Numerical simulation of rarefied gas flow through a thin orifice

Rarefied gas flow through a thin orifice is studied on the basis of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. The mass flow rate and the flow field are calculated over the whole range of the Knudsen number for various values of the pressure ratio. It is found that at all values of the pressure ratio a significant variation of the flow rate occurs in the transition regime between the free-molecular and hydrodynamic regimes. In the hydrodynamic regime the flow rate tends to a constant value. In the case of finite pressure ratio the flow field qualitatively differs from that for outflow into vacuum, namely vortices appear in the downflow container on approaching the hydrodynamic regime. Then, in the hydrodynamic regime the gas flow forms a strong jet. A comparison of the numerical results with experimental data available in the open literature has been performed.