General Properties of Approaches Maximizing Power Yield in Thermo-Chemical Systems

This research represents a thermodynamic approach to modeling and power optimization of energy converters, such like thermal, solar, chemical and electrochemical engines. Thermodynamics leads to converter’s efficiency and limiting generated power. Efficiency equations serve to solve problems of upgrading and downgrading of resources. Real work yield is a cumulative effect obtained in a system of a resource fluid, engines, and an infinite bath. While optimization of steady systems requires using of differential calculus and Lagrange multipliers, dynamic optimization needs variational calculus and dynamic programming. The primary result of the static optimization is the limiting power, whereas that of dynamic optimization is a finite-rate counterpart of the classical potential of reversible work (exergy). This potential depends on thermal coordinates and a dissipation index, h, i.e. the Hamiltonian of the related problem of minimum entropy production. The generalized potential implies stronger bounds on work delivered or supplied than the reversible potential. In reacting systems the chemical affinity constitutes a prevailing counterpart of the thermal efficiency. Therefore, in reacting mixtures flux balances are applied to derive power yield in terms of an active part of chemical affinity.