Universality of efficiency at maximum power: Macroscopic manifestation of microscopic constraints

Bart Cleuren, Bob Rutten, Christian Van den Broeck

Published 2015-03-09Version 1

Universal properties of efficiency at maximum power are investigated in a general setting. In particular, it is demonstrated how successive symmetries placed upon the dynamics manifest themselves at the macroscopic level. A general condition is derived for which thermodynamic devices are able to attain a reversible operation.