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The Carnot engine works between two heat reservoirs of fixed temperatures. The Carnot cycle begs the following question: Is it possible to devise a heat engine that is more efficient than a Carnot engine between two fixed temperatures? The answer lies in designing a Carnot refrigerator.
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Energetic Self-Optimization Induced by Stability in Low-Dissipation Heat Engines.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Local stability in weakly dissipative heat engines drives self-optimization of thermodynamic quantities like efficiency and power. Irreversible behavior acts as an attractor, guiding system energetics toward improved performance.

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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Non-equilibrium systems
  • Statistical mechanics

Background:

  • Analysis of cyclic energy converters often focuses on performance metrics.
  • The interplay between stability and self-optimization in thermodynamic systems is underexplored.
  • Weakly dissipative heat engines represent a key area for studying complex energy conversion processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the local stability of weakly dissipative heat engines.
  • To connect stability to a multi-objective optimization perspective for thermodynamic quantities.
  • To investigate if stability promotes self-optimization of efficiency, power, and entropy generation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of system dynamics simulating restitution forces and harmonic potentials.
  • Examination of relaxation trajectories towards a steady state.
  • Statistical analysis of random perturbations and fluctuations.

Main Results:

  • Relaxation trajectories are not arbitrary but improve multiple energetic functions.
  • Irreversible behavior acts as an attractor for system energetics.
  • The endoreversible limit serves as an upper bound, and the Pareto front as a global attractor.
  • Fast relaxation is linked to self-optimization, while slow relaxation indicates better performance.

Conclusions:

  • Stability in weakly dissipative heat engines inherently favors self-optimization of thermodynamic performance.
  • Irreversible processes and Pareto fronts play crucial roles in guiding system energetics.
  • Understanding stability-performance trade-offs offers new avenues for controlling and enhancing real-world engine operation.