The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $300,000 Project Grant to the University of California Irvine (UC Irvine) under the NSF Engineering program (CFDA 47.041). The grant, effective from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027, aims to quantify the maximal power that can be generated by exploiting thermal gradients and anisotropic thermal environments. The project will develop computational tools and advance the understanding of thermodynamic gyrating engines as a means to generate power from thermal variations, with applications in engineered systems and insights into biological processes. The research will contrast the performance of theoretical model engines to naturally occurring biological systems like bacterial flagellar motors, with the goal of deriving theoretical bounds on power generation from physical processes. This project is expected to enable technological breakthroughs in nanoscale engines and enhance the understanding of biological phenomena, potentially leading to economic and societal benefits.
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