Rankine cycle
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noun Thermodynamics.
the hypothetical cycle of a steam engine in which all heat transfers take place at constant pressure and in which expansion and compression occur adiabatically.
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Also called Clausius cycle.
Origin of Rankine cycle
First recorded in 1895–1900; named after W. J. M. Rankine
Words nearby Rankine cycle
Ranke, ranker, ranket, Rankin, Rankine, Rankine cycle, Rankine scale, ranking, ranking member, Rankin, Jeanette, rankism
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for Rankine cycle
British Dictionary definitions for Rankine cycle
Rankine cycle
/ (ˈræŋkɪn) /
noun
the thermodynamic cycle in steam engines by which water is pumped into a boiler at one end and the steam is condensed at the other
Word Origin for Rankine cycle
C19: named after W. J. M. Rankine (1820–72), Scottish physicist
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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