Numerical Investigation of Ion Transport in Under-Expanded Jet Flows

The transport of free ions through highly under-expanded jet flows of neutral gases and in the presence of applied electric fields is investigated by continuum-based numerical simulations. A five-moment mathematical model and parallel multi-block numerical solution procedure is developed for predicting the ion transport. The model incorporates the eects of ion-neutral collision processes and is used in conjunction with a NavierStokes model and flow solver for the neutral gas to examine the key features of the ion motion. The influences of the neutral gas flow, electric field, and flow field geometry on ion mobility are all carefully assessed. Numerical results are given which are relevant to the ion flows occurring in the interface regions of mass spectrometer systems.