Simulation of micro- and nano-scale flows via the lattice Boltzmann method

We use the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) for analysis of high and moderate Knudsen number phenomena. Simulation results are presented for microscale Couette and Poiseuille flows. The slip velocity, nonlinear pressure drop, and mass flow rate are compared with previous numerical results and/or experimental data. The Knudsen minimum is successfully predicted for the first time within the LBM framework. These results validate the usage of the LBM based commercial, arbitrary geometry code PowerFLOW for simulating nanoscale problems.