  We construct a generic model for a heat engine using information theory
concepts, attributing irreversible energy dissipation to the information
transmission channels. Using several forms for the channel capacity, classical
and quantum, we demonstrate that our model recovers both the Carnot principle
in the reversible limit, and the universal maximum power efficiency expression
of nonreversible thermodynamics in the linear response regime. We expect the
model to be immensely useful as a testbed for studying fundamental topics in
thermodynamics.
