Thermodynamic Field Theory (An Approach to Thermodynamics of Irreversible Processes)

Abstract

The thermodynamic field theory (TFT) allows to deal with thermodynamic systems submitted even to strong non-equilibrium conditions. The theory herein formulated enables to find field equations whose solutions give the generalised relations between the thermodynamic forces and their conjugated flows. It will be shown that evolution of the thermodynamic systems is well described in the Weyl’s space. In the particular case in which the thermodynamic forces and conjugated flows are linked only through a symmetric tensor (the metric tensor), the resulting geometry is the Riemannian geometry. As example of application, the thermoelectric effect and the unimolecular triangular chemical reaction are analysed in great detail.