Designing optimal discrete-feedback thermodynamic engines
Statistical Mechanics
2015-06-03 v1
Abstract
Feedback can be utilized to convert information into useful work, making it an effective tool for increasing the performance of thermodynamic engines. Using feedback reversibility as a guiding principle, we devise a method for designing optimal feedback protocols for thermodynamic engines that extract all the information gained during feedback as work. Our method is based on the observation that in a feedback-reversible process the measurement and the time-reversal of the ensuing protocol both prepare the system in the same probabilistic state. We illustrate the utility of our method with two examples of the multi-particle Szilard engine.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1110.6808,
title = {Designing optimal discrete-feedback thermodynamic engines},
author = {Jordan M. Horowitz and Juan M. R. Parrondo},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1110.6808},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
15 pages, 5 figures, submitted to New J. Phys