About this lesson
The Rankine cycle is the practical steam cycle used in coal, nuclear and the steam part of combined-cycle plants. Water is pumped, boiled, expanded through a turbine and condensed again.
How it works
- Pump: the condensate is pumped to boiler pressure. Pumping a liquid needs little work.
- Boiler: heat turns the water into high-pressure superheated steam at constant pressure.
- Turbine: steam expands, spins the turbine and generator, and its pressure and temperature fall.
- Condenser: the exhaust steam is condensed to water at low pressure by cooling water.
- The condensate returns to the pump and the loop repeats.