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Optimization And Thermodynamic Performance Measures Of A Class Of Finite Time Thermodynamic Cycles, Joseph D. Walters

Dissertations and Theses

Modifications to the quasistatic Carnot cycle are developed in order to formulate improved theoretical bounds on the thermal efficiency of certain refrigeration cycles that produce finite cooling power. The modified refrigeration cycle is based on the idealized endoreversible finite time cycle. Two of the four cycle branches are reversible adiabats, and the other two are the high and low temperature branches along which finite heat fluxes couple the refrigeration cycle with external heat reservoirs.

This finite time model has been used to obtain the following results: First, the performance of a finite time Carnot refrigeration cycle (FTCRC) is examined. In …