Finding limiting possibilities of thermodynamic systems by optimization

We consider typical problems of the field called the finite time thermodynamics (also called the optimization thermodynamics). We also outline selected formal methods applied to solve these problems and discuss some results obtained. It is shown that by introducing constraints imposed on the intensity of fluxes and on the magnitude of coefficients in kinetic equations, it is possible not only to investigate limiting possibilities of thermodynamic systems within the considered class of irreversible processes, but also to state and solve problems whose formulation has no meaning in the class of reversible processes. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Horizons of cybernetical physics’.