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Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167

6th Russian-German Conference on Electric Propulsion and Their Application

Simulation of rarefied gas flows in microchannels

Eugene I. Kurkin a *, Vladimir N. Samsonov a, Valentin G. Shakhov a

a
Aircraft Design Department, Institute Aircraft Engineering, Samara National Research University,
34, Moskovskoe shosse, Samara, 443086, Russian Federation

Abstract
In this work the rarefied gas flows in microchannels is investigated. With low pressure owing to low gas density the gas slippage
affetcting the channel walls is observed. The task of sliding flow on initial segments of flat (two-dimensional) channel of uniform
cross section is solved. Intercomparison of two calculation methods is carried out. The analytical method is based on approximate
approach developed by S. M. Targ. The small channel extension does not always allow application of the formulas of calculation of
hydraulic resistance, received for long (theoretically infinitely long) channels. The physics of process are also answered, more by
development of flow on the so-called initial segment, when the flow characteristics change not only on a cross section of the channel,
but also along its length. As a result of the reasonable simplification of the initial tasks it was possible to receive the simple formulas
for practical calculations of the main hydrodynamic characteristics and the value of velocity and pressure of flow on channel length.
The numerical solution of the task is carried out with the control-volume method in an ANSYS CFX system with use of structured
computational mesh, constructed in ANSYS ICEM CFD. The task is solved in a flat statement: cells are located in one layer and on
the sidewalls of layer the symmetry conditions are set. The closed system of the Navier-Stokes equations is solved. The laminar flow
mode taking into account a slipping condition on wall of "Finite Slip Wall" is considered. Calculations are carried out for Knudsen
numbers from 0 to 0,1 with step in 0,02. The intercomparison of the modeling results obtained by analytical and numerical methods
showed good agreement.
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of RGCEP – 2016.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 6th Russian-German Conference on Electric Propulsion and Their Application
Keywords: composite materials, hot forming, thermostable infusion tool, thermoelastic deformation modeling, thermal coefficient of linear expansion.

1. Introduction

A considerable amount of pneumonic elements have channels of constant cross-section of a comparatively

inconsiderable length. Most often, those channels have a cross section of a rectangular form, but sometimes there are
channels with a circular cross-section. A well proven concept is to characterize the cross-section using a so-called
hydraulic radius [1].
The extended Graetz problem in microchannels is analyzed by Jeongs [2] using eigenfunction expansion to solve the
energy equation. O’Hare and co-authors compared phenomenological methods and physical modeling and showed that
both of these methods can quantitatively improve results in most cases [3]. High density,high Knudsen number gas
flows were modeled by Wang, Lan and Li [4] using a generalized Monte Carlo method based on the Enskog theory
which considers both the density effect on the collision rate and the molecular repulsive and attractive interactions for a
Lennard–Jones gas.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +7-960-831-9009

E-mail address: eugene.kurkin@mail.ru

1877-7058 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 6th Russian-German Conference on Electric Propulsion and Their Application
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2017.03.334
 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167 161

Biswal et all [5] recognized that the micro-scale effects associated with the velocity slip and temperature jump
conditions, exhibit enhancements in the rate of heat transfer, as compared to the similar macro-scale geometries.
Forced convection heat transfer in hydrodynamically and thermally fully-developed flows of viscous dissipating
gases in annular microducts between two concentric micro cylinders was analyzed analytically by Avci and Aydin
[6]. Three-dimensional laminar slip-flow and heat transfer in rectangular microchannels having constant temperature
walls are studied numerically by Hettiarachchi and all using the finite-volume method for thermally and
simultaneously developing flows [7]. The model developed by Duan and Muzychka [8] may be used to predict mass
flow rate and pressure distribution of slip flow in non-circular microchannels. Das and Tahmouresi presented an
analytical solution of velocity for fully developed gaseous slip flows in elliptic microchannels [9].
In this paper, the task of slip flow in the initial sections of a flat (two-dimensional) channel of constant cross
section are examined. The small length of the channels does not always allow the use of the formulas for calculating
the hydraulic resistance obtained for the long (theoretically infinitely long) channels. Physics of process flow is more
consistent with the development of the so-called initial portion, when flow characteristics change not only in the cross
section of the channel but also along its length.

2. Method of solving the laminar flow tasks with sliding in initial sections of channels

An approximate method developed by S. M. Targ [1, 10] is effective for flow in such channels while executing the
non-slip boundary condition. Simple formulas for practical calculations of main hydrodynamic characteristics result
from simplifications of the initial tasks:
wu 1 dp w 2u wu wv
U0   Q 2 ,  0, (1)
wx U dx wy wx wy
where u – longitudinal velocity of flow, U0 – average value of velocity in channel section, p – pressure, x –
longitudinal coordinate, y – transverse coordinate, Q - coefficient of kinematic viscosity.
These equations need to be integrated under the following boundary conditions. On walls of channel at y = h a
sliding condition has to be satisfied [8]
wu
u O at y rh , x ! 0 (2)
wy
and in case of an impenetratable wall
v 0 at v 0 , x ! 0 . (3)
In (2) through O the average length of the free path of molecules is designated. For boundary conditions (3) the
fluid consumption through each section of the considered flat pipe must remain the same, i.e.
h

³ udy
h
2hU 0 . (4)

It is necessary to attach initial condition for conditions (2) – (4), which in case described above, takes a form
u U 0 at x 0 .
We introduce new variables, assuming
xh y u U0 v p  p0
[ ,Y , w , V Re , P ,
Re h U0 U0 UU 02
where p0 – pressure in inlet section, and Reynold's number Re is set as
U0h
Re .
Q
Then the equations (1) will take form
w 2 w ww dP ww wV
 ,  0, (5)
wY 2 w[ d [ w[ wY
From conditions (2)–(4), taking at the same time into account symmetry of flow, we receive the following
boundary conditions for the considered task:
for [ 0 : w 0, P 0 (6)
­Y 0, V 0,
°
for [ ! 0 : ® ww (7)
°Y 1, w  1 Kn ,V 0.
¯ wY
162 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167

O
Knudsen number Kn is set as Kn= .
h
Usually this task description is limited to the range of Knudsen numbers 0 d Kn<0,1 , but as the transition area of
the flow is hard to inverstigate, extrapolation on greater values of Knudsen numbers is often used. Therefore
calculation results are given up to a value of Knudsen number equal to one ( 0 d Kn d 1 ).
If the first equation of system (5) and boundary condition (7) to reconstruct in Laplace, then this task of velocity
determination w  [, Y  is reduced to following task of image definition of this velocity:
d 2 w
 pw pP , (8)
dY 2
dw
0 at Y 0 , (9)
dY
dw
w  1  Kn at Y 1 . (10)
dY
The solution of differential equation (8) for image will be presented in form
w C1ch pY  C2 sh pY  P . (11)
For satisfaction of boundary condition (9) it is necessary to accept constant С2 0 . Inserting in (11) this value of
constant С2 and differentiating this ratio on Y, we will receive
dw
C1 p sh pY , (12)
dY
from where
dw
C1 p sh p . (13)
dY Y 1
The received ratio (12) satisfies boundary condition (9). Substitution of found velocity profile at С2 0 and ratio
(13) in boundary condition (10) lead to

P  1
C1 .
ch p  Kn psh p
Substituting values of constants which satisfying boundary conditions (9) and (11), we will find
ch pY
w P  1ch p  Kn p sh p
 P . (14)

For finding P we will increase both parts (14) on dY we will integrate on Y from 0 to 1. Then, in view of first
1

³ w dY

condition (7) for V , we will receive 0 . Substituting in this ratio value w from (14) and calculating
0
integral, we will find

sh p p f1  p 
P . (15)
§ 1 · f2  p 
¨¨  Kn p ¸ sh p  ch p
¸
© p ¹
Knowing images w and P for transfer to originals it is necessary to find roots of consequent of rational function
(15)
§ 1 ·
¨  Kn pk ¸ sh pk  ch pk 0 ( k 1, 2,... ). (16)
¨ p ¸
© k ¹
These roots are indicated on the negative part of real axis, therefore the characteristic equation (16) will take form
Jk
tg J k . (17)
1  KnJ k2
The roots of solution of equation (17) can be found by means of expansion in a series [11]. Calculations of the
first 20 roots are executed by means of mathematical program MathCAD. Table 1 shows values of first 10 roots for
 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167 163

each of the Knudsen numbers. Values of Knudsen number were chosen so that the step of change of the main
hydrodynamic characteristics (such as sliding velocity on walls of channel, etc.) was close to constant.

Table 1 – Values of first 10 roots of characteristic equation for numbers Kn from 0 to 1

k Kn
0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.11 0.22 0.50 0.62 0.78 1.00
1 4.49 4.42 4.34 4.26 4.18 4.10 3.87 3.59 3.53 3.46 3.41
2 7.73 7.59 7.46 7.34 7.22 7.11 6.82 6.57 6.52 6.47 6.43
3 10.90 10.72 10.54 10.38 10.24 10.11 9.84 9.63 9.59 9.56 9.53
4 14.07 13.83 13.61 13.42 13.27 13.14 12.89 12.72 12.69 12.67 12.64
5 17.22 16.93 16.68 16.48 16.32 16.20 15.98 15.83 15.81 15.79 15.77
6 23.52 20.03 19.76 19.54 19.39 19.28 19.08 18.95 18.93 18.92 18.90
7 23.52 23.13 22.84 22.62 22.47 22.37 22.19 22.08 22.06 22.05 22.04
8 26.67 26.23 25.92 25.70 25.57 25.47 25.31 25.21 25.20 25.18 25.17
9 29.81 29.33 29.01 28.80 28.67 28.58 28.43 28.34 28.33 28.32 28.31
10 32.96 32.44 32.10 31.90 31.77 31.69 31.56 31.48 31.47 31.46 31.45

Carrying out the standard procedure of finding original functions of their images, we receive expressions for fluid
velocity in channel and the pressure distribution along its length:
f 1  1  KnJ  cos J Y cos J
2
u 3 1  2 Kn  Y 2
 2¦
m m m J 2 [
e m , (18)
U0 2 1  3Kn m 1 J m 1  3Kn  Kn J m 
2 2 2

p  p0 ª15 1  3Kn  [  1 f
2
eJm [ º
P «  2¦ ».
1 J m 1  3Kn  Kn J m  »
(19)
¬« 5 1  3Kn 
UU 02 2 2 2 2
¼
If Kn = 0 the expressions (18) and (19) correspond with those in [1, 10] expressions for flow in flat channel at no-
slip boundary condition one wall:
§ eJ m [ ·
2
u 3 f
cos J Y p  p0 1 f
1  Y 2   2¦ 2 m eJm [ , ¦
2
P  ¨ 3[   2 ¸.
U0 2 1 J m cos J m UU 02 ¨ 5 J 2m ¸¹
© 1

3. Computation of the flow with sliding in a flat channel

According to formulas (18) - (19) all the characteristics of a laminar flow in the initial section of the flat channel
can be calculated. The pressure variation along the axis of the channel is calculated by the formula (19). The results
of calculation of the dimensionless longitudinal velocity on the channel axis and its wall, which are described by the
formulas obtained from (18) by the substitution Y = 0 and Y = 1:
u  0, [  f 1  1  KnJ  cos J
2
3 1  2 Kn2
u  0, [   2¦ 2
m m J 2 [
e m
m m
U0 2 1  3Kn 1 J 1  3 Kn  Kn J
2 2

and
u  h, [ 
2
3Kn f
eJm [
u 1, [   2 Kn¦ ,
U0 1  3Kn 1 1  3Kn  Kn J m
2 2

Forming ratio of the difference limit fluid velocity in the midline (on the channel axis) at an infinite distance from
the inlet
3 1  2 Kn2
lim u  0, [ 
[of 2 1  3Kn
and velocity on final disposal [ , that is u  0, [  , to the velocity limit,
lim u  0, [   u  0, [  4 1  3Kn f cos J m  1  Kn J m
[of
¦
2
eJm [ .
lim u  0, [  3 1  2 Kn m 1 J m 2 1  3Kn  Kn2 J m 2 
[of

By setting the value of the left part of this expression and solving the resulting equation for [ , an approximate
value of the length of the initial section of the flat tubes can be obtained, through which the maximum velocity value
is different from its limit value by a predetermined amount. Assuming the value of the left side of the last equation
equal to 0, 01 , the following expression for the length of the initial section of the flat tube is obtained.
164 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167

1 (1  3Kn)(cos J1  1  KnJ1 )
ln[k
J12 0, 0075(1  2 Kn) J12 (1  3Kn  Kn2 J12 ) cos J1
Figures presents calculations on the above formulas.
P P Kn
0 0 0
0.018
-0.5 0.037
-0.1 0.059
-1 0.083
0.111
-0.2 0.143
-1.5
0.179
0.222
-2
-0.3 0.273
0.333
-2.5 0.407
-0.4 0.5
-3 0.619
0.778
-0.5 [-3.5 [ 1
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Fig. 1. The pressure in the channel, depending on its length for different numbers
Knudsen
u(0,[) u(1,[) Kn
1.6 1 0
0.018
1.5 0.037
0.8 0.059
0.083
1.4
0.111
0.6 0.143
1.3 0.179
0.222
0.4 0.273
1.2
0.333
0.407
1.1 0.2
0.5
0.619
1 [ 0.778
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 [ 0
1
а) b) 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Fig. 2. The rate depending on the channel length for various Knudsen numbers: a) on the channel wall, b) the channel axis

u(0,[k)
1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

1 Kn
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Fig. 3. Top velocity on the axis of the channel, depending on the number of Knudsen
 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167 165
g g g ( )
[k 1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2 Kn
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Fig. 4. The length of the initial section of the flat tube

4. Computation of the flow task with sliding by CFD method

To more accurately determine the flow characteristics, simulation in ANSYS CFX system is performed. Modeling
of gas flow in the case of slipping relative to the channel walls is performed by the use of the boundary conditions at
the channel wall configuration using the Finite Slip Wall option. This option allows the gas to slip on the channel
wall, when the shear stress at the wall is greater than the critical stress. W кр . Such a boundary condition in the ANSYS
CFX simulates slipping using a moving wall at a speed of slipping and is calculated as follows:
m § BP ·
ªW  W кр º ¨¨©  W н ¸¸¹
UW 0, W dW кр , US « UW » е , W t W кр ,
¬ Wн ¼
where U S – sliding velocity, W н – normalize strain, B – pressure ratio, Р – pressure , m – positive power.
To calculate the flow with slide in the above substitution is necessary to make a number of substitutions that
reduce the task to the standard form terms of the Finite Slip Wall ANSYS CFX system. When choosing B = 0, m = 1
US
и W c 0 boundary condition takes the form: UW W . Taking the value of the normalizing shearing stress W n 1
Wn
U SW ˜ 1Pa  is obtained.
1
Pa, the expression: UW
Value of relative sliding velocity on wall can be received, being set by Knudsen number Kn:
h ˜ Kn
US ˜1Pa ,
P
where h - height half of channel, P – shear viscosity of air.
Calculations of an example of flow with sliding in flat channel were carried out on structured mesh consisting of
600 000 elements of hexagonal form. The computation mesh is constructed in ANSYS ICEM CFD. The length of
computation area is 3 meters. Equal apportionment is used on the length (6 000 cells on 0,5 mm each one). Height of
channel is 20 mm. 100 cells are located on the height. The condensation of cells to walls is calculated using the
BiGeometric law. The width of the first cell is 0,03 mm; the width of central cell is 0,417 mm. The cells are located
in one layer. The thickness of layer is 0,5 mm.
Calculation of flow is carried out using the ANSYS CFX programme. The flow mode is laminar. Environment
parameters are incompressible air, at a temperature of 20°С (density 1,185 kg/m3). The reference pressure is 1 atm.
The task is solved in a flat statement: cells are located in one layer; on the sidewalls of the layer, symmetry conditions
are set. On channel input the constant profile of velocity is set. Velocity on channel input is equal 1 m/s. On channel
output the constant average static pressure condition is set. Average static pressure on the channel output is equal to 0
Pa in comparison with the reference (absolute static pressure on output is equal to 1 atm).
The results of the modeling of pressure and velocity in the channel are presented in fig. 5a, 6a, 7a. Comparison of
calculation results by analytical and numerical methods (fig. 5b, 6b, 7b) has shown their close agreement, and results
of analytical calculation of velocity are slightly closer to numerical solutions, than calculation results of pressure. In
comparison with numerical data, analytical relations overestimate pressure losses on length of channel and give a
slightly underestimated value of velocity on axes of channel ands lightly overestimated results on slip velocity.
Velocity profiles across the channel at [ 0.4481 are presented in fig. 8.
166 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167

P Kn P Kn = 1, analytical
0 0
0 Kn = 1, CFX
-0.2 0.02 -0.2
0.04
-0.4 0.06 -0.4
Kn = 0.5,
0.08 analytical
-0.6 -0.6
0.10 Kn = 0.5,
0.15 CFX
-0.8 -0.8
0.2 Kn = 0, CFX
-1 0.3 -1
Kn = 0, analytical
0.4
-1.2 0.5 -1.2 Kn = 0.1, CFX
0.6 Kn = 0.1, analytical
-1.4 -1.4
0.7
-1.6 0.8 -1.6
0.9
-1.8 1 -1.8
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 [ 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 [
a) b)
Fig. 5. Pressure on axes of channel: а) in relation from Kn, b) comparison of numerical and analytical solutions (CFX)

Kn u(0,[)
u(0,[)
1.6 1.6
0
0.02 Kn = 0, CFX
1.5 0.04 1.5
0.06 Kn = 0, analytical
0.08 1.4 Kn = 0.1, CFX
1.4
0.10
0.15 Kn = 0.111, analytical
1.3 0.2 1.3
0.3 Kn = 0.5, CFX
1.2 0.4 1.2
0.5 Kn = 0.5, analitycal
0.6
1.1 1.1
0.7 Kn = 1, CFX
0.8 Kn = 1, analitycal
1 0.9 1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 [ 1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 [
a) b)
Fig. 6. Velocity on axes of channel: а) in relation from Kn, b) comparison of numerical and analytical solutions (CFX)
u(1,[) Kn
u(1, [)
1 0 1
0.018
0.037 Kn = 1, analytical
0.8 0.059 0.8
0.083
Kn = 0.5, analytical
0.111
0.6 0.143 0.6
Kn = 0.5, CFX
0.179
0.222
0.4 0.273 0.4
Kn = 0.11, analytical
0.333
0.407
0.2 0.2
0.5 Kn = 0.1, CFX
0.619 Kn = 0, analytical, CFX
0 [ 0.778 0
a) 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1
b) 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 [

Fig. 7. Velocity on wall: а) in relation from Kn, b) comparison of numerical and analytical solutions (CFX)
 Eugene I. Kurkin et al. / Procedia Engineering 185 (2017) 160 – 167 167

u
1 0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.5
0.08
0.10
0.15
0 0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
-0.5 0.6
0.7
0.8
Y 0.9
-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 1

Fig. 8. Velocity profile at [ 0.4481

5. Conclusion

This article offers analytical formulas for calculation of flow with sliding in a flat channel. The example of
calculation is given for Knudsen numbers from 0 to 1. The calculations were performed using the relevant analytical
relations, and also by numerical modeling using the control volume method in the ANSYS CFX system. Comparison
of results shows their close agreement, which allows the offered analytical method to be recommended for practical
application.

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hydrodynamic approaches, International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 28, 2007, pp. 37–43.
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