[en] After completing their introductory studies on thermodynamics at the university level, typically in a second-year university course, most students show a number of misconceptions. In this work, we identify some of those erroneous ideas and try to explain their origins. We also give a suggestion to attack the problem through a systematic and detailed study of various thermodynamic cycles. In the meantime, we derive some useful relations.

[en] The ionic fragmentation following B 1s and C 1s excitation of three isomeric carborane cage compounds [closo-dicarbadodecaboranes: orthocarborane (1,2-C2B10H12), metacarborane (1,7-C2B10H12), and paracarborane (1,12-C2B10H12)], is compared with the energetics of decomposition. The fragmentation yields for all three molecules are quite similar. Thermodynamic cycles are constructed for neutral and ionic species in an attempt to systemically characterize single ion closo-carborane creation and fragmentation processes. Lower energy decomposition processes are favored. Among the ionic species, the photon induced decomposition is dominated by BH+ and BH2+ fragment loss. Changes in ion yield associated with core to bound excitations are observed

[en] Dimensions of some physicochemical constants are discussed in relation to the mathematical methods used in power engineering calculations. It is shown that using contemporary software, numerical and symbolic methods can be combined in thermodynamic calculations, e.g., to calculate thermodynamic cycles, including binary cycles. (paper)

[en] The pamphlet in hand which has been published by the 'Informationszentrale der Elektrizitaetswirtschaft e.V. (IZE), is an explanation of the second law of thermodynamics. (DG)

[en] We identify that quantum coherence is a valuable resource in the quantum heat engine, which is designed in a quantum thermodynamic cycle assisted by a quantum Maxwell’s demon. This demon is in a superposed state. The quantum work and heat are redefined as the sum of coherent and incoherent parts in the energy representation. The total quantum work and the corresponding efficiency of the heat engine can be enhanced due to the coherence consumption of the demon. In addition, we discuss an universal information heat engine driven by quantum coherence. The extractable work of this heat engine is limited by the quantum coherence, even if it has no classical thermodynamic cost. This resource-driven viewpoint provides a direct and effective way to clarify the thermodynamic processes where the coherent superposition of states cannot be ignored. (paper)

[en] Is suggested the method of gas cycle calculation for the mixture N₂O₄-NO with the ''frozen'' expansion process in the turbine. The method is cited for two variations of gas composition, frozen and equilibrium, on the regenerator inlet upon the hot side

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[en] Theoretical thermal efficiencies and theoretical effectivenesses of six kinds of basic gas cycles, including the Carnot, Otto, Diesel, Takemura, Atkinson and Joule cycles, were compared with one another under the restriction of constant heat-addition. Relations between the available work content of heat added and the exergy change in several thermodynamic processes were also examined. It is concluded that the Atkinson cycle has the highest thermal efficiency and the second best effectiveness among the gas cycles examined. The exergy changes in an isochoric heating-process in closed systems and in an isobaric heating-process in open systems agree with the available work contents of heat added in these processes. Thus, the exergy increment in a heating process should not be generally adopted as the denominator for the theoretical effectiveness

[en] Feedback can be utilized to convert information into useful work, making it an effective tool for increasing the performance of thermodynamic engines. Using feedback reversibility as a guiding principle, we devise a method for designing optimal feedback protocols for thermodynamic engines that extracts all the information gained during feedback as work. Our method is based on the observation that in a feedback-reversible process the measurement and the time-reversal of the ensuing protocol both prepare the system in the same probabilistic state. We illustrate the utility of our method with two examples of the multi-particle Szilard engine. (paper)