Mozurkewich, M.Berry, R.S.2010-06-222010-06-2219821982 J. Appl. Phys., 53, 34-42http://hdl.handle.net/10315/4264We apply the method of optimal control theory to determine the optimal piston trajectory for successively less idealized models of the Otto cycle. The optimal path has significantly smaller losses from friction and heat leaks than the path with conventional piston motion and the same loss parameters. The resulting increases in efficiency are of the order of 10%.enotto cycleoptimizationthermodynamic modelstheoretical datamathematical modelscontrolpistonstrajectoriesfrictionheat lossesenergy lossesefficiencyArticlehttp://jap.aip.org/http://scitation.aip.org/getpdf/servlet/GetPDFServlet?filetype=pdf&id=JAPIAU000053000001000034000001&idtype=cvips&prog=normal&doi=10.1063/1.329894