Exergy of an open continuous medium

Area of Science:

• Thermodynamics
• Physics
• Engineering
• Ecology
• Economics

Background:

• Exergy is a crucial thermodynamic concept with broad applications in economics, engineering, and ecology.
• Current exergy definitions rely on an arbitrary reference state, limiting their universal applicability.
• Exergy has received limited attention within pure physics research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To derive a general exergy balance formula for open continuous media independent of external reference states.
• To establish suitable thermodynamic parameters for the Earth's atmosphere as a reference environment for exergy calculations.
• To address the limitations of existing exergy definitions in physics and related fields.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of a general exergy balance formula from a fundamental definition of exergy.
• Analysis of thermodynamic parameters for the Earth's atmosphere to serve as a reference environment.
• Application of the derived formulas to open continuous thermodynamic systems.

Main Results:

• A novel exergy balance formula for open continuous media is presented, eliminating the need for an arbitrary external reference state.
• Specific thermodynamic parameters are identified as optimal for using Earth's atmosphere as a reference environment in exergy applications.
• The study provides a more universally applicable framework for exergy analysis.

Conclusions:

• The developed exergy balance equation offers a more robust and general approach to thermodynamic analysis.
• Defining Earth's atmosphere parameters enhances the practical application of exergy in environmental and engineering contexts.
• This work encourages further exploration of exergy within pure physics.