Engineering English
Rankine Cycle
Mechanical Engineering · Energy Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A thermodynamic cycle that converts heat into mechanical work, commonly used in steam power plants. It involves four steps: isentropic compression, constant-pressure heat addition, isentropic expansion, and constant-pressure heat rejection.
Example in context
“The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle in the coal-fired power plant was improved by increasing the boiler pressure and superheat temperature.”
“Kömürle çalışan santraldeki Rankine çevriminin termal verimliliği, kazan basıncı ve kızgınlık sıcaklığı artırılarak iyileştirildi.”
Where engineers use it
The Rankine cycle is analyzed when designing steam turbines and power plant heat balance. Engineers use it to calculate thermal efficiency, turbine work, and pump work for performance optimization.
Synonyms: steam Rankine cycle, Rankine vapor cycle
In Energy Engineering
The Rankine cycle is an idealized thermodynamic cycle that converts heat into work in a steam power plant. It describes the process of evaporating water, expanding steam in a turbine, condensing it, and pumping the condensate back to the boiler.
“The thermal efficiency of a modern coal-fired plant relies on optimizing the Rankine cycle with supercritical steam parameters.”
Practice: can you use “Rankine Cycle” at work?
You are tasked with improving the thermal efficiency of a coal-fired power station. Explain how modifications to the Rankine cycle components would achieve this.
Show a model answer
“The Rankine cycle efficiency depends on the maximum cycle temperature and pressure.”
“Rankine Cycle” in 21 languages
| English | Rankine Cycle |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Rankine çevrimi |
| French | cycle de Rankine |
| German | Rankine-Kreisprozess |
| Spanish | ciclo Rankine |
| Chinese | 朗肯循环 |
| Arabic | دورة رانكين |
| Portuguese | ciclo de Rankine |
| Russian | цикл Ранкина |
| Japanese | ランキンサイクル |
| Italian | ciclo Rankine |
| Vietnamese | chu trình Rankine |
| Hindi | रैंकिन चक्र |
| Thai | วัฏจักรแรงคิน |
| Indonesian | siklus Rankine |
| Korean | 랭킨 사이클 |
| Bengali | র্যাঙ্কিন চক্র |
| Dutch | Rankine-cyclus |
| Swedish | Rankinecykel |
| Finnish | Rankine-sykli |
| Ukrainian | цикл Ранкіна |
Frequently asked questions
What does Rankine Cycle mean in engineering?
A thermodynamic cycle that converts heat into mechanical work, commonly used in steam power plants. It involves four steps: isentropic compression, constant-pressure heat addition, isentropic expansion, and constant-pressure heat rejection. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Rankine Cycle?
Rankine Cycle is pronounced /ˈræŋkɪn ˈsaɪkəl/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Rankine Cycle used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle in the coal-fired power plant was improved by increasing the boiler pressure and superheat temperature.”
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