Some Remarks About Extremum Principles Involving the Rate of Entropy Production
Abstract
The minimum rate of entropy production (MREP) and the least dissipation energy (LDE) principles are re-examined concerning continuous systems in stationary nonequilibrium states. By means of simple considerations on coefficients of phenomenological laws and by taking into account balance equations, an Onsager-like potential density for the stationary state is obtained. In the case of a single state variable it is found that the potential density describes a saddle-shaped surface around the stationary point in the domain of the force (state variable) and the flux. The saddle point may be considered a maximum along a LDE path (fixed force) and a minimum along a MREP path (fixed phenomenological coefficient). The latter allow for the Glansdorff-Prigogine local potential.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.physics/0609040,
title = {Some Remarks About Extremum Principles Involving the Rate of Entropy Production},
author = {M. Salis},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:physics/0609040},
year = {2009}
}