English

Temperature dependent maximization of work and efficiency in a degeneracy assisted quantum Stirling heat engine

Quantum Physics 2021-06-08 v3 Statistical Mechanics

Abstract

We propose a quantum Stirling heat engine with an ensemble of harmonic oscillators as the working medium. We show that the efficiency of the harmonic oscillator quantum Stirling heat engine (HO-QSHE) at a given frequency can be maximized at a specific ratio of the temperatures of the thermal reservoirs. In the low temperature or equivalently high frequency limit of the harmonic oscillators, the efficiency of the HO-QSHE approaches the Carnot efficiency. Further, we analyse quantum Stirling heat engine with an ensemble of particle in box quantum systems as the working medium. Here both work and efficiency can be maximized at a specific ratio of temperatures of the thermal reservoirs. These studies will enable us to operate the quantum Stirling heat engines at its optimal performance. The theoretical study of the HO-QSHE would provide impetus for its experimental realisation, as most real systems can be approximated as harmonic oscillators for small displacements near equilibrium.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2012.11362,
  title  = {Temperature dependent maximization of work and efficiency in a degeneracy assisted quantum Stirling heat engine},
  author = {Sarbani Chatterjee and Arghadip Koner and Sohini Chatterjee and Chandan Kumar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2012.11362},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

Dedicated to Prof. N. Sathyamurthy's forthcoming 70th birthday