No Arabic abstract
The chi-criterion is defined as the product of the energy conversion efficiency and the heat absorbed per-unit-time by the working substance [de Tomas et al., Phys. Rev. E, 85 (2012) 010104(R)]. The chi-criterion for Feynman ratchet as a refrigerator operating between two heat baths is optimized. Asymptotic solutions of the coefficient of performance at maximum chi-criterion for Feynman ratchet are investigated at both large and small temperature difference. An interpolation formula, which fits the numerical solution very well, is proposed. Besides, the sufficient condition for the universality of the coefficient of performance at maximum chi is investigated.
The coefficient of restitution of a spherical particle in contact with a flat plate is investigated as a function of the impact velocity. As an experimental observation we notice non-trivial (non-Gaussian) fluctuations of the measured values. For a fixed impact velocity, the probability density of the coefficient of restitution, $p(epsilon)$, is formed by two exponential functions (one increasing, one decreasing) of different slope. This behavior may be explained by a certain roughness of the particle which leads to energy transfer between the linear and rotational degrees of freedom.
In living cells, ion channels passively allow for ions to flow through as the concentration gradient relaxes to thermal equilibrium. Most ion channels are selective, only allowing one type of ion to go through while blocking another. One salient example is KcsA, which allows for larger $text{K}^+$ ions through but blocks the smaller $text{Na}^+$ ions. This counter-intuitive selectivity has been explained by two distinct theories that both focus on equilibrium properties: particle-channel affinity and particle-solvent affinity. However, ion channels operate far from equilibrium. By constructing minimal kinetic models of channels, we discover a ubiquitous kinetic ratchet effect as a non-equilibrium mechanism to explain such selectivity. We find that a multi-site channel kinetically couples the competing flows of two types of particles, where one particles flow could suppress or even invert the flow of another type. At the inversion point (transition between the ratchet and dud modes), the channel achieves infinite selectivity. We have applied our theory to obtain general design principles of artificial selective channels.
We consider an experimentally relevant model of a geometric ratchet in which particles undergo drift and diffusive motion in a two-dimensional periodic array of obstacles, and which is used for the continuous separation of particles subject to different forces. The macroscopic drift velocity and diffusion tensor are calculated by a Monte-Carlo simulation and by a master-equation approach, using the correponding microscopic quantities and the shape of the obstacles as input. We define a measure of separation quality and investigate its dependence on the applied force and the shape of the obstacles.
Several recent theories address the efficiency of a macroscopic thermodynamic motor at maximum power and question the so-called Curzon-Ahlborn (CA) efficiency. Considering the entropy exchanges and productions in an n-sources motor, we study the maximization of its power and show that the controversies are partly due to some imprecision in the maximization variables. When power is maximized with respect to the system temperatures, these temperatures are proportional to the square root of the corresponding source temperatures, which leads to the CA formula for a bi-thermal motor. On the other hand, when power is maximized with respect to the transitions durations, the Carnot efficiency of a bi-thermal motor admits the CA efficiency as a lower bound, which is attained if the duration of the adiabatic transitions can be neglected. Additionally, we compute the energetic efficiency, or sustainable efficiency, which can be defined for n sources, and we show that it has no other universal upper bound than 1, but that in certain situations, favorable for power production, it does not exceed 1/2.
Several authors have proposed out of equilibrium thermal engines models, allowing optimization processes involving a trade off between the power output of the engine and its dissipation. These operating regimes are achieved by using objective functions such as the ecological function ($EF$). In order to measure the quality of the balance between these characteristic functions, it was proposed a relationship where power output and dissipation are evaluated in the above mentioned $EF$-regime and they are compared with respect to its values at the regime of maximum power output. We called this relationship Compromise Function and only depends of a parameter that measures the quality of the compromise. Thereafter this function was used to select a value of the mentioned parameter to obtain the generalization of some different objective functions (generalizations of ecological function, omega function and efficient power), by demanding that these generalization parameters maximize the above mentioned functions. In this work we demonstrate that this function can be used directly as an objective function: the $P{Phi}$-Compromise Function ($C_{PPhi}$), also that the operation modes corresponding to the maximum Generalized Ecological Function, maximum Generalized Omega Function and maximum Efficient power output, are special cases of the operation mode of maximum $C_{PPhi}$, having the same optimum high reduced temperature, then the characteristic functions will be the same in any of the above three working regimes, independent of the algebraic complexity of each generalized function. These results are presented for two different models of an irreversible energy converter: a non-endoreversible and a totally irreversible, both with heat leakage.