Finite-time thermodynamics (FTT) is one of the newest and most challenging areas in thermodynamics. The objective of this book is to provide results from research, which continues at an impressive rate. The authors make a concentrated effort to reach out and encourage academic and industrial participation in this book and to select papers that are relevant to current problems and practice. The numerous contributions from the international community are indicative of the continuing global interest in finite-time thermodynamics. All represent the newest developments in their respective areas.

The theory around the concept of finite time describes how processes of any nature can be optimized in situations when their rate is required to be non-negligible, i.e., they must come to completion in a finite time. What the theory makes explicit is "the cost of haste". Intuitively, it is quite obvious that you drive your car differently if you want to reach your destination as quickly as possible as opposed to the case when you are running out of gas. Finite-time thermodynamics quantifies such opposing requirements and may provide the optimal control to achieve the best compromise. The theory was initially developed for heat engines (steam, Otto, Stirling, a.o.) and for refrigerators, but it has by now evolved into essentially all areas of dynamic systems from the most abstract ones to the most practical ones. The present collection shows some fascinating current examples.

This book addresses the concept and applications of Finite Time Thermodynamics to various thermal energy conversion systems including heat engines, heat pumps, and refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. The book is the first of its kind, presenting detailed analytical formulations for the design and optimisation of various power producing and cooling cycles including but not limited to: • Vapour power cycles • Gas power cycles • Vapour compression cycles • Vapour absorption cycles • Rankine cycle coupled refrigeration systems Further, the book addresses the thermoeconomic analysis for the optimisation of thermal cycles, an important field of study in the present age and which is characterised by multi-objective optimization regarding energy, ecology, the environment and economics. Lastly, the book provides the readers with key techniques associated with Finite Time Thermodynamics, allowing them to understand the relevance of irreversibilities associated with real processes and the scientific reasons for deviations from ideal performance. The book is aimed at a broad readership, and offers a valuable reference book for graduate students, scholars and professionals working in the areas of thermal science and engineering.

Over 170 years ago, Sadi Carnot, a French engineer, published his famous article "Reflections on the motive power of fire" and established a new field of science: classical thermodynamics. Since 1985, the scholars in the Naval University of Engineering (from 1949 to 1998) have been making the research work in the field of finite time thermodynamics. This multi-authored book deals with the recent advances of finite time thermodynamics in the Naval University of Engineering. It illustrates how the gap between thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics is bridged. It also illustrates how the gap between physics and engineering is bridged. The readers should find the papers informative and useful for analysis and design of thermodynamic systems with improved performance. The authors hope that this collection of work devoted to finite thermodynamics will provide encouragement for further research in the field.

This book presents the diverse and rapidly expanding field of Entropy Generation Minimization (EGM), the method of thermodynamic optimization of real devices. The underlying principles of the EGM method - also referred to as "thermodynamic optimization," "thermodynamic design," and "finite time thermodynamics" - are thoroughly discussed, and the me

The theory around the concept of finite time describes how processes of any nature can be optimized in situations when their rate is required to be non-negligible, i.e., they must come to completion in a finite time. What the theory makes explicit is "the cost of haste". Intuitively, it is quite obvious that you drive your car differently if you want to reach your destination as quickly as possible as opposed to the case when you are running out of gas. Finite-time thermodynamics quantifies such opposing requirements and may provide the optimal control to achieve the best compromise. The theory was initially developed for heat engines (steam, Otto, Stirling, a.o.) and for refrigerators, but it has by now evolved into essentially all areas of dynamic systems from the most abstract ones to the most practical ones. The present collection shows some fascinating current examples.

Thermodynamic Approaches in Engineering Systems responds to the need for a synthesizing volume that throws light upon the extensive field of thermodynamics from a chemical engineering perspective that applies basic ideas and key results from the field to chemical engineering problems. This book outlines and interprets the most valuable achievements in applied non-equilibrium thermodynamics obtained within the recent fifty years. It synthesizes nontrivial achievements of thermodynamics in important branches of chemical and biochemical engineering. Readers will gain an update on what has been achieved, what new research problems could be stated, and what kind of further studies should be developed within specialized research. - Presents clearly structured chapters beginning with an introduction, elaboration of the process, and results summarized in a conclusion - Written by a first-class expert in the field of advanced methods in thermodynamics - Provides a synthesis of recent thermodynamic developments in practical systems - Presents very elaborate literature discussions from the past fifty years