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arXiv · 2304.03942

Thermodynamic performance bounds for radiative heat engines

Maxime Giteau·Michela F. Picardi·Georgia T. Papadakis
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Abstract

Heat engines cannot generally operate at maximum power and efficiency, imposing a trade-off between the two. Here, we highlight the exact nature of this trade-off for engines that exchange heat radiatively with a hot source. We derive simple analytical expressions for the performance bounds of reciprocal and nonreciprocal radiative heat engines. We also highlight that radiative engines can achieve a better power-efficiency trade-off than linear ones. These bounds are especially relevant for thermophotovoltaics, offering useful metrics against which to compare device performance.

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Maxime Giteau, Michela F. Picardi, Georgia T. Papadakis. 2023-04-08. Thermodynamic performance bounds for radiative heat engines. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.20.l061003

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