Oscillation of a Piston in a Cylinder and Its Approximate Solutions

We discuss the oscillation of a piston in a cylinder with various amplitudes in adiabatic processes. When a piston in a cylinder moves due to the pressure of a contained ideal gas, it will oscillate like a harmonic oscillator in the case of small amplitude. However, it is difficult to obtain an analytic solution of the equation of motion because of its nonlinearity in general. In this paper, we find that analytic solutions are expressed by elementary functions under approximations of various amplitudes, which can well describe the motion of the piston. It will help students to understand a nonlinear equation of motion appearing in thermodynamics.

Entropy in Thermodynamics: from Foliation to Categorization

We overview the notion of entropy in thermodynamics. We start from the smooth case using differential forms on the manifold, which is the natural language for thermodynamics. Then the axiomatic definition of entropy as ordering on a set that is induced by adiabatic processes will be outlined. Finally, the viewpoint of category theory is provided, which reinterprets the ordering structure as a category of pre-ordered sets.

Efficiency at maximum power of quantum-mechanical Carnot engine enhanced by energy quantization

In an adiabatic process, the change in energies of select states may be inhomogenously scaled due to energy quantization. To illustrate this, we introduce a [Formula: see text] barrier turning up (turning down) in an adiabatic expansion (compression). We consider a quantum-mechanical Carnot engine employing a single particle confined in an infinite potential, assuming only the lowest two energy levels to be occupied. This cyclic engine model consists of two isoenergetic strokes where the system is alternatively coupled to two energy baths, and two adiabatic processes where the potential is adiabatically deformed with turning up or down a [Formula: see text] barrier. Having obtained the work output and efficiency, we analyze the efficiency at maximum power under the assumption that the potential moves at a very slow speed. We show that the efficiency at maximum power can be enhanced by energy quantization.

On the ambiguity of an ideal gas entropy concept

Based on a critical analysis of the existing characteristics of an ideal gas and the theory of thermodynamic potentials, the article considers its new model, which includes the presence of an ideal gas in addition to kinetic energy of potential (chemical) energy, in the framework of which the isothermal and adiabatic processes in it are studied both reversible and irreversible, in terms of changes in the entropy of the system in question, observed in case. In addition, a critical analysis was made of the process of introducing the concept of entropy by R. Clausius, as a result of which the main requirements for entropy were established, the changes of which are observed in isothermal and adiabatic quasistatic processes, in particular, it was revealed that if in isothermal processes involving one in a perfect gas, the entropy ST is uniquely characterized by the value , regardless of whether the process is reversible or not, then when the adiabatic processes occur, the only requirement made of them is the condition of mutual destruction adiabats in this Carnot cycle. As a result of this circumstance, in fact, in thermodynamics various “adiabatic” entropies are used, namely; const SA = const R ln V и C V ln T , and in addition, as established in this paper, CV, which leads, despite the mathematically perfect introduction of the concept of entropy for the Carnot cycle, to the impossibility of its unambiguous interpretation and, therefore, the determination of its physicochemical meaning even for perfect gas. A new concept is introduced in the work: “total” entropy of an ideal gas SS = R ln V + C V , satisfying the criteria of R. Clausius, on the basis of which it was established that this type of entropy multiplied by the absolute temperature characterizes a certain level of potential energy of the system, which can besuccessively converted to work in an isothermal reversible process, with the supply of an appropriate amount of heat, and in the adiabatic reversible process under consideration.

The Quantum Friction and Optimal Finite-Time Performance of the Quantum Otto Cycle

In this work we considered the quantum Otto cycle within an optimization framework. The goal was maximizing the power for a heat engine or maximizing the cooling power for a refrigerator. In the field of finite-time quantum thermodynamics it is common to consider frictionless trajectories since these have been shown to maximize the work extraction during the adiabatic processes. Furthermore, for frictionless cycles, the energy of the system decouples from the other degrees of freedom, thereby simplifying the mathematical treatment. Instead, we considered general limit cycles and we used analytical techniques to compute the derivative of the work production over the whole cycle with respect to the time allocated for each of the adiabatic processes. By doing so, we were able to directly show that the frictionless cycle maximizes the work production, implying that the optimal power production must necessarily allow for some friction generation so that the duration of the cycle is reduced.