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Inattainability of Carnot efficiency in the Brownian heat engine

Tsuyoshi Hondou·Ken Sekimoto
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Abstract

We discuss the reversibility of Brownian heat engine. We perform asymptotic analysis of Kramers equation on Büttiker-Landauer system and show quantitatively that Carnot efficiency is inattainable even in a fully overdamping limit. The inattainability is attributed to the inevitable irreversible heat flow over the temperature boundary.

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Tsuyoshi Hondou, Ken Sekimoto. 2000-08-11. Inattainability of Carnot efficiency in the Brownian heat engine. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.62.6021

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