1999/04/30 by Ken Sekimoto, Fumiko Takagi, Tsuyoshi Hondou · 3 citations
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Adiabatic process #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Carnot cycle #Energy transformation #Mesoscopic physics #Physics #Statistical physics #Thermodynamic cycle #Thermodynamics #Work (physics) #cond-mat.stat-mech #stochastic dynamics and bifurcation #thermodynamics and calorimetric analyses
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.62.7759
11 pages with 3 figures. Resubmitted to Physical Review E. Many paragraphs have been modified
arxiv created 2000/08/28 · openalex publication_date 2000/12/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
In the thermodynamic limit, the existence of a maximal efficiency of energy conversion attainable by a Carnot cycle consisting of quasistatic isothermal and adiabatic processes precludes the existence of a perpetual machine of the second kind, whose cycles yield positive work in an isothermal environment. We employ the recently developed framework of the energetics of stochastic processes (called "stochastic energetics") to reanalyze the Carnot cycle in detail, taking account of fluctuations, without taking the thermodynamic limit. We find that in this nonmacroscopic situation both processes of connection to and disconnection from heat baths and adiabatic processes that cause distortion of the energy distribution are sources of inevitable irreversibility within the cycle. Also, the so-called null-recurrence property of the cumulative efficiency of energy conversion over many cycles and the irreversible property of isolated, purely mechanical processes under external "macroscopic" operations are discussed in relation to the impossibility of a perpetual machine, or Maxwell's demon. This analysis may serve as the basis for the design and analysis of mesoscopic energy converters in the near future.