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Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
Published on: February 5, 2020
Temperature-dependent maximization of work and efficiency in a degeneracy-assisted quantum Stirling heat engine
Sarbani Chatterjee1, Arghadip Koner2, Sohini Chatterjee3
1Department of Physical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali, Sector 81 SAS Nagar, Manauli P.O. 140306 Punjab, India.
Abstract:
We propose a quantum Stirling heat engine with an ensemble of harmonic oscillators as the working medium. We show that the efficiency of the harmonic oscillator quantum Stirling heat engine (HO-QSHE) at a given frequency can be maximized at a specific ratio of the temperatures of the thermal reservoirs. In the low-temperature or equivalently high-frequency limit of the harmonic oscillators, the efficiency of the HO-QSHE approaches the Carnot efficiency. Further, we analyze a quantum Stirling heat engine with an ensemble of particle-in-a-box quantum systems as the working medium. Here both work and efficiency can be maximized at a specific ratio of temperatures of the thermal reservoirs. These studies will enable us to operate the quantum Stirling heat engines at its optimal performance. The theoretical study of the HO-QSHE would provide impetus for its experimental realization, as most real systems can be approximated as harmonic oscillators for small displacements near equilibrium.
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