Entropy Generation Minimisation and Exergy analysis approaches for aerospace applications - A review

Based on the first and second law of thermodynamics, exergy analysis provides a method to optimise future aircraft by mapping the energy use through the entire system. By highlighting areas where useful energy is destroyed through entropy generation, exergy analysis can focus a designer on the design aspects that require improvement. This also provides a common energy-based metric allowing comparison of dissimilar technologies and cost analysis throughout a system. The paper will focus on the origins and make up of this analysis technique, and how this method may have the potential to develop new and innovative concepts that do not just marginally improve performance but may enable the realization of entirely new regimes of performance and operability. It will also discuss why second law derived methods are not being widely adopted outside the classic thermodynamic systems such as engines, and will look at areas for future development in the aerospace domain are also discussed.