thermodynamic power cycles are the basis for the operation of heat engines, which supply most of the world's electric power and run almost all motor vehicles. power cycles can be divided according to the type of heat engine they seek to model. the most common cycles that model internal combustion engines are the otto cycle, which models gasoline engines and the diesel cycle, which models diesel engines. cycles that model external combustion engines include the brayton cycle, which models gas turbines, and the rankine cycle, which models steam turbines.