Nonequilibrium thermodynamics: A survey

This paper presents a review of the field of thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The three essential steps in the use of this form of thermodynamics are the calculation of the entropy production, the setting up of the linear phenomenological equations, and the use of the Onsager reciprocal relation. The most important applications are to the transport processes, especially to the coupling phenomena which occur when two or more such processes take place in the same system.