| Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 44, Number 3, November I 1998
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 278 - 283 | |
| Section | General | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i1998-00470-4 | |
| Published online | 01 September 2002 | |
On the energetics of a nonlinear system rectifying thermal fluctuations
Theoretische Polymerphysik, Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Str. 3, D-79104 Freiburg i.Br., Germany
Received:
15
May
1998
Accepted:
11
September
1998
We discuss an approach to the energetics of nonlinear systems based on the local, detailed-balanced scheme and consider a simple model consisting of a linear and a nonlinear resistor (diode) in contact with two heat baths kept at different temperatures. We calculate the power, the absorbed heat and the efficiency of a system as a heat engine. We show that this efficiency is always smaller than the Carnot value, thus indicating the intrinsically irreversible mode of operation.
PACS: 05.40.+j – Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, and Brownian motion / 05.70.Ln – Nonequilibrium thermodynamics, irreversible processes
© EDP Sciences, 1998
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