were examined. Friction factors and heat transfer from the channel were also calculated and compared with those of previous studies. Finally, the averaged Nusselt number was correlated in a simple form of the averaged Peclet number and Knudsen number in the transition flow regime.