Physics Versus Engineering of Finite-Time Thermodynamic Models and Optimizations

Abstract

Finite-time thermodynamics [1] is an extension of traditional thermodynamics that seeks to characterize in-principle limits to the performance of thermodynamic processes given the constraint that such processes take place in a finite time. This constraint forces any process that involves transport through a finite conductance to produce entropy and thus leads to strengthened versions of the second law and provides positive lower bounds on the associated entropy production.