AVAILABLE ENERGY OF THE EARTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS. 1. EFFICIENCY OF SYNTHETIC SYSTEMS

Abstract

This article describes the analysis of developing life support systems and their application in the XXI century. The main problem concerns the use of natural resources, especially non-renewable, and the negative impact of human civilization on the environment. The first part discusses the concept of an universal thermodynamic unit — useful, suitable for transformation of energy (exergy). It is shown that this concept allows us to solve two fundamental problems. The first problem — «the problem of Vernadsky's» — is an objective assessment of all natural material and energy resources of the Earth by means of universal units. The second problem affects the calculation of the thermodynamic efficiency of existing life support systems and, consequently, the main possibilities and limitations of development in this direction. In addition, the presented qualitative and quantitative analysis of the energy, entropy and exergic balances of the Earth with respect to the possibilities and limitations of using energy and material potentials of the planet in various life support systems.