Carnots Theorem

We introduced already the Carnot cycle with an ideal gas

Now we show:
1

Energy efficiency of the Carnot cycle is independent of the working substance

Any cyclic process that absorbs heat at one temperature, and rejects heat at
one other temperature, and is reversible has the energy efficiency of a Carnot
cycle

Remark:
Qh

reversible

heat engine

Qh Qc W

Th

heat pump
Th

W Note:P>1

W
Tc
Qc

Qh

Tc
Qc

Textbook:
coefficient
of performance

Lets combine a fictitious heat engine X with

X C with a heat pump

realized by a reversed Carnot cycle

QX
h

heat engine X
Th

QC
h

WX

heat pump
Th

WC

C
W WX WC

Q cX

QC
c

Tc

Tc

X
C
We can design the engine X such that Q c Q c

Lets calculate WX

WX

WX
X

QX
h

Q cX

Q cX

with X

WX

WX
QX
h

X
Q cX
1 X

QX
h

WX
X

WC

If X would be a Carnot engine it would produce the work

However:
with X

WX

X
Q cX
1 X

> WC
10

W WX WC >0
/(1- )

C
Q cX
1 C

d 1 20
d1 1
X/(1- X)

C/(1- C)

QX
h

heat engine X

Q Ch

Th

WX

heat
pumpT

WC

C
W WX WC

Q cX

Q Cc

T
c

We can design the engine X such that

T
c

Q cX

Q Cc

0
0.0

0.2

0.4

C
Q cX
1 C

0.6

0.8

C < X

1.0

 X C

False

Let X be the heat pump and the Carnot cycle operate like an engine

C X

X C

False
2 Any cyclic process that absorbs heat at one temperature,
and rejects heat at one other temperature,
and is reversible has the energy efficiency of a Carnot cycle.
1 Energy efficiency of the Carnot cycle is
independent of the working substance.
Why
Because: X can be a Carnot engine
with arbitrary working substance

Carnots theorem: No engine operating between two heat reservoirs is

more efficient than a Carnot engine.
Proof uses similar idea as before: Again we create a composite device

QX
h

heat engine X
Th

QC
h

heat pump
Th

W
X

Q cX

Tc

We can design the engine X such that

QC
c

Tc

W operates the Carnot refrigerator

Lets assume that

X C
Note: this time engine X can be also work irreversible like a real engine does

X C

>

QX
h

1
QX
h

W
QC
h

1
QC
h

My statement
holds man

X
QC

Q
h
h 0

Heat transferred from the cooler to the hotter reservoir

without doing work on the surrounding

Violation of the Clausius statement

X C

Rudolf Clausius
(2.1.1822 -24.8.1888)

Applications of Carnot Cycles

We stated:
Any cyclic process that absorbs heat at one temperature, and rejects heat at one
other temperature, and is reversible has the energy efficiency of a Carnot cycle.
- gas turbine
Why did we calculate energy efficiencies for

- Otto cycle

Because: they are not 2-temperature devices, but accept and reject heat at a
range of temperatures
Energy efficiency not given by the Carnot formula
But: It is interesting to compare the maximum possible efficiency of a Carnot cycle
with the efficiency of engineering cycles with the same maximum and minimum
temperatures

Consider the gas turbine again

(Brayton or Joule cycle)

6
2

2
3
Heating the gas
(by burning the fuel)

Ph

Efficiency

2
Pl

ad
ia

cooling

Maximum temperature:
@ 3 : T3

ba
te

Minimum temperature:

0
0

Pl
1
Ph

@ 1 : T1

V
P
1 l
Ph

with

T2

Ph ( 1) /

T1

Pl ( 1) /

Pl ( 1) /

Ph ( 1) /

T1
T2

T1
T2

Efficiency of corresponding Carnot Cycle

With

T3 T3,2 T 2

gas turbine 1

T1
T2

C 1

C 1

T1
T3

T1
T3,2 T2

Carnot cycle 1

T3,2 0

Unfortunately: Gas turbine useless in the limit

T1
T3,2 T2

T3,2 0

Because: Heat taken per cycle

Work done per cycle

Absolute Temperature
We showed:

Energy efficiency of the Carnot cycle is

independent of the working substance.

Definition of temperature independent of any material property

A temperature scale is an absolute temperature scale if and only if
Q1C
T1

T2 Q C
2
C
C
where Q1 and Q 2

are the heats exchanged by a Carnot cycle

operating between reservoirs at temperatures T1 and T2.

Q C2

Measurement of C 1
Temperature ratio

Q1C
Q c2

T
1 1
T2

T2
W

T1
T2

T1
Q1C

As discussed earlier, unique temperature scale requires fixed point

T

Q1C
QC
2

Kelvin-scale:

Tfix

or

T 1 C Tfix

Tfix =Ttripel=273.16K

It turns out: empirical gas temperature g 3 lim

P3 0 P3

proportional to thermodynamic Temperature T

Why
Because: Calculation of efficiency of Carnot cycle based on PV nR
1

aT
yields
C
2
With fix Tfix

a=1

From definition of thermodynamic temperature

Q1C

T1

T2 Q C
2

If any absolute temperature is positive all other absolute temperatures

are positive

there is an absolute zero of thermodynamic temperature

C
when the rejected heat Q1

however
T=0 can never be reached, because this would violate the Kelvin
statement