Classical Nernst engine

Brandner, Kay; Saito, Keiji; Stark, Julian; Seifert, Udo

Abstract

We introduce a simple model for an engine based on the Nernst effect. In the presence of a magnetic field, a vertical heat current can drive a horizontal particle current against a chemical potential. For a microscopic model invoking classical particle trajectories subject to the Lorentz force, we prove a universal bound 3-22≃0.172 for the ratio between the maximum efficiency and the Carnot efficiency. This bound, as the slightly lower one 1/6 for efficiency at maximum power, can indeed be saturated for a large magnetic field and small fugacity. © 2014 American Physical Society.

Citation

Brandner, K., Saito, K., Stark, J., & Seifert, U. (2014). Classical Nernst engine. Physical Review Letters, 112(14), Article 140601. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.112.140601

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 13, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Apr 7, 2014
• Publication Date: Apr 7, 2014
• Deposit Date: Feb 26, 2020
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 112
• Issue: 14
• Article Number: 140601
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.112.140601
• Keywords: General Physics and Astronomy
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4040114
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.140601