PIRSA:11050009

The smallest possible thermal machines and the foundations of thermodynamics

Popescu, S. (2011). The smallest possible thermal machines and the foundations of thermodynamics. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/11050009

Popescu, Sandu. The smallest possible thermal machines and the foundations of thermodynamics. Perimeter Institute, May. 18, 2011, https://pirsa.org/11050009 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:11050009,
            doi = {10.48660/11050009},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/11050009},
            author = {Popescu, Sandu},
            keywords = {Quantum Foundations},
            language = {en},
            title = {The smallest possible thermal machines and the foundations of thermodynamics},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2011},
            month = {may},
            note = {PIRSA:11050009 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Sandu Popescu University of Bristol

DOI 10.48660/11050009
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

In my talk I raise the question of the fundamental limits to the size of thermal machines - refrigerators, heat pumps and work producing engines - and I will present the smallest possible ones. I will also discuss the issue of a possible complementarity between size and efficiency and show that even the smallest machines could be maximally efficient. Finally I will present a new point of view over what is work and what do thermal machines actually do.