Abstract
Within the context of Finite-Time Thermodynamics (FTT) a simplified thermal power plant model (the so-called Novikov engine) is analyzed under economical criteria by means of the concepts of profit function and the costs involved in the performance of the power plant. In this study, two different heat transfer laws are used, the so called Newton’s law of cooling and the Dulong-Petit’s law of cooling. Two FTT optimization criteria for the performance analysis are used: the maximum power regime (MP) and the so-called ecological criterion. This last criterion leads the engine model towards a mode of performance that appreciably diminishes the engine’s wasted energy. In this work, it is shown that the energy-unit price produced under maximum power conditions is cheaper than that produced under maximum ecological (ME) conditions. This was accomplished by using a typical definition of profits function stemming from economics. The MP-regime produces considerably more wasted energy toward the environment, thus the MP energy-unit price is subsidized by nature. Due to this fact, an ecological tax is proposed, which could be a certain function of the price difference between the MP and ME modes of power production.
Highlights
A Proposal of Ecologic Taxes Based on Thermo-EconomicReceived: 24 August 2009 / Accepted: 27 September 2009 / Published: 10 November 2009
In a recent paper, Fischer and Hoffmann [1] showed that a simple endoreversible model can reproduce the complex engine behavior of a quantitative dynamical simulation of an Otto engine including, but not limited to, effects from losses due to heat conduction, exhaust losses and frictional losses
The paper is organized as follows: In Sections 2 and 3, we present a thermo-economical analysis in terms of a profit function defined as the difference between the money earnings and the costs of the performance in the power plant, that is, with an economical profit different to that used by De Vos [12]
Summary
Received: 24 August 2009 / Accepted: 27 September 2009 / Published: 10 November 2009
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