Re: [Phys-l] PV question

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

Perhaps if you narrowed your heat exchanger specification to a 100% 
efficient Peltier device, you could meet John M's specifications for a 
REVERSIBLE process.

But I don't think there's any such animal.

Brian W


Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> In the cooler / heater, but not in the cylinder, no?
>
> bc
>
> p.s.  the v. large # of reservoirs, I think, only a "gedanken", while the heater and, or cooler is practical.
>
> On 2010, Jan 23, , at 12:29, John Mallinckrodt wrote:
>
>   
> > Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> >
> >     
> > > A PID controller with a heater or cooler of a single reservoir  
> > > won't do?
> > >
> > > John Mallinckrodt wrote:
> > >
> > >       
> > > > (e.g.,  an isobaric or isochoric process), you will need a large  
> > > > number (technically, an infinite number) of reservoirs at  
> > > > different temperatures.
> > > >         
> > That could work to perform a reasonable approximation of a quasi- 
> > static process on the gas, but it wouldn't constitute even an attempt  
> > to perform a reversible process because heaters and coolers generate  
> > entropy by design.
> >
> > John Mallinckrodt
> > Cal Poly Pomona