Linear irreversible thermodynamics and coefficient of performance.

Following the recent proposal by Van den Broeck for a heat engine [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 190602 (2005)], we analyze the coefficient of performance of a refrigerator in two working regimes using the tools of linear irreversible thermodynamics. In particular, one of the analyzed regimes gives a coefficient of performance which could be considered as the equivalent to the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency. Also we consider the relation with the Clausius inequality, and some results for the relevant thermodynamic magnitudes in this formalism are confronted with those obtained using the finite-time thermodynamics framework.