When calculating the 'degree of sustainability', socio-economic parameters and 'natural capital' are not easily quantified, and the question of the physical meaning of 'sustainability' in Thermodynamics remains relevant. On the basis of one single axiom: resource consumption of any kind can be quantified solely in terms of exergy flows, we demonstrate that for sufficiently complex systems certain thresholds - in terms of system's parameters - appear, below or beyond which the system exhibits an ability to remain in a self-preserving (sustainable) state. The analysis leads to non-trivial solutions in phase space, and some schematic examples are discussed in the paper: the results show a trend that seems to deserve further consideration.

Is sustainability a thermodynamic concept?

Federico Zullo
2011-01-01

Abstract

When calculating the 'degree of sustainability', socio-economic parameters and 'natural capital' are not easily quantified, and the question of the physical meaning of 'sustainability' in Thermodynamics remains relevant. On the basis of one single axiom: resource consumption of any kind can be quantified solely in terms of exergy flows, we demonstrate that for sufficiently complex systems certain thresholds - in terms of system's parameters - appear, below or beyond which the system exhibits an ability to remain in a self-preserving (sustainable) state. The analysis leads to non-trivial solutions in phase space, and some schematic examples are discussed in the paper: the results show a trend that seems to deserve further consideration.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11379/499514
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