Thermal Creep Flow of Helium Gas at Cryogenic Temperatures

Abstract

We present a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of nanoscale gas flow due to thermal creep at cryogenic temperatures. Helium is considered because its low liquefying temperature allows a wide range of cryogenic analysis. The thermal creep flow along a nanochannel is generated by applying temperature differences along the channel. Pressure and density variations are measured at various rarefaction conditions, covering the slip flow to the free molecular regimes. Thermo molecular pressure difference (TMPD) values are also calculated. Our results are compared with those in the literature.