This paper explores the applicability of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method to the uid and thermal analysis of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Flows in two-dimensional microchannels are investigated because they represent basic geometrical components of MEMS. Supersonic, subsonic, and pressure-driven, low-speed ows are simulated by DSMC in microchannels of varying aspect ratios for a range of continuum to transitional regime rare ed ows. Both hot and ambient wall temperature cases are presented. The results are strongly dependent on Knudsen number and channel aspect ratio. They are in qualitative agreement with other computational and experimental results for longer microchannels. Near the continuum limit, they show the same trends as classical theories, such as Fanno/Rayleigh ow and boundary-layer interaction with shocks. This investigation establishes DSMC as an ef cient method for the analysis of MEMS: all simulations are carried out on a personal computer. Nomenclature h = channel height L = channel length P = pressure T = temperature U = streamwise velocity x = length coordinate along channel wall = mean free path Subscripts i = inlet o = outlet w = wall = freestream
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