A Carnot engine operates between two heat reservoirs at temperatures TH and TC. An inventor proposes to increase the efficiency by running one engine between TH and an intermediate temperature T and a second engine between T and TC, using as input the heat expelled by the first engine. Compute the efficiency of this composite system, and compare it to that of the original engine.
Solution 53P Step 1 of 3: W 1W 2 The efficiency of the composite engine is e 12 = Q H1 Where Q H1 is the heat input to the first engine and W and W are the work outputs of two engines 1 2 For any heat engine,W = Q + Q C H For any carnot engine, Qlow= Tlow Q High T high Where Q lowand Q highare the heat flows at the two reservoirs that have temperatures T low and T high