Heat transfer and thermodynamics: A foundational problem in classical thermodynamics and in contemporary non-equilibrium thermodynamics Authors David Jou 1Department of Physics, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia. José Casas-Vázquez Keywords: non-equilibrium thermodynamics, nanoscale heat transfer, local equilibrium, extended thermodynamics, non-equilibrium entropy Abstract The search for generalized heat transport equations describing Fourier’s diffusive regime is a frontier in nanoscale technology and energy management, together with thermal waves, Ziman regime, phonon hydrodynamics, and ballistic heat transport, as well as their respective transitions. Here we discuss the close connection between this search and another, much less known aspect, namely, the exploration of new forms of entropy and of the second law of thermodynamics for fast and steep perturbations and high values of heat flux, which would make generalized transport equations compatible with the second law. We also draw several analogies between this situation and the confluence of Fourier and Carnot theories that resulted in a general formulation during the foundational period of thermodynamics. [Contrib Sci 11(2): 131-136 (2015)]Keywords: non-equilibrium thermodynamics · nanoscale heat transfer · local equilibrium · extended thermodynamics · non-equilibrium entropy Downloads PDF Issue Vol. 11 No. 2 (2015) Section Non-equilibrium thermodynamics License This work is subject, unless the contrary is indicated in the text, the photographs or in other illustrations, to an Attribution —Non-Commercial— No Derivative Works 3.0 Creative Commons License, the full text of which can be consulted at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/. You are free to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work provided that the author is credited and reuse of the material is restricted to non-commercial purposes only and that no derivative works are created from the original material.
