A lattice Boltzmann kinetic model for microflow and heat transfer (Q811933)

In this paper micro flows and heat transfer are simulated through a discrete lattice Boltzmann BGK model. A thermal lattice Boltzmann model is considered. The relaxation times are redefined to model micro-flows, and Knudsen effects are included and relaxation times are computed in terms of Knudsen numbers. A diffuse scattering boundary condition is used based on the gas-surface interaction law of the kinetic theory and Maxwell's diffuse scattering model. The model was theoretically tested by computing velocity slips and temperature jumps on a wall. The simulations performed were based on the D2Q9 model. The model is also used to simulate the Couette flow and thermal developing microchannel flow. This model has the computational advantage that unlike molecular dynamics (MD) and direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) methods in this model the number of particles in computations is not related to the number of molecules. This work concludes with a comparison of the results with MD and DSMC results.