M. Santillan et al., Formalization of common power and efficiency definitions for energy-converting intracellular biochemical processes, REV MEX FIS, 47(2), 2001, pp. 158-161
The definitions of power and efficiency for energy-converting intracellular
biochemical processes, introduced by Caplan and Essig are studied. These d
efinitions are recovered in the present work with the formalism of De Groot
and Mazur for First-Order Irreversible Thermodynamics, rather than the for
malism of Prigogine, as done by Caplan and Essig. The approach here employe
d permits to keep track of all the assumptions in a more clear manner, and
to get rid of a very strong restriction in the approach of Caplan and Essig
which assumes that the chemical potentials are homogeneous inside the cell
.