Study of Mass and Flow Resistance in a Square Ribbed Microchannel using Lattice Boltzmann Method

Abstract

Mass and flow resistance in a square ribbed microchannel have been studied numerically using the Lattice Boltzmann Method. It has been build up on two dimensional nine velocity vectors model with single relaxation time method called the Lattice Bhatnagor-Gross-Krook model. To analyze the roughness effect on the flow resistance namely the friction factor and mass flow has been discussed at the slip flow regime, <TEX>$0.01{\leq}Kn{\leq}0.10$</TEX>, where Kn is the Knudsen number. The wall roughness is considered by square microelements with a relative roughness height up to maximum 10% of channel height. The velocity profiles in terms of streamlines near the riblets are demonstrated to be responsible for the roughness effect. It is found that the roughness effect leads to increase the flow resistance with roughness height but it is decreased significantly with increasing the space between two roughness elements as well as the Knudsen number. In addition, the mass flow decreased linearly with increasing both roughness height and gap but significantly changed at the slip flow regime.