ABSTRACT
While an effort was made to keep the technical complexity to an absolute minimum, and also avoid explicit mention of the mathematical frameworks which underlie these topics, one cannot have a meaningful discussion of thermodynamics without at least alluding to some of its most basic tenets. While the first law constrains that energy must be conserved, an , it provides absolutely no constraints on the manner in which energy is transferred. As discussed by Rosen and Dincer, exergy and its consequences in terms of environmental impact can be discussed in at least three contexts: order destruction, resource degradation, and waste exergy emissions. While this is an unavoidable phenomena, it highlights the imperative shared by engineers and environmentalists alike to ensure processes are operated as efficiently as possible, minimize resource requirements. A concept central to engineering and any conservation study is that of process efficiency.
