Abstract
At low-temperatures a gas of bosons will undergo a phase transition into a quantum state of matter known as a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC), in which a large fraction of the particles will occupy the ground state simultaneously. Here we explore the performance of an endoreversible Otto cycle operating with a harmonically confined Bose gas as the working medium. We analyze the engine operation in three regimes, with the working medium in the BEC phase, in the gas phase, and driven across the BEC transition during each cycle. We find that the unique properties of the BEC phase allow for enhanced engine performance, including increased power output and higher efficiency at maximum power.
Highlights
In the 1920s Bose [1] and Einstein [2] put forward the theoretical hypothesis that a dilute atomic gas could give way to a phenomenon in which a large number of bosons occupy the zero momentum state of a system simultaneously
For a working medium that remains in the condensate phase during the whole cycle, we show that the efficiency at maximum power significantly exceeds the Curzon-Ahlborn (CA) efficiency [28], the efficiency obtained for an endoreversible Otto cycle with a working medium of an ideal gas described by Boltzmann statistics [29]
We have shown that when the cycle is operated above the critical temperature, the efficiency at maximum power is equivalent to the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency
Summary
In the 1920s Bose [1] and Einstein [2] put forward the theoretical hypothesis that a dilute atomic gas could give way to a phenomenon in which a large number of bosons occupy the zero momentum state of a system simultaneously This phenomenon, known as Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC), was corroborated in 1995 when it was observed in rubidium [3], sodium [4] and lithium [5,6] vapors, confined in magnetic traps and cooled to temperatures in the fractions of microkelvins in order to achieve the necessary ground state populations. We conclude with a discussion on the role of the condensate itself in work extraction and the experimental applicability of these results
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