# Irreversible thermodynamic analysis and application for molecular heat engines

## TL;DR

This paper compares the thermodynamic limitations of macro and molecular heat engines, applying irreversible thermodynamics to quantum systems to analyze lost work and demonstrate similar constraints across scales.

## Contribution

It introduces a quantum thermodynamic approach to analyze molecular heat engines and compares their limitations with classical engines.

## Key findings

- Macro and molecular heat engines obey similar thermodynamic limitations.
- Quantum thermodynamics can explain the behavior of molecular heat engines.
- Lost work in molecular engines is comparable to classical counterparts.

## Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine lost works in a molecular engine and compare results with macro (classical) heat engines. Firstly, irreversible thermodynamics are reviewed for macro and molecular cycles. Secondly, irreversible thermodynamics approaches are applied for a quantum heat engine with -1/2 spin system. Finally, lost works are determined for considered system and results show that macro and molecular heat engines obey same limitations. Moreover, a quantum thermodynamic approach is suggested in order to explain the results previously obtained from an atomic viewpoint.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1706.01956