Engineering

Philosophy

Materials science

Applied mathematics

Power (physics)

Computer science

Limit (mathematics)

Working fluid

Simple (philosophy)

Heat engine

Dissipation

Mechanical engineering

Thermodynamics

Physics

Thermal management of electronic devices and systems

Nuclear engineering

Organic chemistry

Heat capacity

Mathematics

Optics

Thermal efficiency

Combustion

Epistemology

Maximum power principle

Mathematical analysis

Geometry

Figure of merit

Thermodynamic cycle

Point (geometry)

Chemistry

Carnot cycle

Mechanics

Stirling engine

Dissipative system

Computer vision

Physical Review Letters

We consider the optimization of a finite-time Carnot engine characterized by small dissipations. We bound the power with a simple inequality and show that the optimal strategy is to perform small cycles around a given working point, which can be, thus, chosen optimally. Remarkably, this optimal point is independent of the figure of merit combining power and efficiency that is being maximized. Furthermore, for a general class of dissipative dynamics the maximal power output becomes proportional to the heat capacity of the working substance. Since the heat capacity can scale supraextensively with the number of constituents of the engine, this enables us to design optimal many-body Carnot engines reaching maximum efficiency at finite power per constituent in the thermodynamic limit.

Optimal Cycles for Low-Dissipation Heat Engines