The document defines key terms related to steam power plants, including saturation temperature, dryness fraction, enthalpy of vaporization, and superheated vapor. It then describes the ideal Rankine cycle, which consists of four processes: isentropic expansion in a turbine, constant pressure heat rejection in a condenser, isentropic compression in a pump, and constant pressure heat addition in a boiler. Deviations from the ideal cycle include irreversibilities from fluid friction and heat loss. Methods to increase the efficiency of the Rankine cycle include lowering the condenser pressure, superheating the steam, increasing the boiler pressure, and using reheat cycles.