Researchers Gustavo A. L. Forão, Jonas Berx, Tan Van Vu, and Carlos E. Fiore from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil have uncovered a novel class of non-equilibrium phase transitions that could have significant implications for the energy sector, particularly in optimizing the performance of heat engines.
In their study, published in the journal Physical Review Research, the team explored the behavior of systems that are driven by external forces and simultaneously in contact with thermal baths at different temperatures. They found that these conditions can cause a conventional order-disorder phase transition to split into two distinct critical points, depending on which ordered state initially dominates.
To test the robustness of this phenomenon, the researchers extended a minimal interacting-spin model to include different coupling protocols. They introduced two new protocols: a stochastic protocol, where the system randomly switches between baths, and a deterministic protocol, where the coupling alternates periodically. Their analysis revealed that the splitting of phase transitions persists across all coupling schemes, including simultaneous, stochastic, and deterministic.
Moreover, the researchers found that both the stochastic and deterministic protocols exhibit superior global performance at intermediate switching rates and periods when compared to simultaneous coupling. This optimization of power and efficiency in collectively operating heat engines could have practical applications in the energy industry, particularly in improving the performance of heat engines and other energy conversion systems.
The researchers also derived an expression that describes the global trade-off between power and efficiency, which depends solely on the temperatures of the thermal reservoirs as the efficiency approaches the ideal limit. This finding could provide a valuable tool for engineers and researchers working to optimize energy conversion systems.
In summary, the research of Forão, Berx, Van Vu, and Fiore has uncovered a novel class of non-equilibrium phase transitions that could have significant implications for the energy sector. Their findings could lead to more efficient heat engines and other energy conversion systems, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. The research was published in Physical Review Research.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.