Burnett simulations of gas flow in microchannels

The Burnett equations with slip boundary conditions are used to model the gas flow in microchannels in transition flow regime. As the Navier-Stokes equations are not appropriate to model the gas flow in this regime, the higher-order Burnett equations are adopted in the present study. In earlier studies, convergent solutions of the Burnett equations of microPoiseuille flow could only be obtained when Knudsen number is less than 0.2. By using a relaxation method on the boundary values, convergent solutions of the Burnett equations can be obtained even when Knudsen number reaches 0.4. The solutions of Burnett equations agree very well with experimental data and direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) results. The pressure distributions and velocity profiles are then discussed in detail.