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The power of a critical heat engine

Author

Listed:
  • Michele Campisi

    (NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore & Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR)

  • Rosario Fazio

    (NEST, Scuola Normale Superiore & Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR
    ICTP)

Abstract

Since its inception about two centuries ago thermodynamics has sparkled continuous interest and fundamental questions. According to the second law no heat engine can have an efficiency larger than Carnot’s efficiency. The latter can be achieved by the Carnot engine, which however ideally operates in infinite time, hence delivers null power. A currently open question is whether the Carnot efficiency can be achieved at finite power. Most of the previous works addressed this question within the Onsager matrix formalism of linear response theory. Here we pursue a different route based on finite-size-scaling theory. We focus on quantum Otto engines and show that when the working substance is at the verge of a second order phase transition diverging energy fluctuations can enable approaching the Carnot point without sacrificing power. The rate of such approach is dictated by the critical indices, thus showing the universal character of our analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Campisi & Rosario Fazio, 2016. "The power of a critical heat engine," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11895
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11895
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    Cited by:

    1. Victor Mukherjee & Uma Divakaran, 2024. "The promises and challenges of many-body quantum technologies: A focus on quantum engines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-3, December.
    2. B. S. Revathy & Victor Mukherjee & Uma Divakaran, 2024. "Quantum critical engine at finite temperatures," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 97(6), pages 1-7, June.
    3. Sudeesh Krishnamurthy & Rajesh Ganapathy & A. K. Sood, 2023. "Overcoming power-efficiency tradeoff in a micro heat engine by engineered system-bath interactions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Long, Rui & Liu, Zhichun & Liu, Wei, 2018. "Performance analysis for minimally nonlinear irreversible refrigerators at finite cooling power," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 496(C), pages 137-146.
    5. Huang, X.L. & Yu, Qian & Zhang, H.W. & Zhao, S.Q. & Wu, S.L., 2021. "Thermoelectric generator with finite-sized reservoir," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 562(C).

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