Open Sys, & Information Dyn. 11: 123-138, 2004 © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers 123, Printed in the Netherlands A Variational Ecological-Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models L.A. Arias-Hernandez*, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angulo-Brown Departamento de Fisica, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Mateméticas Instituto Politéenieo Nacional, Edit. 9, UP Zacatinco, 07738, México DF México (Received: January 9, 2003) Abstract. In a recent work [23] we have analyzed nonendoreversible thermal engine model lunder two maximization erteria: the maximum power regime and the so-called ecological crite rion. Tn the present work, we extend the study af the same class of nonendoreversble models, but by using the so-named generalized ecological criterion (15). ‘This eviterion is based on a family cof ecological-type functions depending on a parameter associated to the particular heat transfer law used In the engine model. By means of this eriterion we find a simplification of some of the ‘results obtained in [23] by using both conventional and variational caleulus. Besides, we propose ‘ simple procedure to calculate the parameter involved in the generalized ecological function, Nomenclature Ecological function (W) Power output (W) Cold reservoir temperature (K) ‘Total entropy generation (W/K) Generalized ecological funetion (W) ‘Thermal efficiency Parameter of the generalized ecological function Function of compromise Generalized ecological efficiency Maximum power output efficiency Hot reservoir temperature (K) + — Ratio of reservoir’s temperatures ni’ — Generalized ecological efficiency for the Newton's law R_ — Nonendoreversible parameter Q; — Heat fiux from hot reservoir (W) Q2 — Heat flux to cold reservoir (W) Ti — Temperature of the hot branch of the working substance (K) Try — Temperature of the cold branch of the working substance (K) “All correspondence should be addressed to L.A. Arias-Hernandez, ‘einall larlastestn jpn.mx.124 Tr PR L.A. Ariag-Herndndez, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angulo-Brown Hot conductance (W/K) Cold conductance (W/K) Conduetances ratio Heat, flux from hot reservoir for + —+ 0 (W) Heat flux to cold reservoir for y+ 0 (W) Power output for 7 — 0 (W) Heat flux from hot reservoir for +7 ~» 00 (W) Heat flux to cold reservoir for y+ oo(W) Power output for 7 —> oo (W) Exponent of the heat transfer law Generalized ecological efficiency for an arbitrary power heat transfer law Generalized ecological function for 7 —+ 0 (W) Generalized ecological efficiency for 7 —+ 0 Generalized ecological efficiency for 7 + 00 Entropy change of working substance per cycle period (W/K) Cycle’s period (s) ‘Temperature (K) Time (s) Internal energy change per cycle period (W) Work per eycle period (W) Heat fiux (W) ‘Total entropy change per cycle period (W/K) ‘Temperature of reservoir (K) Link conductance with reservoir (W/K) ‘Lagrangian function for the generalized ecological function (W) Lagrange multiplier (K) First variation Lagrange multiplier for 7 — 0 (K) Lagrange multiplier for 7+ oo (K) Parameters of ecological function family for 7 —» 0 and = 00, respectively Maxirnuin power output efficiency for —» 0 Maximum power output efficiency for 77 —+ 00 Semisum efficiency 1. Introduction ‘The method of finite time thermodynamics (FTT) is based on the calculation of extremal values of certain objective functions which represent process variables expressed as integrals along thermodynamic trajectories in appropriate phase space [1.2,3,4,5,6]. Among several objective functions used in FIT there is the so-called[A Vasiational Ecological“Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models 125, ecological funetion [7]. This function is given by EB = P-Ter, a) where P is the power output, a7 is the total entropy generation (system plus sourroundings) and 7 is the absolute temperature of a cold reservoir (in the case of a Carnot-like thermal cycle). The maximization of function # leads to cycle’s configuration which produces around 0.75 of the maximum power and only around 0.25 of the entropy production obtained in the maximum power regime, Thus, the maximum E regime represents a good compromise between the power output and the entropy generation in a Carnot-like thermal engine operating in finite time (this cycle is also called the Curzon-Ahlborn-Novikov (CAN) cycle). In virtue of this last property the E-function was named ecological function, In contrast the sole maximization of P for endoreversible models leads to a cycle configuration concomitant with a big entropy production. On the other hand, if the objective is the sole minirhization of entropy production, one artives to cr = 0, that is, to an ideal reversible Carnot cycle with zero power production. In this context, the maximization of E leads to an austere intermediate regime of performance, in which, with a small sacrifice of power a significant reduction of entropy production is obtained. Another ecological-like optimization criteria have been proposed such as the so-called ®-criterion [8, 9, 10]. ‘The ecological criterion has been used to study several energy converting sys- tems [11,12, 13,14]. However, recently a modification of (1) has been proposed [15] to embrace a family of ecological functions by means of Ee (n) = P(n) -eTior(n), 2) with 7 being the engine ficiency and e — a parameter that depends on the heat {ransfer law used to model the heat fuxes in a CAN engine. This parameter arises from a function of compromise given by [15] Pir o = Plime _ olor) © CO) = Binwol ~ ative)’ where the subscripts ME, and MP mean maximum ecological function depending on the parameter € and maximum power output, respectively. By means of (3) ‘one can obtain ¢ in terms of the parameters describing the system (as the reservoir temperatures) and then by its substitution into (2) one gets the modified ecological function for a particular heat transfer law. For example, for isothermal energy converting systems! ¢ = q?/(4—3q2) (with q a coupling parameter [16]) and for a CAN-engine with Newtonian heat transfer law, ¢ = /Ti/Tp [15,17], where 7; is the absolute temperature of the hot reservoir of a CAN-engine. By the maximization of (2) with e = YTi/T, one obtains mY = 1— 19/4 with r = T2/T, "For an isothermal system the function that links the power output and the loss power is given by gr =n/ (I~ 7) and the effciency earresponding to,the maxigoum power output regime Eman, = 0°/ (4~ 29°), therefore the e-paremeter is er = q?/ (4 3g"), that is, «= 1 for q= 1126 L.A, Arias Herndnder, G. Ares de Parga, and F, Angulo-Brown for the efficiency of a CAN-engine operating at maximum E, regime [17]. This is the same result as obtained by Velasco et. al. [18] by means of an approach based in the so-called saving functions. When in a CAN-engine one considers internal irreversibilites taken into account by means of a lumped parameter 0 < R <1 {19, 20] arising from Clausius inequality, then one obtains (17,18) @” “ for the efficiency at the maximum Ee regime. ‘The present paper is organized as follows: in Sect. 2, we obtain the generalized ecological efficiencies by means of two methods: the so-called De Vos’s method and the variational approach. In Sect. 3, we propose a method for obtaining the ¢-parameter by using the so-namned g-function [7,24]. In Sect. 4, we present some applications of the previous results to some nuclear power plants. Finally, we give our conclusions. WY = 1 2. Ecological Efficiencies ‘The so-called Curzon-Ahlborn-Novikov engine [21,22] is a model of thermal en- gine consisting in two parts: one internal and one external. ‘The external part includes both the couplings between the working fluid and the thermal reservoirs, and the thermal reservoirs themselves. On the other hand, the internal part is formed by the working substance, performing reversible Carnot cycles. Thus, the external part “gathers” the irreversibilities and the internal one is a reversible (en- doreversible) engine. However, some authors (17, 18, 19, 20) have proposed modified CAN-engine models (nonendoreversible models) which include internal irreversibil- ities occurring within the working substance. This is accomplished by means of the lumped parameter R above mentioned (see Fig. 1a). The dimensionless parameter can be introduced by transforming the Clausius inequality into an equality given by, a Tw ® with R in the interval 0 < R <1 and Tis Tow, Qi, Qz a8 depicted in Fig. la, As we have a closed eyele, the universe entropy production a becomes eee 7h Here, we will discuss on nonendoreversible CAN-engines with heat exchanges between the working fluid and the reservoirs given by heat transfer laws of the type, >o 6) O = a(T-Te)', @ Q = B(Tw-T)* (8) with k a real number such that k > 1; a and are the thermal conductances (see Fig. 1a). In this section we will calculate the efficiencies of nonendoreversible[A Variational Ecological“Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models 127 Fig. 1: Nonendoreversible Curzon-Ahlborn-Novikov engine models for a) Irre- versible absorption and cession of heat (7 finite), b) Irreversible absorption of heat (7+ 0) and ¢) Irreversible cession of heat (7-00). CAN-engine models by means of two approaches. The first one is following the De Vos's method [3] and the second one by using variational calculus. 24. Tue De Vos's merHop ‘The thermal efficiency of the internal part of the CAN-model depicted in Fig. 1a can be written as 17 Be RT" a by combining this equation with (5), (7) and (8), one immediately obtains 1B [ba-my* +7] Tw = —\—_,——., (10) fra-m!'*+RO-n) Rn (tn) [ra -mI'* +7] —eeeee (1) ba =n)" +R0=n) with 7 = a/f. If we substitute (10) into (7) the rate of absorbed heat @ is biained G1(m,R) = att lr Baraat | (2) (=n + RO =n),128, L.A, Arias-Hernindes, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angulo-Brown By the substitution of (7 ), (8), (10) and (11) into (6) we obtain the engine's dissipation function given by, Thor (n,R) = of . RQ-n)—7 a lew MF + RO =a ae (On the other hand, the engine's power output is given by P = 1Q), that is, A _ ‘ke, RQ=n)=t Poe) = oti Fe RO al “ By means of these characteristic functions (cf. (13) and (14)) and (2) we obtain the so-called generalized ecological function E. given by & R(l=n)=+ Be(nrRkie) = aTf ((1+e)n—e(1— 7] | _ ‘ ) roa eQ— GT ye RO) ; (15) that is, a family of ecological-like functions characterized by the parameter ¢. For arbitrary values of r, R, k and ¢, (15) corresponds to a convex function with only a maximum point which is obtained by means of BE (n, ate ky | = as) tes In general, this equation has not analytical solutions for arbitrary values of 1, R, k and €, However, as we shall see below, for the cases of CAN-engine configurations with only a thermal conductance whether in the link with the hot reservoir or with the cold reservoir respectively, (16) has analytical solutions. An equivalent result was obtained by De Vos for a linear endoreversible CAN-engine {3] and by Arias-Hernéndez et, al. [23] for a nonlinear nonendoreversible CAN- engine. 2.1.1. Novikov engine (y+ 0) In this case, the cold reservoir at T) can absorb any amount of heat flow Q2, reversibly, (9 + 00) but the engine must overcome a finite thermal conductance ‘when taking the heat flow Q1(sce Fig. 1b). With 7 = a/ — 0, (15) for the so-called generalized ecological function becomes Fa(ntiRyke) = aTf((+e)n-e(1-7)) ae ‘| an ‘This is a convex function with only a maximum point for arbitrary values of R, 7, and e. By means of (16) we immediately obtain (1+) (1m)? +r(1 +e) (k~ 1) (0 =9) — kr (ter) 0, (18)[A Variational Beological“Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models 129 ‘with two analytical solutions, one of them is a physical solution, that is, (k=) (e— 1)? (1 +e) r24+4kR (1+ er) 7 aR DVI Fe In this expression, it is necessary to calculate the parameter ¢ (ft, ,k) by means of the compromise function given by (3). This will be made in the following section, Ite (tRykye) = 1+ (29) 2.1.2. CAN-engine with y + 00 Jn the case of Fig. 1c we have a finite thermal conductance 8 between the cold reservoir at T, and the working substance at Tay, and a — oo (‘7 — 00). Following ‘the samo procedure as in the 7 ~» 0 ease, we obtain the analytical solution given by G Haten thee (Rohe) = 14 Goes a _ vine [4k (1+) 7 + R(k 1)? (1 +er) (20) VR 2k +e) 2.2. VARIATIONAL APPROACH In this subsection we shall obtain (19) and (20) but using now variational calculus. In 1979, Rubin [27] recovered the famous CAN-formula, nan = 1— v7, for the efficiency of a CAN engine operating under maximum power conditions by using variational calculus applied to the thermodynamic trajectories of a finite-time thermal cycle subject to the endoreversibility constraint given by +6 ASe [ Ba =o Here AS,, is the internal entropy change of the working fluid and 7c is the cycling period taken as fixed. For the case of a nonendoreversible CAN-cycle, the internal constraint can be written as [Ro as, = [2a = 0, (a is in accord with Ozkaynak et, al, (20] for the nonendoreversible trapezius of a CAN- engine in a 7S-diagram, R = 1 for the superior isothermal branch and R < 1 for the inferior isothermal branch. By means of the first law of thermodynamics, and, AU = 0 for the internal energy U of the working fluid, the engine power output can be written as we fox 22)130 L.A, Atdas-Herndndez, G. Ares de Pargs, and F. Angulo-Brown On the other hand, the dissipation function is given by _ tnd TAS = [ Tap-at, (23) Ta ° Tr being the temperature of the thermal reservoirs. In this case, the heat fluxes @ are given by (7) and (8), and taking into account the usual sign convention for Heat fluxes entering or leaving the working fluid and the thermal reservoirs [27, 28}, wwe obtain the following expressions: © " ASu = i pean 7) 2) a W = | or(TR-T)* dt, (25) ! a ve T,ASp = - feet, (26) a where pp are the thermal conductances (a or f) at the isothermal parts of the cycle. ‘The integral in (26) is taken as negative because the heat flux is leaving the heat reservoir. For the maximization of the generalized ecological function Ez (with fixed 72) subject to the nonendoreversibility constraint, we propose the following Lagrangian function Lp, = W-eT2ASr— Su, en where A is a Lagrange multiplier. By the substitution of (24), (25) and (26) into (27) we get (te- 7) (Ta-T)* TR Ft i fon{te- 1} + 0, (87) has analytical solutions for the cases seen in subsections 2.1.1 (7 + 00) and. 2.1.2 (y +0), respectively. For example, for the so-called Novikov engine (7 — 0), we have 2 hates (38) do = BOE when this expression is substituted into (36), we obtain exactly the same expression obtained by means of the De Vos's approach, that is, (19) 4. @-Dr | (k= 1)? (146) 7? + 4kR (1+ er) 7 nie (Rake) = 14+ Spt — Se ‘The procedure for the calculation of Xg corresponding to a CAN-engine with 7 — 00 is analogous, and we get (20) for 7f,,, obtained by using the De Vos's approach. 3. The g(n) Function and the Parameter In [24], the so-called g (7) fanction was introduced. This function relates the engine power output P (n) with its dissipation function Tae (n) by means of P(n) = a(n) Taor(n) (39) with 7 am = (4) where 1) is the engine efficiency and ng is the Carnot efficiency.es If we substitute (39) into the compromise function given by (3) we get Plone r.Rakve) {, ane (7k) ce = Pinwe(. Rebel [glare RB) an = Pine GRA UW ane OR, Kel oy By the substitution of (19) and (20) for the efficiencies nfypp and ng,» respec- tively into (41) and taking the derivative aC (e) ‘Oe (22) immediately we get 29 (7, Rk) = 9 [nib (RM), (43) where 7% (r,R,k) are the efficiencies corresponding to the maximum power regime of a nonendoreversible CAN-engine at the limits +7 —> 0 andy —+ 00 respec tively given by [23] ‘hep (rR) = 14+ SOT [re ool Q-%) « and els = 3[2- (3) 3 «es respectively. By the substitution of these equations into the expression for the (1) function (40), we immediately obtain the e-parameter for the cases 7 > 0 and 7 — oo respectively, that is, 2 (k= 1)r—(14+ b— 28) + (07) | MERE (7, Rk) = ————_,_______J 7 (ag) 2k + (= k= Rr] Ril+7-kQ 7] -27+ (1-7) [R [air + (1) R] oT Oo 8120, 2[l- R+ERG— ar ‘The final step for obtaining the efficiencies at the maximum Ee regime for the cases 7 0 and y + 0 respectively, is the substitution of (46) and (47) into (19) and (20), that is, and P(r, Rk) = hin( Re) = 146 - 3) (were [a= 2809] A Ve aes) ir va [e144 ane -1+2R+ yik- 1+ Ae14 L.A. Arias Herndndes, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angulo-Brown ‘Nuclear Plant Re T Doel 4 (PWR, Belgium, 1985) 05 093 2 Almaraz II (PWR, Spain, 1983) 0.48 0.90 3. Sizewell B (PWR, UK, 1995) 049 0.94 4 Cofrentes (BWR, Spain, 1984) 051 0.93 5 _Heysham-2 unit B (AGR, UK, 1988) 0.39 0.82 ‘Table 1: Re values for five nuclear power plants with a Dulong-Petit heat transfer law. and ' Beas (RK) = * savin RIL+ Kr) [ee + sar] {ve[me-non [ina Fae] +e R nae Raye 20a] ~ [pecen ne fel mcr 2+ 4er | x 9) [[ee-aF +4] [a [ave— 9? + ter] + [Ree oP 42H (er) 43 | ‘These two equations reduce to the equation corresponding to the linear case (& = 1) published in (17, eqn.(40)]. By means of (48) and (49), we can obtain efficiencies at maximum £,—regime for any heat transfer law with k > 0. For example, for thé so-called Dulong-Petit law with k = 5/4, we get 7 /S00Rr +7? — 72Rr? + (r + 80Rr)*/? thre (5/4) = 1+ 55 - = __ (50) BR sri vers frm for the limit 7+ 0, and 1 7 R,8/4) = ———__1_______ hee 5/4) 10VR[ VR(R+ 807) RU - 107) {VR [(10 - 7) VR(RF BOF — R10 - 997) - 87] - (1) y+ R+ VR(R+ BI) (80 + R) [RR Rr) + R(T Re sar} for the limit, 7 —r oo. On the other hand, (48) and (49) can be used to verify some previous results for CAN-engined, such as the so-called 75-25 corollary [24] and also the semisum property for ecological efficiencies (7, 24] for arbitrary values of R and k. This is dopicted in Figs. 2a, 2b and 2c for the ratios P lnfyx (7, R,#)]/P infrp (7. Rl),A Variational Ecological“Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models 135 u (a) 08 - e 02} r = 02 04 06 08 Ty 08 (b) os _— oa — 02 t - 02 04 08 08 Tue 08 | mas © 08 Fig. 2: a) Power ontput ratio, b) Dissipation function ratio and ¢) Semisum prop- erty for R=0.91 and k = 4/3 in (48).136 L.A. Atlas-Hernéndez, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angulo-Brown 2 Wife (*-R,)1/o lnfyp (rR, )] and for the semisum property respectively for the case of a Novikov engine (77 -» 0). 4. Some Applications In [23] five modern nuclear power plants were analyzed within the context of FIT. In that paper, starting from the observed efficiencies no it was suggested that they operate in an ecological-type regime with heat transfer laws with kin the interval [3/2,5/2] and with the nonendoreversibility parameter R in the interval (0.91, 0.98] (see Table 8 of [23]). However, if for these same power plants we use the generalized ecological function corresponding to a Dulong-Petit heat transfer law (50) with k = 5/4 we obtain the Re values shown in Table 1. That is, by means of a heat transfer law only, we have reasonable values for R. 5. Conclusions A generalized version of the so-called ecological function has been recently pro- posed {15}. This consists in a family of functions depending on a parameter ¢, which must be calculated for each heat transfer law used to model a heat engine. In this way, we have a particular ecological function for each heat transfer law, but in such a way, that this function maintains the main advantages of an ecological optimization, namely, a good trade off between produced power and generated entropy (the so-called 75 ~ 25 corollary). ‘The parameter is calculated by using ‘ compromise function (3) which accomplishes the good trade off mentioned, In this paper we have used the generalized version of the ecological function to obtain closed formulas for the efficiencies of heat engine models with Dulong-Petit type heat transfer laws, in the cases depicted in Figs. (1b) and (1c), in contrast to the situation of Fig. (1a), which only admits numerical solutions. In the maximiza- tions of B. we have used variational methods reproducing previous results obtained with conventional calculus. We want to remark that by means of the generalized ecological function we have obtained reasonable values of the nonendoreversibility parameter R, for five nuclear power plants assumed as working in an ecological- type regime with only one exponent k = 5/4. This is contrast with a previous result for the same systems where several values of k were necessary for the sane optimization. Finally, (43) can be considered as an interesting result providing a direct procedure to calculate the parameter ¢ associated with the particular heat transfer law used in a CAN-engine model, Acknowledgements ‘This work was supported by CGPI (P: 20030216, 20030505, 20031129), COFAA, EDD and EDI-IPN-MEXICO and SNI-CONACyT- MEXICO,‘A Vasiational Ecologial-Type Optimization of Some Thermal-Engine Models 137 Bibliography {1} B, Androen,P. Salamon and B.S. Bery, Thermodynamics in Finite Time, Phys. Today 37,62 (1084), il 8. Sieniutyer and P, Salamon, eds, Finite Time Thermadynamics ond ‘hermoeconomics, Taylor and Fran's, NY, 190, [8] A. De Vos, Endoreversble Thermadymamics of Solar Bneray Conversion, Oxford University Pres, Oxford, 1902. Ul A. Bejan, Buon generation minimization: The new thermodynamics of fnte- ose devices ‘tad fint-stae process, Appl. Phy 7, 1191 (1996) (9) KH. Hofimann, J.M. Burlr, and 8. Shubert, Bndoreversile Thermndymamey, 9. Non- gui Theemdyn, 22,310 (187). {81 L. Chen, C. Wa, and F, Sun, Finite Time Thermodynamics Optimisation or Entropy Gen tration iinimizaion of Bnety Systems, 1. Non Equi. Thermodyn. 24, 327 (199) {7} © Angul-Brown, An eoleal optimisation ereron for fnite-time heat engines, J. App Py. 69,7365 (1991). 15) A. Calvo Hernéndes, A. Medina, J.M.M. Roco, JA, Whit, and S. Velasco, Undid pt Imation ertrson for encry conerters, Phy Rev. E68, O37102-1 (2001) (9] N. Sanches Salas, 8. Velasco, and A. Calvo Hernander, Unified working repime of reversible CCarnae heat engines wath nontinaor het tanger iaon, Energy Conver, Mgmt 43, 2341 (2002). {to} N. Séncher Salas and A. Calvo Hernénden, Unified working regime of nonlinear systems ‘eating thermal Factutions. sophysic Lett 6, 257 (2003) (UI) F. Angulo-Brown and R. Pécr-Herndes, Bndoreverile thermal cele with a nontneor haat tonsjer lau 3. App: Phyo. 742216 (00). {12} M.A. Barranco-Sinener and F. Angulo-Brown, A nonendoreversile mode for wind enersy fs a solar dren host engine i. App. Phy. 80,4872 (1008); M.A. BareancoJimener and F Angulo-Brown, A simple model onthe ifuenc ofthe geen house eect on the actency of eolarto-wind enengy conversion, It Nuovo Cimento © 36,535 2008). (15) F.Angulo-Brown, M, Satin, and F,Calea-Quevedo, Thermodynamic optimality in some bookernieal reaction, I! Naore Cimento D 17,87 (1958). (14) 4 Santin, 1. A, Aras Hornénde, and F. Angulo Brown, Some optimization enters for brig pers sn linear severable thrmadynamic, I Naovo Cimento D 20, 29 (109%) [15] F.Angulo-Brown and A. Asan Heréndce, Reply to "Comment on ‘A general property of Eudoreversibe thermal engines” J. Appl Phys 89, 1518 (2001), 1 Appl. Phys. 88, 182 (2001), (16) SR. Caplan and A, sig, Biomergetice and Linear Non-Eguiihnivm Thermadynamics, Harvard University Prem, Cambridge, 1983, [17] F. Angul-Brown, G. Ares do Parga and L-A. AriaHlensndes, A varitonal approach to tcolotat-iypeoplimiation enters for fitetie thermal engine mal, J. Phys De App Phys 38,1089 (2002) 118). Velaco, JLM.M. Roco, A. Medina, JA. White and A. Calvo, Optimization of heat tnginer snicuding the saving of nataral resources andthe redvtionof thermal pluton, Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 33, 355 (2000). 119) 3. Chen, The maximum power oui and maximum efficiency of en irreversible caro! heat gine, Phe Be Appl Phos 27 1d (1a) [2 S. Grkaynak, S, Goktun, and H. Yowur, Fiste-tine thermodynamics analysis ofa radiative head engine th intra wreversity Phys Dy Appl Phyo. BY, 1199 (195) [ot] FL, Curzon and B. Ahibor, Efciency of Carnot engine at masimam poner outpu, Am 1 Phys. 43, 22 (1979).138 L.A. Atlas-Herndnder, G. Ares de Parga, and P. Angulo-Brown (22] LI. Novikov, The efficiency of atomie power stations, Nuc. Energy IIT, 125 (1958). (23) L.A. Arias-Hleméndee, G. Ares de Parga, and F. Angul-Brown, On some nonendoreversible engine models with nonlinear he! transfer laws, Open Sys. Information Dyn. 10, 35 (2003) [28] TAA, Atlatternnder, and P. Angulo-Brown, A general property of endorversile thermal engines 3. Appl. Phys: 81,2979 (1097). (25) A. de Vox, EMfciency of some heat engines at masimum power conditions, Am. J. Phys. 83, to (1985). (26) LA. ArineHernindes and P. Angulo-Brown, Thermodynamic Optimization of endore- tersible engines, Rev. Mes. Fis, 40,866 (1094). (27) M. Rubin, Optimal configuration of a class of irreversible heat engines I Phys: Rev. 29, 1272 (1979) [28] G. Ares de Parga, F. Angul-Brown, and T.D. Navarrete-Gonaéley, A variational eptimize- tion ofa fnite-time thermal eyele wth a nonlinear heat transfer la, Energy 24, 097 (1990)