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Indian physicists have shattered a heat engine efficiency barrier that has persisted for two centuries, challenging the once-unshakable laws of thermodynamics. In experiments conducted at Bangalore, scientists have crafted a heat engine—machines converting heat into mechanical energy—that closely approaches the maximum theoretical efficiency conceptualized by French engineer Sadi Carnot in 1824.
Traditionally, heat engines have faced constraints defined by Carnot’s maximum efficiency principle, which dictates that efforts to boost efficiency compromise power. However, researchers, led by Ajay Sood from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), devised an innovative approach that reconciles this power-efficiency trade-off.
Their experiments revolve around a miniature heat engine that achieved nearly 95% of the Carnot limit efficiency, challenging the traditional notion that such high efficiency comes at the cost of power. The results have been published in Nature Communications.
To overcome this power-efficiency conundrum, the team utilized a micro-sized heat engine model, incorporating a single colloidal bead. Laser beams manipulated the bead, simulating the piston-cylinder actions in a traditional engine. The colloidal bead was exposed to a rapidly oscillating electric field, allowing the engine’s efficiency to approach the Carnot limit.
While this achievement holds immense promise, it’s important to note that transitioning from the tabletop experiment to practical applications remains a formidable challenge. Engineers will need to find ways to replicate the effects of electric fields on colloidal beads in real-world engines, raising intriguing possibilities for future heat engine design and energy efficiency.
Source: Telegraph India
