An Approach to Enhance the Efficiency of a Brownian Heat Engine

A Brownian microscopic heat engine, driven by temperature difference and consisting of a Brownian particle moving in a sawtooth potential with an external load, is investigated. The heat flows, driven by both potential and kinetic energies, are taken into account. Based on the master equation, the expressions for efficiency and power output are derived analytically, and performance characteristic curves are plotted. It is shown that the heat flow via the kinetic energy of the particle decreases. The efficiency of the engine is enhanced, but the power output reduces as the α shape parameter of the sawtooth potential increases. The influence of the α shape parameter on efficiency and power output is then analyzed in detail.