Homogeneous relaxation and shock wave problems: Assessment of the simplified and generalized Bernoulli trial collision schemes

Abstract

The impetus of this paper is to assess the newly suggested direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) collision schemes, that is, the “Simplified Bernoulli Trails (SBT)” and “Generalized Bernoulli Trials (GBT)” schemes in the prediction of the higher-order moments of the velocity distribution function for both confined and non-confined gas flows. Two fundamental rarefied gas dynamics problems are considered: spatially homogeneous relaxation process of a gas flow from a non-Maxwellian condition given by Bobylev–Krook–Wu exact (analytical) solution of the Boltzmann equation and the stationary shock wave problem. To perform the relaxation test, SBT and GBT schemes were implemented in the DSMC0F program. For the shock wave test, changes were made in the DSMC1 code to include the SBT and GBT schemes. A detailed comparison of the SBT and GBT collision schemes in treating the higher-order moments of the velocity distribution function and comparison with theory and the solution of the standard No-Time-Counter (NTC) method and its new variant, nearest neighbor scheme, using the DS1 code, is reported. Some higher moments beyond the usual moments were computed. The results of the fourth moment of the velocity distribution function in the homogeneous relaxation problem show that while both collision schemes produce identical results at an ample time, the initial relaxation process indicates the difference between the schemes. Even though the NTC schemes required a large number of particles per cell to produce the same results as the theory, the SBT scheme successfully simulates the solution using a low number of particles per cell.