The Nature of Motive Force

In this monograph Prof. Pramanick explicates the law of motive force, a fundamental law of nature that can be observed and appreciated as an addition to the existing laws of thermodynamics. This unmistakable and remarkable tendency of nature is equally applicable to all other branches of studies. He first conceptualized the law of motive force in 1989, when he was an undergraduate student. Here he reports various applications of the law in the area of thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics and solid mechanics, and shows how it is possible to solve analytically century-old unsolved problems through its application. This book offers a comprehensive account of the law and its relation to other laws and principles, such as the generalized conservation principle, variational formulation, Fermat’s principle, Bejan’s constructal law, entropy generation minimization, Bejan’s method of intersecting asymptotes and equipartition principle. Furthermore, the author addresses some interrelated fundamental problems of contemporary interest, especially to thermodynamicists, by combining analytical methods, physical reasoning and the proposed law of motive force. This foundational work is a valuable reading for both students and researchers in exact as well as non-exact sciences and, at the same time, a pleasant learning experience for the novice.

Achintya Kumar Pramanick received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree in July 1993 from National Institute of Technology Durgapur, India, formerly known as Regional Engineering College Durgapur. He obtained his first Master of Mechanical Engineering degree with specialization in Heat Power from Jadavpur University, India in February 1996. He was a permanent faculty in Mechanical Engineering Department at North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology, India from March 1996 to September 1997. He taught at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Jalpaiguri Government College, India from September 1997 to July 1998 as a permanent faculty. He also served his Alma Mater, National Institute of Technology Durgapur as a permanent faculty from August 1998 to July 2000. He served Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, USA as a teaching and research assistant while pursuing his second Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Thermofluid Science between August 2000 to August 2002. He was the recipient of Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) fellowship from June 2005 to December 2006 from Germany to complete part of his doctoral studies at the Physics Department of Technical University of Chemnitz, Germany. He is also the recipient of number of other national and international fellowships. He received his doctoral degree from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India in June 2007. His doctoral thesis was selected among the group of top five by the selection committee of Prigogine Prize 2009 towards the choice of best doctoral thesis in Thermodynamics. He taught at Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India from March to October 2007. He returned to National Institute of Technology Durgapur, India again as a permanent faculty in October 2007 and serving till date at the level of Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He was the panel topper of many faculty selection boards. He has established himself as a perfect pedagogue and fundamental researcher. His primary research interest lies in the different areas of Thermodynamics. He conceived idea of the law of motive force which is a fundamental law of nature in 1989 when he was an undergraduate student.