Yun Zhou
Beijing Computational Science Research Center
Abstract: We propose an simple abstract model attempting to demonstrate the interplay of Maxwell demon, information and the abstract structure of heat engine. The model consists of an Maxwell demon in contact with an heat reservoir of low temperature, observing another reservoir of high temperature, and using the information to convert the heat from the latter into work. The efficiency of the heat engine is limited by the information channel that the demon fetches information. For known types of channels, Carnot efficiency is obtained by taking the long time limit. Max power efficiency is also worked out to be about half the Carnot efficiency, as is proved for other models. We expect the model to be heuristic in clarifying fundamental concepts in thermodynamics and observation problems.
Location: 606 conference room
Date and time: June 24th, 2011 2:30 P.M.
