Inattainability of Carnot efficiency in the Brownian heat engine
arXiv:cond-mat/0008176 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.62.6021
Abstract
We discuss the reversibility of Brownian heat engine. We perform asymptotic analysis of Kramers equation on Büttiker-Landauer system and show quantitatively that Carnot efficiency is inattainable even in a fully overdamping limit. The inattainability is attributed to the inevitable irreversible heat flow over the temperature boundary.
5 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev. E