entransy

English

Etymology

Blend of en[ergy] +‎ trans[fer] +‎ [abilit]y, introduced on 26 February 2007 by a research group at Tsinghua University led by Professor Guo as a basis for optimizing heat transfer processes (Guo, Zeng-Yuan; Zhu, Hong-Ye; Liang, Xin-Gang. Entransy—a physical quantity describing heat transfer ability International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, no. 50, pp. 2545–56, available online 26 February 2007). A descriptive concept of entransy, but without using the term ‘entransy’, was first proposed by Professor Guo's group in February 2003 as ‘heat transport potential capacity’.

Noun

entransy (countable and uncountable, plural entransies)

1. (thermodynamics) Half the product of internal thermal energy and temperature. For a given temperature difference, maximization of the entransy dissipation results in the maximum heat flux and thus corresponds to the optimal heat conduction performance.
   • 2007, Zeng-Yuan Guo, Hong-Ye Zhu, Xin-Gang Liang, “Entransy—a physical quantity describing heat transfer ability”, in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, number 50, page 2545:

     A new physical quantity, $E_{h}={\frac {1}{2}}Q_{vh}T$ [where Q_vh = Mc_vT is the heat stored in an object; M is the mass; c_v is the specific heat capacity at constant volume; T is the temperature], has been identified as a basis for optimizing heat transfer processes in terms of the analogy between heat and electrical conduction. This quantity, which will be referred to as entransy, corresponds to the electric energy stored in a capacitor.

   • 2017, Milivoje Kostic, “Entransy concept and controversies: A critical perspective within elusive thermal landscape”, in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, number 115, page 340:

     The concept of ‘entransy’, a product of heat and temperature, originally called ‘heat transport potential capacity’, was introduced in 2003, as analogy to product of electrical charge and voltage, as well as other similar quantities. The concept has been extended to entransy property, as integral product of ‘stored heat’ and temperature, ${\frac {1}{2}}Mc_{v}T^{2}$ [where M is mass; c_v is specific heat capacity at constant volume; T is temperature], thus representing quantity and quality of stored heat, or thermal energy in isochoric processes without work interactions.