On the Role of Negentropy in the Maximum Work and Conversion of Form

抄録

The maximum work which can be taken out of a system is entirely determined by a few parameters, and does not directly depend on the detail in the system. One of the parameters is negentropy in the system, which represents non-equilibrium in the system, and the others are concerned with the final equilibrium state of the system. Available energy (or exergy) is considered to be a limit of the maximum work which can be taken out of a system. Negentropy can be stored in a system in various forms, such as the form of the difference of densities, the form of mechanical energy, etc. Since negentropies in these forms can be converted equivalently from one to another, the quantity corresponding to one form, which can be obtained from the system in another form is easily calculated by equating the expressions for negentropies in these forms.