Limits for Production or Consumption of energy and substances predicted by thermodynamics

Abstract

We describe quantitatively effects of nonlinear transfer phenomena that drive energy generators (thermal engines) and heat pumps. it is shown that these transports can be treated either in a standard way or as peculiar chemical reactions described by appropriate affinities. An approach to nonlinear transports links heat fluxes with differences of temperature in certain power t a . a more recent approach distinguishes in each elementary transfer step two competitive (unidirectional) fluxes and the resulting flux as their difference. we show how the kinetics of this sort can be implemented into the contemporary theory of thermal energy generators.

s