Thermodynamic Cycle - Well-known Thermodynamic Cycles

Well-known Thermodynamic Cycles

In practice, simple idealized thermodynamic cycles are usually made out of four thermodynamic processes. Any thermodynamic processes may be used. However, when idealized cycles are modeled, often processes where one state variable is kept constant are used, such as an isothermal process (constant temperature), isobaric process (constant pressure), isochoric process (constant volume), isentropic process (constant entropy), or an isenthalpic process (constant enthalpy). Often adiabatic processes are also used, where no heat is exchanged.

Some example thermodynamic cycles and their constituent processes are as follows:

Cycle Process 1-2
(Compression)		 Process 2-3
(Heat Addition)		 Process 3-4
(Expansion)		 Process 4-1
(Heat Rejection)		 Notes
Power cycles normally with external combustion - or heat pump cycles:
Bell Coleman adiabatic isobaric adiabatic isobaric A reversed Brayton cycle
Carnot isentropic isothermal isentropic isothermal
Ericsson isothermal isobaric isothermal isobaric the second Ericsson cycle from 1853
Rankine adiabatic isobaric adiabatic isobaric Steam engine
Scuderi adiabatic variable pressure
and volume		 adiabatic isochoric
Stirling isothermal isochoric isothermal isochoric
Stoddard adiabatic isobaric adiabatic isobaric
Power cycles normally with internal combustion:
Brayton adiabatic isobaric adiabatic isobaric Jet engines
the external combustion version of this cycle is known as first Ericsson cycle from 1833
Diesel adiabatic isobaric adiabatic isochoric
Lenoir isobaric isochoric adiabatic Pulse jets
(Note: Process 1-2 accomplishes both the heat rejection and the compression)
Otto adiabatic isochoric adiabatic isochoric Gasoline / petrol engines

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