2014/05/09 by Kamal Bhattacharyya, Bhattacharyya, Kamal
Chemistry · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Chemical Physics (physics.chem-ph) #Chemical Thermodynamics and Molecular Structure #FOS: Physical sciences #Phase Equilibria and Thermodynamics #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1405.2273
openalex publication_date 2014/05/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Carnot engine sets an upper limit to the efficiency of a practical heat\nengine. An arbitrary irreversible engine is sometimes believed to behave\nclosely as the Curzon-Ahlborn engine. Efficiency of the latter is obtained\ncommonly by invoking the maximum power principle in a non-equilibrium\nframework. We outline here two plausible routes within the domain of classical\nthermodynamics to arrive at the same expression. Further studies on the\nperformances of available practical engines reveal that a simpler approximate\nformula works much better in respect of bounds to the efficiency. Putting an\nintermediate-temperature reservoir between the actual source and the sink leads\nto a few interesting extra observations.\n