Estimation of the Poiseuille number in gas flows through rectangular nano- and micro-channels in the whole range of the Knudsen number

Abstract

Based on a recent work (Valougeorgis, Phys. Fluis 19(9):091701.1-091701.4, 2007), the Poiseuille number for gas flows through channels of orthogonal cross sections is estimated in the whole range of the Knudsen number from the free molecular through the transition and slip regimes all the way up to the hydrodynamic limit. The flow problem is solved via kinetic theory, based on the BGK kinetic equation subject to Maxwell diffuse specular boundary conditions. Tabulated results of the Poiseuille number are presented for various aspect ratios and accommodation coefficients. At the hydrodynamic limit the well known results are recovered. © Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2009.