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Revolution in Thermodynamics: Is Maximum Efficiency Now Possible? Check How Researchers Managed to “Break” the Yield Limit
The Carnot cycle, formulated in 1824 by French physicist Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot, has always been regarded as the insurmountable limit of thermal engine efficiency. This principle, essential for the operation of nuclear plants, solar systems, and combustion engines, establishes that no thermal machine can exceed its theoretical maximum efficiency, according to the website Inovação Tecnológica.
But now, an international team of physicists from Germany, China, and Switzerland challenges this historical belief. The group, led by Shiling Liang, demonstrated that it is theoretically possible to build a thermal engine that achieves maximum power without sacrificing efficiency, something that until now was considered unfeasible.
How Does the New Thermal Engine Work?
The research approached the problem from a new perspective: instead of traditional engines, the scientists used a biochemical thermal engine. This engine converts heat into chemical energy through ATP (adenosine triphosphate) synthesis, a vital process that occurs in the mitochondria of animals and the chloroplasts of plants.
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The great challenge has always been the relationship between power and efficiency. Normally:
✅ Engines that operate with high efficiency are extremely slow.
✅ Engines that produce maximum power sacrifice efficiency.
The team’s major innovation was creating a system with degenerate energy levels. In practice, this means that different energy states can coexist at the same level, making transitions more efficient.
The Key to Success: Perfect Energy Transitions
The new approach is based on two energy states:
Low Energy State – Predominant at cooler temperatures.
High Energy State – More accessible at higher temperatures.
These transitions occur in two ways:
✅ Hydrolysis (low temperatures): A chemical process that drives the change of state.
✅ Spontaneous Transition (high temperatures): Accumulated energy naturally pushes the system to a new state.
The result? For the first time, an engine can achieve Carnot efficiency even while operating at maximum power!
What Does This Mean for the Future of Engineering?
This discovery could revolutionize thermal engineering, paving the way for much more efficient and sustainable engines and energy systems. Some of the potential impacts include:
More efficient combustion engines, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
⚡ Optimized power plants, with greater thermal utilization and less waste.
Advances in bioengineering, allowing for a better understanding of energy production in living organisms.
Now, the biggest challenge is finding a physical system that allows the practical implementation of this technology. The researchers suggest starting with biopolymers, which naturally exhibit the degenerate states needed for the engine’s operation.
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