Rankine Cycle Efficiency Calculator
Calculate the thermal efficiency of an ideal Rankine cycle based on your input parameters. This calculator helps engineers and students analyze steam power plant performance.
100°C
700°C
1 MPa
20 MPa
5 kPa
100 kPa
50%
100%
50%
100%
Cycle Efficiency
0%
Net Work Output
0 kJ/kg
Heat Added
0 kJ/kg
Heat Rejected
0 kJ/kg
Rankine Cycle Diagram
About the Rankine Cycle
The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that converts heat into work. It’s the fundamental operating cycle of all steam power plants. The cycle consists of four main processes:
- Isentropic compression in a pump
- Isobaric heat addition in a boiler
- Isentropic expansion in a turbine
- Isobaric heat rejection in a condenser
The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle is calculated as the net work output divided by the heat added to the system.
How to Use This Calculator
Adjust the input parameters using the sliders or by typing values directly. The calculator will automatically compute:
- Thermal efficiency of the cycle
- Net work output per unit mass
- Heat added in the boiler
- Heat rejected in the condenser
Typical Values
For reference, modern steam power plants typically operate with:
- Turbine inlet temperatures: 500-600°C
- Turbine inlet pressures: 8-16 MPa
- Condenser pressures: 5-15 kPa
- Thermal efficiencies: 30-40%