Maximum Dissipation: Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics and its Geometric Structure explores the thermodynamics of non-equilibrium processes in materials. The book develops a general technique created in order to construct nonlinear evolution equations describing non-equilibrium processes, while also developing a geometric context for non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Solid materials are the main focus in this volume, but the construction is shown to also apply to fluids. This volume also: • Explains the theory behind thermodynamically-consistent construction of non-linear evolution equations for non-equilibrium processes • Provides a geometric setting for non-equilibrium thermodynamics through several standard models, which are defined as maximum dissipation processes • Emphasizes applications to the time-dependent modeling of soft biological tissue Maximum Dissipation: Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics and its Geometric Structure will be valuable for researchers, engineers and graduate students in non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the mathematical modeling of material behavior.

Extended Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics provides powerful tools departing not from empirical or statistical considerations but from fundamental thermodynamic laws, proposing final solutions that are readily usable and recognizable for students, researchers and industry. The book deals with methods that allow combining easily the present theory with other fields of science, such as fluid and solid mechanics, heat and mass transfer processes, electricity and thermoelectricity, and so on. Not only are such combinations facilitated, but they are incorporated into the developments in such a way that they become part of the theory. This book aims at providing for a systematic presentation of Extended Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics in nanosystems with a high degree of applicability. Furthermore, the book deals with how physical properties of systems behave as a function of their size. Moreover, it provides for a systematic approach to understand the behavior of thermal, electrical, thermoelectric, photovoltaic and nanofluid properties in nanosystems. Experimental results are used to validate the theory, the comparison is analysed, justified and discussed, and the theory is then again used to understand better experimental observations. The new developments in this book, being recognizable in relation with familiar concepts, should make it appealing for academics and researchers to teach and apply and graduate students to use. The text in this book is intended to bring attention to how the theory can be applied to real-life applications in nanoscaled environments. Case studies, and applications of theories, are explored including thereby nanoporous systems, solar panels, nanomedicine drug permeation and properties of nanoporous scaffolds. Explores new generalized thermodynamic models Provides introductory context of Extended Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics within classical thermodynamics, theoretical fundamentals and several applications in nanosystems Provides for a systematic approach to understand the behavior of thermal, electric, thermoelectric and viscous properties as a function of several parameters in nanosystems Includes reflections to encourage the reader to think further and put the information into context Examines future developments of new constitutive equations and theories and places them in the framework of real-life applications in the energetic and medical sectors, such as photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices, nanoporous media, drug delivery and scaffolds

This graduate textbook covers contemporary directions of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics as well as classical methods of kinetics. Starting from phenomenological non-equilibrium thermodynamics, the kinetic equation method discussed and demonstrated with electrons and phonons in conducting crystals. Linear response theory as well as the non-equilibrium statistical operator and the master equation approach are discussed in the course of the book. With one of the main propositions being to avoid terms such as "obviously" and "it is easy to show", this treatise is an easy-to-read introduction into this traditional, yet vibrant field. Problems and their well-documented solutions included at appropriate points of the narrative allow the reader to actively develop essential parts of the theory himself. From the content: Phenomenological thermodynamics of irreversible processes Brownian motion Kinetic equations in non-equilibrium thermodynamics Kinetic equation for electrons and phonons in conducting crystals Theory of non-linear response to an external mechanical pertubation Non-equilibrium statistical operator method Response of a highly non-equilibrium system to a weakly measuring field Master equation approach

The Surface Wettability Effect on Phase Change collects high level contributions from internationally recognised scientists in the field. It thoroughly explores surface wettability, with topics spanning from the physics of phase change, physics of nucleation, mesoscale modeling, analysis of phenomena such drop evaporation, boiling, local heat flux at triple line, Leidenfrost, dropwise condensation, heat transfer enhancement, freezing, icing. All the topics are treated by discussing experimental results, mathematical modeling and numerical simulations. In particular, the numerical methods look at direct numerical simulations in the framework of VOF simulations, phase-field simulations and molecular dynamics. An introduction to equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics of phase change, wetting phenomena, liquid interfaces, numerical simulation of wetting phenomena and phase change is offered for readers who are less familiar in the field. This book will be of interest to researchers, academics, engineers, and postgraduate students working in the area of thermofluids, thermal management, and surface technology.

Physicochemical mechanics is a self-contained theoretical framework that can be used to study and model physicochemical processes, based on well-known concepts taken from classical mechanics. This intuitive approach exploits the principles of Newtonian mechanics alongside Einstein's theory of Brownian motion in order to accurately describe complex biochemical systems, and can be used to model a broad range of phenomena including thermodiffusion, transmembrane transport and protein folding. The book begins by presenting the basic principles of classical mechanics and thermodynamics, before introducing the two new postulates of physicochemical mechanics. It is shown that these foundational concepts can be applied to systematically describe all major mass transport and equilibrium equations, and many practical applications of the theory are discussed. This text will be of interest to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in biological physics, biochemistry and chemical engineering, and a useful resource for researchers seeking an introduction to this modern theoretical approach.

One common feature of new emerging technologies is the fusion of the very small (nano) scale and the large scale engineering. The classical environment provided by single scale theories, as for instance by the classical hydrodynamics, is not anymore satisfactory. The main challenge is to keep the important details while still be able to keep the overall picture and simplicity. It is the thermodynamics that addresses this challenge. Our main reason for writing this book is to explain such general viewpoint of thermodynamics and to illustrate it on a very wide range of examples. Contents Levels of description Hamiltonian mechanics Irreversible evolution Reversible and irreversible evolution Multicomponent systems Contact geometry Appendix: Mathematical aspects

Issues in Mechanical Engineering / 2011 Edition is a ScholarlyEditions™ eBook that delivers timely, authoritative, and comprehensive information about Mechanical Engineering. The editors have built Issues in Mechanical Engineering: 2011 Edition on the vast information databases of ScholarlyNews.™ You can expect the information about Mechanical Engineering in this eBook to be deeper than what you can access anywhere else, as well as consistently reliable, authoritative, informed, and relevant. The content of Issues in Mechanical Engineering: 2011 Edition has been produced by the world’s leading scientists, engineers, analysts, research institutions, and companies. All of the content is from peer-reviewed sources, and all of it is written, assembled, and edited by the editors at ScholarlyEditions™ and available exclusively from us. You now have a source you can cite with authority, confidence, and credibility. More information is available at http://www.ScholarlyEditions.com/.