Chinese physicists have recently made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges a fundamental rule governing the work of heat engines for centuries. In a study published in the January issue of Physical Review Letters, the researchers introduced a model that combines maximum power and efficiency at the level of the Carnot cycle.
The key to this development lies in a simple engine model with a unique property of high energy degeneration, allowing microscopic states in the system to act collectively. By harnessing these collective effects, the scientists were able to overcome the traditional trade-off between efficiency and power observed in conventional thermal engines.
In the past, efforts to bring the efficiency of heat engines closer to the Carnot cycle were hindered by the challenge of requiring indefinite time to perform work, resulting in decreased power. However, a breakthrough was achieved in the realm of biochemical thermal engines.
Dr. B. Shing Liang, one of the study’s authors, shared the serendipitous way in which he stumbled upon this discovery. While working on a polymer layout, he devised a simplified heat engine circuit that surpassed conventional efficiency limits even at maximum power. This realization led him to collaborate with his colleague, Dr. Yu-Khan.
Through their research, the physicists demonstrated that under specific conditions, their model defies the longstanding rule regarding the trade-off between efficiency and power. By strategically designing the internal structure of thermal engines, they can operate far more effectively than predicted by classical thermodynamics.
The implications of this breakthrough are profound, as it paves the way for the development of innovative power plants, engines, and even microscopic biological machines with high power output and minimal energy losses. Dr. Lyan highlighted that the model not only validates the possibility of transcending thermodynamic constraints but also elucidates why the collective interactions of particles yield such remarkable results.