Benchmarking black hole heat engines, I

Abstract

We present the results of initiating a benchmarking scheme that allows for cross-comparison of the efficiencies of black holes used as working substances in heat engines. We use a circular cycle in the [Formula: see text] plane as the benchmark engine. We test it on Einstein–Maxwell, Gauss–Bonnet and Born–Infeld black holes. Also, we derive a new and surprising exact result for the efficiency of a special “ideal gas” system to which all the black holes asymptote.