Thermodynamic aspects of energy conservation

Abstract

Thermodynamics deals with processes in a time independent approach. Industrial productions and many other activities are bound to perform a certain production per unit of time. It will be demonstrated that the stationary process model is a useful tool in relating thermodynamic functions to the velocity of the process. Limitations on the use of functions such as Gibbs free energy and exergy are discussed with respect to the existing energy system. The quality of energy carriers is discussed using statistical mechanics. Energy losses due to an increasing process intensity (the velocity per unit of volume or surface) can be analyzed with either thermodynamics of irreversible processes or engineering data. Changing the conditions of a process, as in approximating the equilibrium situation, will lead to an increase of the size of the equipment when the production volume per unit of time is kept constant. A real energy minimum can be defined when the energy necessary to make equipment is taken into account. This minimum does not coincide with the thermodynamic limit. The importance of the energy embodied in the equipment for the development of conservation policy is explained.