Entropy and entropy generation play essential roles in our understanding of many diverse phenomena ranging from cosmology to biology. Their importance is manifest in areas of immediate practical interest such as the provision of global energy as well as in others of a more fundamental flavour such as the source of order and complexity in nature. They also form the basis of most modern formulations of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Today much progress is being made in our understanding of entropy and entropy generation in both fundamental aspects and application to concrete problems. The purpose of this volume is to present some of these recent and important results in a manner that not only appeals to the entropy specialist but also makes them accessible to the nonspecialist looking for an overview of the field. This book contains fourteen contributions by leading scientists in their fields. The content covers such topics as quantum thermodynamics, nonlinear processes, gravitational and irreversible thermodynamics, the thermodynamics of Taylor dispersion, higher order transport, the mesoscopic theory of liquid crystals, simulated annealing, information and biological aspects, global energy, photovoltaics, heat and mass transport and nonlinear electrochemical systems. Audience: This work will be of value to physicists, chemists, biologists and engineers interested in the theory and applications of entropy and its generation.

This book presents the diverse and rapidly expanding field of Entropy Generation Minimization (EGM), the method of thermodynamic optimization of real devices. The underlying principles of the EGM method - also referred to as "thermodynamic optimization," "thermodynamic design," and "finite time thermodynamics" - are thoroughly discussed, and the me

Thermal analyses and optimizations are very ubiquitous and important in academic research and engineering applications. In this field, the entropy generation minimization has been widely used and found to be effective in many cases. Sometimes, it was even used without checking the applicability, and seemed to be a unified theory that could solve all thermal problems. Is this really the case? This book answers this question through detailed theoretical derivations and different numerical examples in heat transfer and heat-work conversion. It shows clearly that the theory has limitations and a definite application scope, beyond which it may provide unreasonable or incorrect results. Therefore, the entropy generation minimization is far from perfect. This book will be of interest to students, researchers and engineers in thermal science and engineering, as it will help the reader to apply the entropy generation minimization correctly.

The entropy generation analysis for the nanofluid flowing over a stretching/shrinking curved region is performed in the existence of the cross-diffusion effect. The surface is also subjected to second-order velocity slip under the effect of mixed convection. The Joule heating that contributes significantly to the heat transfer properties of nanofluid is incorporated along with the heat source/sink. Furthermore, the flow is assumed to be governed by an exterior magnetic field that aids in gaining control over the flow speed. With these frameworks, the mathematical model that describes the flow with such characteristics and assumptions is framed using partial differential equations (PDEs). The bvp4c solver is used to numerically solve the system of non-linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) that are created from these equations. The solutions of obtained through this technique are verified with the available articles and the comparison is tabulated. Meanwhile, the interpretation of the results of this study is delivered through graphs. The findings showed that the Bejan number was decreased by increasing Brinkman number values whereas it enhanced the entropy generation. Also, as the curvature parameter goes higher, the speed of the nanofluid flow diminishes. Furthermore, the increase in the Soret and Dufour effects have enhanced the thermal conduction and the mass transfer of the nanofluid.

From engineering fluid mechanics to power systems, information coding theory and other fields, entropy is key to maximizing performance in engineering systems. It serves a vital role in achieving the upper limits of efficiency of industrial processes and quality of manufactured products. Entropy based design (EBD) can shed new light on various flow

High Entropy Materials covers the fundamental concepts of these materials and their emerging applications. To fulfil growing energy demand, scientists are looking for novel materials which can be used for the fabrication of high-performance energy devices. Many materials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and metal oxides are used in energy production and storage. A new class of metal oxides, multicomponent metal oxides, known as high entropy materials, have attracted considerable attention not only for their energy applications but also other emerging applications such as use in sensors, catalysts, and CO2 absorption. Key Features: Reviews state-of-the-art developments Provides new directions to scientists, researchers, and students to better understand the principles, technologies, and applications of high entropy materials Discusses ongoing challenges and visions for the future

Traditionally fatigue, fracture, damage mechanics are predictions are based on empirical curve fitting models based on experimental data. However, when entropy is used as the metric for degradation of the material, the modeling process becomes physics based rather than empirical modeling. Because, entropy generation in a material can be calculated from the fundamental equation of thematerial. This collection of manuscripts is about using entropy for "Fatigue, Fracture, Failure Prediction and Structural Health Monitoring". The theoretical paper in the collection provides the mathematical and physics framework behind the unified mechanics theory, which unifies universal laws of motion of Newton and laws of thermodynamics at ab-initio level. Unified Mechanics introduces an additional axis called, Thermodynamic State Index axis which is linearly independent from Newtonian space x, y, z and time. As a result, derivative of displacement with respect to entropy is not zero, in unified mechanics theory, as in Newtonian mechanics. Any material is treated as a thermodynamic system and fundamental equation of the material is derived. Fundamental equation defines entropy generation rate in the system. Experimental papers in the collection prove validity of using entropy as a stable metric for Fatigue, Fracture, Failure Prediction and Structural Health Monitoring.

Nanofluids are solid-liquid composite material consisting of solid nanoparticles suspended in liquid with enhanced thermal properties. This book introduces basic fluid mechanics, conduction and convection in fluids, along with nanomaterials for nanofluids, property characterization, and outline applications of nanofluids in solar technology, machining and other special applications. Recent experiments on nanofluids have indicated significant increase in thermal conductivity compared with liquids without nanoparticles or larger particles, strong temperature dependence of thermal conductivity, and significant increase in critical heat flux in boiling heat transfer, all of which are covered in the book. Key Features Exclusive title focusing on niche engineering applications of nanofluids Contains high technical content especially in the areas of magnetic nanofluids and dilute oxide based nanofluids Feature examples from research applications such as solar technology and heat pipes Addresses heat transfer and thermodynamic features such as efficiency and work with mathematical rigor Focused in content with precise technical definitions and treatment

Safety and Reliability of Complex Engineered Systems contains the Proceedings of the 25th European Safety and Reliability Conference, ESREL 2015, held 7-10 September 2015 in Zurich, Switzerland. It includes about 570 papers accepted for presentation at the conference. These contributions focus on theories and methods in the area of risk, safety and