Rankine cycle:The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that describes the operation of a steam turbine. The cycle is named after William Rankine, who developed it in 1859.The Rankine cycle is an idealized thermodynamic cycle of a heat engine that converts heat into mechanical work while undergoing phase change. It is an idealized model of how steam-operated heat engines such as steam turbines and steam engines work. The Rankine cycle is also used to analyze the performance of vapor power plants such as coal-fired power plants, nuclear power plants, and concentrated solar power plants.
