Endoreversible Thermodynamics of Solar Energy Conversion - Hardcover

Vos, Alexis De

 
9780198513926: Endoreversible Thermodynamics of Solar Energy Conversion
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0198513925 ISBN 13: 9780198513926
Publisher: Clarendon Press, 1992

Synopsis

The present book describes various forms of solar energy conversion techniques in a unified way. The physical framework used to describe the various conversions is endoreversible thermodynamics, a recently developed subset of irreversible thermodynamics. It thus studies situations which are not in equilibrium and in which therefore entropy is continuously created. Nevertheless the mathematics is simple, because we consider only stationary situations.

Most undergraduate textbooks on thermodynamics emphasize equilibrium thermodynamics and reversible processes. No entropy is created and conversion efficiencies are maximal: equal to the Carnot efficiency. For irreversible conversion processes, the reader learns only that entropy production is positive and that conversion efficiency is lower than the Carnot efficiency. But how great the entropy creation is, and how low the efficiency, is usually not expressed. Endoreversible thermodynamics gives us the opportunity to calculate explicit values for a broad class of processes. It is demonstrated in the text that solar energy conversion is a process particularly suited to being described in this way.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Product Description

The present book describes various forms of solar energy conversion techniques in a unified way. The physical framework used to describe the various conversions is endoreversible thermodynamics, a recently developed subset of irreversible thermodynamics. It thus studies situations which are not in equilibrium and in which therefore entropy is continuously created. Nevertheless the mathematics is simple, because we consider only stationary situations.

Most undergraduate textbooks on thermodynamics emphasize equilibrium thermodynamics and reversible processes. No entropy is created and conversion efficiencies are maximal: equal to the Carnot efficiency. For irreversible conversion processes, the reader learns only that entropy production is positive and that conversion efficiency is lower than the Carnot efficiency. But how great the entropy creation is, and how low the efficiency, is usually not expressed. Endoreversible thermodynamics gives us the opportunity to calculate explicit values for a broad class of processes. It is demonstrated in the text that solar energy conversion is a process particularly suited to being described in this way.

Review

'This is a delicious book for every scientist interested in thermodynamics, solar energy or both. It describes in a very clear and often subtly humoristic way the physical limits governing the conversion of solar energy into work ... it deserves a place in all private and institutional libraries covering solar engineering or advanced thermodynamics.'C.W.J. Van Koppen, Solar Energy

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Clarendon Press
Publication date
1992
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0198513925
ISBN 13 
9780198513926
Binding
Hardcover
Edition number
1
Number of pages
200