3 ms·
> Edit: They claim 75-80%. Is that realistic? Seems very doubtful, based on the reported temperature differential and the formula for the theoretical maximum e
by Turing_Machine 5y ago
> Edit: They claim 75-80%. Is that realistic?
Seems very doubtful, based on the reported temperature differential and the formula for the theoretical maximum efficiency of a Carnot cycle heat engine.
- namibj 5y agoCarnot cancels out if you follow up with it in reverse.
- Turing_Machine 5y agoNope. While Carnot-cycle engines are reversible, the losses don't cancel out. You just lose the energy to entropy on both ends.
- namibj 5y agoThe point was that the Carnot efficiency of using a thermal buffer to store mechanical energy cancels out between storing and releasing. Yes, you don't have a Carnot-cycle in practice, and the thermal buffer likely won't offer isotherm storage, either. But you still can't use Carnot-cycle efficiency to determine some sort of round-trip efficiency of this thermal-based storage device with mechanical input/output ports.