All optimizations used in the Rankine cycle can be integrated into this cycle, such as superheating, reheating and regeneration.

The Hygroscopic Cycle was created and developed by Francisco Javier Rubio Serrano in 2008 and is at the state of the art Archived October 3, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. since 2010, as "Rankine Cycle with absorption stage using hygroscopic compounds".[3]​ In 2012 IMASA, Ingeniería y Proyectos, S.A, acquired the exclusive exploitation rights of the technology.

It is a thermodynamic cycle that evolves to the Rankine cycle, with similarities to the Kalina cycle.

This cycle is applicable to any plant that uses a Rankine or steam cycle to generate electrical energy (thermoelectric plants, biomass plants "Biomass (energy)"), solar thermal plants, combined cycles, nuclear plants, cogeneration, and converting fossil fuel thermal plants into regenerable fuels[4]​), especially those where the price of water is high or said resource is poorly accessible.

A demonstration plant of the hygroscopic cycle has been built, demonstrating the concepts of the cycle, which includes the absorption of vapor in an absorber in which hygroscopic compounds are recirculated, obtaining condensations "Condensation (change of state)") with temperatures higher than the saturation temperature. In this way, the physical and chemical characteristics of the hygroscopic compounds are verified, as well as their impact on the boiler, and other main cycle equipment similar to those found in thermoelectric plants.

A 12.5 MW plant with biomass "Biomass (energy)") as fuel is in operation in the province of Córdoba since May 22, 2017 using the hygroscopic cycle. Biomass as a source of renewable energy is within the sectoral policies of the European Union, and will play an important role in the energy matrix in the future. The fuel used is orujillo, and the first plant in Spain to use a fluidized bed boiler. The plant's production was forced to reduce its production year after year due to the lack of water and the restrictions posed by the high temperatures reached in the southern Cordoba countryside. Successive increases in temperature are expected due to climate change, and with the hygroscopic cycle technology, the plant has been able to become independent of water, increasing its net electrical performance and continuing to produce in extreme heat conditions and water restrictions.

Hygroscopic compounds are all those substances that attract water in the form of vapor or liquid from their environment, hence their main application as desiccants. Many of them react chemically with water such as hydrides or alkali metals. Others trap it as water of hydration in their crystalline structure, as is the case with sodium sulfate. Water can also be physically adsorbed. In these last two cases, the retention is reversible and the water can be desorbed "Absorption (chemical)"). In the first case, having reacted, it cannot be recovered in a simple way.

Examples of such compounds are: calcium chloride, ferric chloride, magnesium chloride, zinc chloride, potassium carbonate, sodium sulfate, lithium bromide, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. The presence of these compounds in dilution "Dilution (chemical)") with water modifies its properties in relation to its pure state. These modifications are known as properties of a solution, classified as constitutive (viscosity, density, electrical conductivity, etc.) and colligative (decrease in the vapor pressure of the solvent, increase in the boiling point, decrease in the freezing point and osmotic pressure) of special interest in this technology.

All optimizations used in the Rankine cycle can be integrated into this cycle, such as superheating, reheating and regeneration.

The Hygroscopic Cycle was created and developed by Francisco Javier Rubio Serrano in 2008 and is at the state of the art Archived October 3, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. since 2010, as "Rankine Cycle with absorption stage using hygroscopic compounds".[3]​ In 2012 IMASA, Ingeniería y Proyectos, S.A, acquired the exclusive exploitation rights of the technology.

It is a thermodynamic cycle that evolves to the Rankine cycle, with similarities to the Kalina cycle.

This cycle is applicable to any plant that uses a Rankine or steam cycle to generate electrical energy (thermoelectric plants, biomass plants "Biomass (energy)"), solar thermal plants, combined cycles, nuclear plants, cogeneration, and converting fossil fuel thermal plants into regenerable fuels[4]​), especially those where the price of water is high or said resource is poorly accessible.

A demonstration plant of the hygroscopic cycle has been built, demonstrating the concepts of the cycle, which includes the absorption of vapor in an absorber in which hygroscopic compounds are recirculated, obtaining condensations "Condensation (change of state)") with temperatures higher than the saturation temperature. In this way, the physical and chemical characteristics of the hygroscopic compounds are verified, as well as their impact on the boiler, and other main cycle equipment similar to those found in thermoelectric plants.

A 12.5 MW plant with biomass "Biomass (energy)") as fuel is in operation in the province of Córdoba since May 22, 2017 using the hygroscopic cycle. Biomass as a source of renewable energy is within the sectoral policies of the European Union, and will play an important role in the energy matrix in the future. The fuel used is orujillo, and the first plant in Spain to use a fluidized bed boiler. The plant's production was forced to reduce its production year after year due to the lack of water and the restrictions posed by the high temperatures reached in the southern Cordoba countryside. Successive increases in temperature are expected due to climate change, and with the hygroscopic cycle technology, the plant has been able to become independent of water, increasing its net electrical performance and continuing to produce in extreme heat conditions and water restrictions.