English

Efficiency at maximum power output of quantum heat engines under finite-time operation

Statistical Mechanics 2015-03-19 v2

Abstract

We study the efficiency at maximum power, ηm\eta_m, of irreversible quantum Carnot engines (QCEs) that perform finite-time cycles between a hot and a cold reservoir at temperatures ThT_h and TcT_c, respectively. For QCEs in the reversible limit (long cycle period, zero dissipation), ηm\eta_m becomes identical to Carnot efficiency ηC=1TcTh\eta_{_C}=1-\frac{T_c}{T_h}. For QCE cycles in which nonadiabatic dissipation and time spent on two adiabats are included, the efficiency ηm\eta_m at maximum power output is bounded from above by ηC2ηC\frac{\eta_{_C}}{2-\eta_{_C}} and from below by ηC2\frac{\eta_{_C}}2. In the case of symmetric dissipation, the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency ηCA=1TcTh\eta_{_{CA}}=1-\sqrt{\frac{T_c}{T_h}} is recovered under the condition that the time allocation between the adiabats and the contact time with the reservoir satisfy a certain relation.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1111.5077,
  title  = {Efficiency at maximum power output of quantum heat engines under finite-time operation},
  author = {Jianhui Wang and Jizhou He and Zhaoqi Wu},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1111.5077},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

to be published in Phys. Rev. E (2012)