The power of a critical heat engine

Understand

Since its inception about two centuries ago thermodynamics has sparkled continuous interest and fundamental questions.

• According to the second law no heat engine can have an efficiency larger than Carnot's efficiency.
• The latter can be achieved by the Carnot engine, which however ideally operates in infinite time, hence delivers null power.
• A currently open question is whether the Carnot efficiency can be achieved at finite power.