An open source, parallel DSMC code for rarefied gas flows in arbitrary geometries

This paper presents the results of validation of an open source Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code for general application to rarefied gas flows. The new DSMC code, called dsmcFoam, has been written within the framework of the open source C++ CFD toolbox OpenFOAM. The main features of dsmcFoam code include the capability to perform both steady and transient solutions, to model arbitrary 2D/3D geometries, and unlimited parallel processing. Test cases have been selected to cover a wide range of benchmark examples from 1D to 3D. These include relaxation to equilibrium, 2D flow over a flat plate and a cylinder, and 3D supersonic flows over complex geometries. In all cases, dsmcFoam shows very good agreement with data provided by both analytical solutions and other contemporary DSMC codes.