1 research outputs found
Powerful ordered collective heat engines
We introduce a class of stochastic engines in which the regime of units
operating synchronously can boost the performance. Our approach encompasses a
minimal setup composed of interacting units placed in contact with two
thermal baths and subjected to a constant driving worksource. The interplay
between unit synchronization and interaction leads to an efficiency at maximum
power between the Carnot, , and the Curzon-Ahlborn bound,
. Moreover, these limits can be respectively saturated maximizing
the efficiency, and by simultaneous optimization of power and efficiency. We
show that the interplay between Ising-like interactions and a collective
ordered regime is crucial to operate as a heat engine. The main system features
are investigated by means of a linear analysis near equilibrium, and developing
an effective discrete-state model that captures the effects of the synchronous
phase. The present framework paves the way for the building of promising
nonequilibrium thermal machines based on ordered structures.Comment: Improved main text and supplemental material. Some figures and new
analysis were performe