UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS FOR INFLUENCING FLUID FLOW VOL. II. THE THERMOMOLECULAR EFFECT WITH APPLICATIONS TO ENERGY CONVERSION

摘要

The phenomenon of the thermo molecular pressure rise in a gas, which occurs across a capillary material by virtue of a temperature difference, has been analyzed in several energy conversion devices which are by nature thermo-dynamically irreversible. Large temperature differences have been considered. The effects of heat transfer through the capillary material and a potential energy work function have been included.nThree different heat engine cycles were analyzed requiring different thermodynamic processes, and the maximum efficiency determined for various imposed temperature differences, treating heat transfer and the work function separately. The efficiency of a single device was compared to that of a cascade of similar devices operating over the same temperature difference.