Construction of an experimental platform for finite-timethermodynamics of ideal gases and recent advances infinite-time thermodynamics

The exploration on thermodynamic cycles in heat engines has led to the establishment offundamental thermodynamics theories. Thanks to the practical applications, thermodynamics researchhas been extended from equilibrium to non-equilibrium states, Correspondingly, the theory of thermodynamic cycles has been developed from quasi-static to finite-time processes, leading to the emergingfield of finite-time thermodynamics, Fowever, thermodynamic experiments, especially those measuring thermodynamic cycles and their efficiencies, are of insufficient quantity in the physics education atuniversities. This paper presented a comprehensive introduction to a thermodynamics experimentalplatform based on ideal gases and demonstrated how it could be used for precise measurements of thermodynamic cycles. On this platform, the power and efficiency of dynamical cycles could be quantitatively measured, and several important theoretieal predictions for finite-time thermodynamies wereverified, such as the inverse time scaling brought about by the irreversible entropy, constraint relationbetween the power and efficiency of finite-time Carnot cycles, and the relationship between the efficiency at maximum power and Carnot efficieney, This finite-time thermodynamics experimental platform could be implemented in undergraduate physies labs, enhancing promotion of the thermodynamics experiment education.

物理实验