Coupled heat devices in linear irreversible thermodynamics

Abstract

Full analytical models of heat engines and refrigerators in linear irreversible thermodynamics can be defined by means of a chain of coupled heat devices. In this way it is possible to derive results and techniques of finite-time thermodynamics, like endoreversible efficiencies and the usual models of irreversible heat devices, in terms of an endoreversible energy converter plus a heat leak between external reservoirs. Also, a counterintuitive relationship is found between the global behavior of the chain and the individual performance of the devices: it is not necessary nor generally possible to impose the same operation regime on every device to achieve a desired overall performance.

A critique of some modern applications of the Carnot heat engine concept: the dissipative heat engine cannot exist

“…This result was confirmed by rigorous theoretical investigations recently performed in various domains of science (Leff 1987;Rebhan 2002;Van den Broeck 2005;Feidt et al 2007;Jiménez de Cisneros & Calvo Hernández 2008;Izumida & Okuda 2009). This result was, however, neglected in the formulation of the maximum potential intensity model for hurricanes based on the heat engine concept (e.g.…”

Onsager coefficients of a finite-time Carnot cycle

“…[4,5]. It would be an interesting problem to construct and study the collective behavior of the Carnot cycles coupled with each other by using the property of the Onsager coefficients derived in this paper [6,18,19,20,21].…”

Association of Finite-Dimension Thermodynamics and a Bond-Graph Approach for Modeling an Irreversible Heat Engine

“…There has been much discussion about the energy conversion efficiency at the optimal operating point of an endoreversible heat engine and an exo-reversible heat engine [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. In particular, Apertet et al [28] developed an empirical model of a thermoelectric generator and then compared the impact of internal and external irreversibilities on the conversion efficiency at the optimal point where the electrical power is maximized.…”