Derivation of Clausius Inequality

In summary, the conversation discusses the derivation of Clausius' Inequality and the concept of carnot engines. It is stated that according to the first law of thermodynamics, the work done by the engine is equal to the heat absorbed and rejected. It is also mentioned that a violation of Kelvin-Planck occurs when work is done on the system and heat flows out. The conclusion is that for an engine to operate in a cycle, it must reject some of the heat to a lower temperature reservoir.
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CAF123
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I have been reading about the derivation of Clausius' Inequality and there are a few things I do not understand. I have attached an image of the cycles.

B) shows one carnot engine performing work ##d W_i## per cycle and delivering heat ##d Q_i## per cycle. For ##T'## to remain unchanged, it spits out heat ##d Q_i## as well and this is considered as the source of heat of the principal engine represented by that large circle.

From the first law, ##\Delta W = Q = \sum_i d Q_i##, where ##i## runs from 1 to the number of operating carnot engines connected to the principal engine. My book says that necessarily ##\Delta W = Q \leq 0## otherwise we have a violation of Kelvin-Planck. This means that work is done on the system (I think this makes sense - ΔW was initially regarded as the work done by the engine, but if it is negative then this means work is done on the system by surroundings) and heat flows out of the system. A situation in which an amount of work entering a substance is completely converted into heat is allowed.

I just want to make sure I know what is going on here: Initially we consider the case where heat is flowing into the engine with an equal amount of work being done. This has to happen via the first law since there is no reservoir at a lower temperature with which the engine can spit out heat. This then implies a violation of KP unless we consider both W and Q to be negative, which reverses the physical picture of what was going on initially - work is now being done on the system and heat is flowing out of the engine into the reservoir.

The conclusion is that an engine taking in heat per cycle must always spit out some heat per cycle to a reservoir if it is to do work. Without this reservoir, it cannot exist.

Is this right? Many thanks.
 

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Yes, that is correct. Some of the heat must be rejected to a lower temperature reservoir. Otherwise, the system can't operate in a cycle.
 

1. What is the Clausius Inequality?

The Clausius Inequality is a fundamental principle in thermodynamics that states that the total change in entropy in any isolated system during a process must be greater than or equal to zero. This means that the total entropy of a closed system can never decrease over time.

2. How is the Clausius Inequality derived?

The Clausius Inequality can be derived using the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder body to a hotter body. By considering the heat transfer and work done in a reversible process, we can derive the Clausius Inequality.

3. What is the significance of the Clausius Inequality?

The Clausius Inequality is important because it provides a mathematical expression of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It allows us to quantify the direction of natural processes and determine whether a process is thermodynamically feasible.

4. Can the Clausius Inequality be violated?

No, the Clausius Inequality cannot be violated. It is a fundamental principle in thermodynamics and has been experimentally verified countless times. Violation of the Clausius Inequality would imply a violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which is not possible.

5. How is the Clausius Inequality used in thermodynamic calculations?

The Clausius Inequality is used in many thermodynamic calculations, such as determining the maximum efficiency of a heat engine or the minimum work required for a process to occur. It is also used in the derivation of other important thermodynamic principles, such as the Kelvin-Planck statement of the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

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