Thermodynamic Performance Characteristics of a Brownian Microscopic Heat Engine Driven by Discrete and Periodic Temperature Field

A Brownian microscopic heat engine with a particle hopping on a one-dimensional lattice driven by a discrete and periodic temperature field in a periodic sawtooth potential is investigated. In order to clarify the underlying physical pictures of the heat engine, the heat flow via the potential energy and the kinetic energy of the particles are considered simultaneously. Based on describing the jumps among the three states, the expressions of the efficiency and power output of the heat engine are derived analytically. The general performance characteristic curves are plotted by numerical calculation. It is found that the power output-efficiency curve is a loop-shaped one, which is similar to one for a real irreversible heat engine. The influence of the ratio of the temperature of the hot and cold reservoirs and the sawtooth potential on the maximum efficiency and power output is analyzed for some given parameters. When the heat flows via the kinetic energy is neglected, the power output-efficiency curve is an open-shaped one, which is similar to one for an endroeversible heat engine.     

Thermodynamic Performance Characteristics of an Irreversible Micro-Brownian Heat Engine Driven by Temperature Difference

Based on the master equation describing the particles jump among barriers, the expressions of current, efficiency and power output of the heat engine are derived analytically. The general performance characteristic curves are plotted from the numerical calculation. It is found that the power output-efficiency curve is a loop-shaped one which is similar to the one for a real irreversible heat engine. When the heat flow via the kinetic energy is neglected, the power output-efficieney curve is an open-shaped one which is similar to the one for an endroeversible heat engine.