This article explains the principles and applications of thermodynamics, analyzes the emotional resistance to such energy-saving attempts, and explores how thermodynamics can contribute to solving environmental problems through the example of recycling waste heat from crematoria in the UK and South Korea.
I remember reading an unusual article a long time ago. It was about a small town in the UK using waste heat from a crematorium to heat a neighborhood swimming pool. While this is just one example of energy recycling, this approach plays an important role in the pursuit of sustainability in the modern world. As environmental issues and resource depletion intensify, it’s these small efforts that can make a big difference.
Similarly, the Seoul Memorial Park near Seoul, South Korea, utilizes waste heat from the crematorium to heat and cool the crematorium building. This is a way of recycling resources and can be seen as an example of heat recycling. However, there have been reports of emotional rejection among nearby residents. When I first read the article, I too was somewhat resistant to the idea of using hot water heated by the heat generated by the crematorium, but I soon came to admire the attempt to recycle energy in this way.
This attempt to reduce the waste of energy is called ‘thermal regeneration’. It falls under the umbrella of energy recycling, but it also falls under the broader academic category of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is the study of energy conservation and transformation, and it plays a very important role in our daily lives. While most people may not even recognize the term thermodynamics, it’s an important science that lies behind many of the phenomena we experience every day.
Thermodynamics is, simply put, the study of the relationship between heat and work. From a physics perspective, “work” and “heat” don’t mean what people usually think they mean, which can lead to confusion in understanding these concepts. For example, if we apply a force to an object and it moves, we say that we have done work in physics. If you push against a wall and the wall doesn’t move, you haven’t done any work in physics. The concept of heat is also not simply the same as temperature, but is more accurately understood as a form of energy movement.
As such, thermodynamics is the study of energy flow and change. It has four fundamental laws. First, the zero law is about thermodynamic equilibrium. Simply put, it states that if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium, then if one of them is in equilibrium with another body, then the other two bodies are also in thermal equilibrium. Although it emerged after the other laws had already been established, it was named the zero law because of its importance.
The first law is the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy can change form or move around, but its total amount remains unchanged. This law provides a basic understanding of how we use and transform energy. The second law is about entropy, which states that the flow of energy has a direction, and that some energy is irreversibly lost in every process. The process of hot coffee cooling is a good example of the second law.
The third law is related to absolute zero, which states that at absolute zero, entropy converges to a constant value. This law plays an important role in understanding the behavior of matter under extreme conditions.
Based on these laws, thermodynamics is applied in a wide variety of fields. From everyday appliances like refrigerators to high-performance engines and electronic components like CPUs, thermodynamic principles are essential for improving efficiency and performance. The principles of thermodynamics are even applied to the heating systems we use and the stovetops we cook on. Furthermore, thermodynamics is also applied to important modern challenges, such as the development of renewable energy. For example, the use of waste heat from crematoriums for heating is a great example of using thermodynamic knowledge to maximize energy efficiency.
So far, we’ve covered the basic definitions, laws, and applications of thermodynamics. The laws of thermodynamics help us make better decisions about environmental issues and energy efficiency. Through the study of thermodynamics, we will be able to solve current problems and create a more sustainable future. It’s more than just scientific knowledge, it’s an important tool that can improve our lives and contribute to making the world a better place.
