Free-Molecular Gas Flow in a Channel with Curving Boundary

Abstract

Free-molecular gas flow through a microchannel with moving walls curved in accordance with the wave law is simulated numerically. It is shown that the probability of passage of the gas molecules through such a channel depends significantly on the dimensionless ratio of the channel wall wave velocity and the characteristic thermal velocity of the gas molecules. It is revealed that the probabilities of passage are also significantly different when the gas flows “along with” and “against” the direction of wave propagation on the boundary. Applications of this effect to both creating microseparating devices and designing micropumps are discussed. The effect of the problem parameters on the efficiency of these devices is investigated.