Maximum-Power Stirling-like Heat Engine with a Harmonically Confined Brownian Particle

Area of Science:

• Mesoscopic Thermodynamics
• Stochastic Thermodynamics
• Brownian Motion

Background:

• Traditional heat engines utilize macroscopic working substances like gases and liquids.
• Recent advancements enable the study and design of single-particle heat engines.
• These systems require analysis within the framework of stochastic thermodynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and analyze a mesoscopic heat engine utilizing a Brownian particle.
• To investigate the performance of a Stirling-like heat engine operating in the irreversible, non-quasi-static regime.
• To optimize the thermodynamic cycle for maximum output power.

Main Methods:

• A Brownian particle confined in a harmonic trap and immersed in a thermal bath.
• Design of a Stirling-like cycle with isothermal and isochoric branches.
• Application of variational calculus and optimal control theory to determine optimal driving protocols.

Main Results:

• The study focuses on finite-duration cycles, enabling non-zero output power.
• Optimal driving protocols were derived to maximize delivered power.
• Numerical exploration of the dependence of maximum output power and efficiency on system parameters.

Conclusions:

• Mesoscopic heat engines with Brownian particles can be designed and optimized.
• Optimal control theory provides a powerful tool for maximizing power output in non-quasi-static thermodynamic cycles.
• Understanding these systems is crucial for advancing practical applications of micro- and nanoscale energy conversion.