Finite time thermodynamic optimization or entropy generation minimization of energy systems

The historical background, research development, and the state-of-the-art o f finite time thermodynamic theory and applications are reviewed from the p oint of view of both physics and engineering. The emphasis is on the perfor mance optimization of thermodynamic processes and devices with finite-time and/or finite-size constraints, including heat engines, refrigerators, heat pumps, chemical reactions and some other processes, with respect to the fo llowing aspects: the study of Newton's law systems, an analysis of the effe ct of heat resistance and other irreversible loss models on the performance , an analysis of the effect of heat reservoir models on the performance, as well as the application for real thermodynamic processes and devices. It i s pointed out that the generalized thermodynamic optimization theory is the development direction of finite thermodynamics in the future.