A Note on the Principle of Maximum Dissipation Rate.

The Principle of Maximum Dissipation Rate (PMD) can be exploited to derive homogeneous kinetic rate laws for the internal variables. A "normality structure" expressing the rates of the internal variables as normal to convex functions (entropy production rate, dissipation function as flow potentials) in the space of the conjugate thermodynamic forces is a direct consequence of the PMD. This paper can be considered as a note to Yang et al., 2005, ASME J. Appl. Mech., 72, pp. 322-329. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]