Heat transfer at nanometric scales described by extended irreversible thermodynamics

Coupled heat devices in linear irreversible thermodynamics.

Full analytical models of heat engines and refrigerators in linear irreversible thermodynamics can be defined by means of a chain of coupled heat devices. In this way it is possible to derive results and techniques of finite-time thermodynamics, like endoreversible efficiencies and the usual models of irreversible heat devices, in terms of an endoreversible energy converter plus a heat leak bet...

Variational Formulations and Extended Thermodynamics for Resting Irreversible Fluids with Heat Flow

Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics helps to estimate corrections to the entropy and energy of the fluid with heat flux in terms of the nonequilibrium distribution function, f. This leads to the coefficients of wave model of heat: relaxation time, propagation speed and thermal inertia. With these data a quadratic Lagrangian and a variational principle of Hamilton’s type follows for the fluid i...

Variational Irreversible Thermodynamics of Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Solids: New Concepts and Methods*

A recently developed variational principle of virtual dissipation along with a new approach to the thermodynamics of open systems is applied to coupled mass and heat transfer in a porous solid containing a fluid. General differential field equations are derived directly from the variational principle. A general energy flux theorem is formulated. Vapor-liquid phase transition and capillary conde...

Irreversible Thermodynamics

There are alternative sets of postulates which yield entirely equivalent results for several important theories. In such cases the choice of a particular set of postulates may be based upon mathematical simplicity, close relationship to experiments or to the nature of the theory, or merely personal taste. While the postulate of conservation of energy is usually presented in similar form for the...

Basics of Irreversible Thermodynamics