Irreversible thermodynamics of fluids (Q794833)

Irreversible thermodynamics of fluid mixtures is formulated. It generalizes thermostatics and linear irreversible thermodynamics into the realm of nonlinear irreversible processes. The postulates adopted are partly suggested by results form the kinetic theory of gas mixtures. A local thermodynamic state is assumed to be determined by a certain set of variables, apparently taken as primitive concepts, and including the specific internal energy, the specific volume, the fluid velocity, the mass fractions of the constituents, and various flows, as e.g. for each constituent the traceless symmetric part of the pressure tensor and the trace part of the pressure tensor in excess of the hydrostatic pressure, the heat flow, and the mass flux due to diffusion. The specific entropy is introduced as a function of the variables determining the local thermodynamic state, and the first order partial derivatives of this entropy function are used to define the local temperature, pressure, chemical potentials, and generalized thermodynamic potentials corresponding to the flow variables mentioned, in straight forward generalization of Gibbs' relations in thermostatics. In addition to the usual balance equations for mass, momentum, angular momentum, and energy, are postulated s.c. evolution equations for the flow variables introduced, and a dissipation inequality. These postulates are also stated in the form of a variational principle. Linear thermodynamic forces are defined as spatial gradients of the temperature, velocity, and chemical potential fields, and an entropy flux associated with transmission of heat, energy, and matter, is introduced. A local entropy balance equation is then derived. It contains a production density equal to the dissipation term introduced in connexion with the evolution equations, which by assumption is nonnegative. Deductions may be difficult to follow as symbols are sometimes introduced without explanation (though they may have a definite meaning in kinetic theory), and the mathematics is sometimes obscure or even manifestly incorrect.