Performance optimization of minimally nonlinear irreversible heat engines and refrigerators under a trade-off figure of merit.

A performance optimization for minimally nonlinear heat engines and refrigerators is conducted under an optimization criterion of Ω. The results show that under tight-coupling conditions, the efficiency and coefficient of performance (COP) bounds in asymmetric dissipation limits are the same as those obtained by de Tomas et al. [Phys. Rev. E 87, 012105 (2013)] for low dissipation heat devices. The efficiency bounds for heat engines under nontight-coupling conditions are also analyzed and the experimental results lie between theoretical results obtained under different coupling strengths. For refrigerators, the theoretical results are also in good agreement with some observed results. The efficiency and COP bounds under the Ω criterion are refined, which are closer to real heat engines and refrigerators.