Spontaneous processes are dyadic natural energy conversion processes in which
the consumption of EGP and the full realization of entropy growth occur at the
same time. In an engineering conversion of heat into mechanical work, however,
entropy growth and entropy growth potential must be differentiated (see Sect. 8.5):
In a reversible conversion, only entropy growth potential in the hot-body/cold-body
pair is consumed with no entropy growth, while in a real engineering conversion
entropy growth potential is consumed with partial entropy growth (see Eq. [131]).
In both, entropy growth is delayed or partially delayed, and its eventual realization
occurs when all work is dissipated or when all orders created by work collapse at
some point in the future. In all cases, the ultimate ending is always the same: all
entropy growth potentials turn into dissipated heat eventually (heat, i.e., dissipated
heat, is the ultimate end rather than being a cause by any means).
Conversion of heat into work cannot be characterized as dyadic energy conversion processes. This is the fundamental error in the dyadic framework of heat’s
apparent utility. Instead, General Statement GS-4.b is amended into the Amended
GS-4.b
Amended GS-4.b. Reversible-like process. The EGP associated with natural energy
conversions and/or pure EGP can be managed to produce reversible-like and/or reversible
processes, which involves changes in reverse direction, in a triadic framework; there is, in
fact, no pure reverse energy conversion process.
The idea of reverse energy conversion of heat into work was what Carnot and
Kelvin aspired to understand. That is, to understand reversibility. There is, however,
no pure reverse energy conversion; a change in reverse direction such as heat to
work is always accompanied by EGP, which is often in the form of natural energy
conversion in a spontaneous direction in a triadic framework.
Triadic framework, or triadic relation, is the essence of reversibility or
reversible-like processes (see Chap. 6). Thinking in terms of energy conversion tends
to encourage dyadic thinking, which only characterizes perfectly spontaneous/
nonreversible processes (Chap. 6). For understanding reversibility, we need to go not
only beyond thinking dyadically (which is absolutely necessary) but also reexamining
its standard definition—a reversible process is a process whose direction can be
“reversed” by inducing infinitesimal changes to some property of the system via its
surroundings, with no increase in entropy. Throughout the entire reversible process,
the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium with its surroundings. This definition,
correct though it is as a descriptive criterion of naturalistic processes, does not provide
the prescriptive operational requirement that is necessary for bringing about
reversibility. A reversible process cannot be captured as a naturalistic process. For
achieving reversibility and real efficiency, we need to think in terms of EGP, the triadic
relation of reversibility, and extraction of heat instead of the consumption of heat.
These are new concepts in the PETH, its premises are summarized in Table 8.1
as corrections to the MTH premises.
Correspondingly, the energy conversion doctrine truism is replaced with the
EGP-centric doctrine
218
8 The Second Law: The Entropy Growth Potential Principle …
the consumption of EGP and the full realization of entropy growth occur at the
same time. In an engineering conversion of heat into mechanical work, however,
entropy growth and entropy growth potential must be differentiated (see Sect. 8.5):
In a reversible conversion, only entropy growth potential in the hot-body/cold-body
pair is consumed with no entropy growth, while in a real engineering conversion
entropy growth potential is consumed with partial entropy growth (see Eq. [131]).
In both, entropy growth is delayed or partially delayed, and its eventual realization
occurs when all work is dissipated or when all orders created by work collapse at
some point in the future. In all cases, the ultimate ending is always the same: all
entropy growth potentials turn into dissipated heat eventually (heat, i.e., dissipated
heat, is the ultimate end rather than being a cause by any means).
Conversion of heat into work cannot be characterized as dyadic energy conversion processes. This is the fundamental error in the dyadic framework of heat’s
apparent utility. Instead, General Statement GS-4.b is amended into the Amended
GS-4.b
Amended GS-4.b. Reversible-like process. The EGP associated with natural energy
conversions and/or pure EGP can be managed to produce reversible-like and/or reversible
processes, which involves changes in reverse direction, in a triadic framework; there is, in
fact, no pure reverse energy conversion process.
The idea of reverse energy conversion of heat into work was what Carnot and
Kelvin aspired to understand. That is, to understand reversibility. There is, however,
no pure reverse energy conversion; a change in reverse direction such as heat to
work is always accompanied by EGP, which is often in the form of natural energy
conversion in a spontaneous direction in a triadic framework.
Triadic framework, or triadic relation, is the essence of reversibility or
reversible-like processes (see Chap. 6). Thinking in terms of energy conversion tends
to encourage dyadic thinking, which only characterizes perfectly spontaneous/
nonreversible processes (Chap. 6). For understanding reversibility, we need to go not
only beyond thinking dyadically (which is absolutely necessary) but also reexamining
its standard definition—a reversible process is a process whose direction can be
“reversed” by inducing infinitesimal changes to some property of the system via its
surroundings, with no increase in entropy. Throughout the entire reversible process,
the system is in thermodynamic equilibrium with its surroundings. This definition,
correct though it is as a descriptive criterion of naturalistic processes, does not provide
the prescriptive operational requirement that is necessary for bringing about
reversibility. A reversible process cannot be captured as a naturalistic process. For
achieving reversibility and real efficiency, we need to think in terms of EGP, the triadic
relation of reversibility, and extraction of heat instead of the consumption of heat.
These are new concepts in the PETH, its premises are summarized in Table 8.1
as corrections to the MTH premises.
Correspondingly, the energy conversion doctrine truism is replaced with the
EGP-centric doctrine
218
8 The Second Law: The Entropy Growth Potential Principle …