Manual of the Steam Engine and other Prime Movers

work by Rankine

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June 30, 2026

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William John Macquorn Rankine, a Scottish engineer and physicist, was a founder of thermodynamics. His 1859 work, Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Movers, was the first systematic treatment of steam-engine theory. It introduced the Rankine cycle, an ideal thermodynamic cycle used to measure the performance of steam power plants. A prime mover is an initial source of motive power, such as a steam engine, that modifies natural forces to drive machinery. Rankine's contributions significantly advanced the understanding and application of steam power.12

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William John Macquorn Rankine
His classic Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Movers (1859) was the first attempt at a systematic treatment of steam-engine theory. Rankine worked out a thermodynamic cycle of events (the so-called Rankine cycle) used as a standard for the performance of steam-power installations in which…
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His classic Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Movers (1859) was the first attempt at a systematic treatment of steam-engine theory. Rankine worked out a thermodynamic cycle of events (the so-called Rankine cycle) used as a standard for the performance of steam-power installations in which…
Read More