Classification and discussion of macroscopic entropy production principles

Abstract

In this article a classification of some proposed macroscopic entropy production (MEP) principles is given. With the help of simple electrical network models, at least six interesting and most used principles are distinguished: the least dissipation, the near-equilibrium (linear) minimum entropy production (MinEP), the near-equilibrium (linear) maximum entropy production (MaxEP), the far-from-equilibrium (non-linear) non-variational MaxEP, the far-from equilibrium variational MaxEP and the optimization MinEP. With this framework, the different assumptions, regions of validity, constraints and applications are explained, as well as their theoretical proofs, counterexamples or experimental verifications. The examples will be kept as simple as possible, in order to focus more on the concepts instead of the technicalities. By better defining the settings of the principles, this classification sheds some new light on some principles, and new ideas for future research are presented, especially for the more recent far-from-equilibrium principles.