Darcy’s law for porous media transport is given a new local thermodynamic basis in terms of the grand potential of confined fluids. The local effective pressure gradient is determined using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics, and the hydraulic conductivity and permeability are investigated. The transport coefficients are determined for single-phase flow in face-centered cubic lattices of solid spheres. The porosity changed fro...

Reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) have evolved elaborate nasal turbinate structures that are perfused via a complex vascular network. These are subject to thermoregulatory control, shifting between heat conservation and dissipation, according to the animal’s needs. The three-dimensional design of the turbinate structures is essential in the sense that they determine the efficiency with which heat and water are transferred between...

Summary The article suggests a measure to evaluate the thermodynamic maturity of industrial systems at the level of single process units. The measure can be quantified with reasonable confidence on the basis of entropy production as defined by irreversible thermodynamics theory. It quantifies, for one process unit, the distance between its actual state of operation and its state with minimum entropy production or optimum exerg...

Life‐cycle assessment is an established tool for industrial ecology. An analysis of the energy use in the chemical and other energy‐intensive industries is still under discussion in this field. We argue that the concept of exergy can play a role in industrial ecology, using a recent Norwegian power production policy question as illustration. The question is whether to build a standard natural gas‐ or a hydrogen‐fired gas‐turbi...