Characteristics of an ideal heat engine:
1. Reversibility: The ideal heat engine is considered reversible, meaning that it can undergo a thermodynamic cycle in either direction without violating any physical laws.
2. Adiabatic Processes: The expansion and compression processes within the engine are assumed to be adiabatic, meaning that there is no heat transfer between the engine and its surroundings during these processes.
3. Isothermal Processes: In contrast, the heat addition and heat rejection processes are assumed to be isothermal, where the temperature remains constant.
4. Zero Entropy Generation: The ideal engine experiences no entropy generation, which means that the system remains in a state of maximum order throughout the cycle.
5. Maximum Efficiency: An ideal heat engine operates at the maximum theoretical efficiency determined by the Carnot efficiency. This efficiency depends on the temperatures of the heat source (TH) and the heat sink (TC) and is given by:
Efficiency = 1 - (TC / TH)
The efficiency of an ideal heat engine is always less than 100%, as it is limited by the temperature difference between the heat source and the heat sink. Therefore, it provides a benchmark against which real-world engines can be compared and evaluated.
While an ideal heat engine may not be achievable in practice, it serves as a fundamental concept in thermodynamics and engineering to understand the upper limit of efficiency for heat engines and the design principles necessary to approach that limit.
