ANS:C - Rankine

The thermodynamic cycle involved in the working of a thermal power plant is the Rankine cycle. The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that describes the operation of steam power plants, including coal-fired, nuclear, and natural gas power plants. It is the most commonly used cycle for power generation due to its practicality and efficiency. In the Rankine cycle, water is heated to produce steam, which expands through a turbine to produce mechanical work. The steam is then condensed back into water and returned to the boiler to be heated again, completing the cycle. The Rankine cycle allows for the continuous generation of power by converting heat energy into mechanical work and then into electrical energy. The other options mentioned are also thermodynamic cycles:

• The Joule cycle is a theoretical cycle representing the ideal behavior of a gas undergoing adiabatic expansion and compression.
• The Carnot cycle is another theoretical cycle representing the maximum efficiency possible for a heat engine operating between two temperature reservoirs.
• The Brayton cycle is a thermodynamic cycle used in gas turbine engines, such as those used in aircraft propulsion and some power plants.