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Article

Finite Time Thermodynamics: Limiting Performance of Diffusion Engines and Membrane Systems

A. M. Tsirlin,^† E. E. Leskov,^† and V. Kazakov*^‡

Program System Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, set Botik, Pereaslavl-Zalesky, Russia 152020, and School of Finance and Economics, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007 Australia

J. Phys. Chem. A, 2005, 109 (44), pp 9997–10003

DOI: 10.1021/jp053637j

Publication Date (Web): October 11, 2005

†

Russian Academy of Sciences.

In papers with more than one author, the asterisk indicates the name of the author to whom inquiries about the paper should be addressed.

‡

University of Technology, Sydney.

Abstract

In this paper, the limiting performance of membrane systems with inhomogeneous composition is studied within the class of fixed rate processes. The problem of maintaining a nonequilibrium state in such a system using minimal power (separation problem) and the problem of extracting maximal power from such a system (diffusion engine problem) are formulated and solved. Results are obtained for diffusion engines with constant and periodic contact between the working body and the reservoirs.

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