DOI: 10.1119/1.10023. Efficiency of a Carnot engine at maximum power output

Efficiency of a Carnot engine at maximum power output

10.1119/1.10023

Crossref journal-article

American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)

American Journal of Physics (3)

Abstract

The efficiency of a Carnot engine is treated for the case where the power output is limited by the rates of heat transfer to and from the working substance. It is shown that the efficiency, η, at maximum power output is given by the expression η = 1 − (T2/T1)1/2 where T1 and T2 are the respective temperatures of the heat source and heat sink. It is also shown that the efficiency of existing engines is well described by the above result.

Bibliography

Curzon, F. L., & Ahlborn, B. (1975). Efficiency of a Carnot engine at maximum power output. American Journal of Physics, 43(1), 22â24.

Authors 2

F. L. Curzon (first)
B. Ahlborn (additional)

References 0 Referenced 1,920

None

Dates

Type	When
Created	20 years, 5 months ago (March 4, 2005, 5:14 p.m.)
Deposited	2 years ago (Aug. 7, 2023, 7:20 p.m.)
Indexed	2 hours, 12 minutes ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 9:22 p.m.)
Issued	50 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 1, 1975)
Published	50 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 1, 1975)
Published Print	50 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 1, 1975)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Curzon_1975, title={Efficiency of a Carnot engine at maximum power output}, volume={43}, ISSN={1943-2909}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.10023}, DOI={10.1119/1.10023}, number={1}, journal={American Journal of Physics}, publisher={American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)}, author={Curzon, F. L. and Ahlborn, B.}, year={1975}, month=jan, pages={22–24} }

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