Maximum power point characteristics of heat engines as a general thermodynamic problem

Abstract

The average power versus efficiency characteristics of common selected engine cycles and a few irreversibility mechanisms are analyzed toward assessing the universal nature of assorted equations that have been derived recently for efficiency at maximum power point. Most results derived to date are shown to be special cases of one general thermodynamic problem of linearly irreversible heat engines, which explains the unifying basis for seemingly fortuitous similarities in their maximum power point characteristics.