Recently there is a growing interest in a new class \of measurement-based quantum engine cycles. Since quantum measurements can change the state of the system and its internal energy, it is possible to devise a protocol of generalized measurements for inserting/removing heat as well as extracting work from the system. In this dissertation, we will discuss some thermodynamic cycles powered by generalized measurements, including protocols that operate in motor, thermal accelerator and cooler modes. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques we will show the experimental characterization of a spin 1/2 quantum engine based on generalized measurements. We evidenced the possibility of achieving unitary efficiency for this type of motor in our proof-of-concept experiment. Finally, we will theoretically study the effects of indefinite of causal orders of generalized measures in these thermodynamic cycles. For this ain we consider two measurement channels with superposition of their application order, which is done through a quantum control associated to the measurement channel. We will see that the control/undefinition of causal orders of measurement operations plays a non-trivial role in the studied quantum thermodynamic protocols.