Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

Ocean thermal energy

conversion (OTEC)

• It uses the temperature difference between cooler deep and

warmer shallow or surface seawaters to run a turbine and
produce useful work, usually in the form of electricity.
 History

Attempts to develop and refine otec

technology started in the 1880s.

In 1881, Jacques Arsene D'arsonval, a

French physicist, proposed tapping
the thermal energy of the ocean.
D'arsonval's student, Georges Claude,
built the first otec plant, in Matanzas,
Cuba in 1930.

The system generated 22 kw of

electricity with a low-pressure
turbine. The plant was later
destroyed in a storm.
Types of OTEC
 Closed-cycle OTEC
• OTEC closed-cycle system is based on the Rankine
Cycle
• Mainly used in equatorial waters where temperature
gradient is greatest
• The surface water acts as the heat source, the
deeper cold water acts as a heat sink.
• There can be a 20°C difference between ocean
surface temperature and the temperature at 1000m.
How it works?
• Warm seawater passes
through an evaporator and
vaporizes the working fluid,
ammonia.
• The ammonia vapor passes
through a turbine which
turns a generator making
electricity.
• The lower pressure vapor
leaves the turbine and
condenses in the
condenser connected to a
flow of deep cold seawater.
• The liquid ammonia leaves
the condenser and is
pumped to the evaporator
to repeat the cycle.
 Parts and functions
• Working fluid
- Commonly uses ammonia, these fluids have low boiling
points, and are therefore suitable for powering the system’s
generator to generate electricity.
• Heat Exchanger Evaporator
-Heat from warm seawater causes a fluid like ammonia to be
evaporated in an evaporator.
• Heat Exchanger Condenser
-Cold seawater is brought up and cools the ammonia vapor in
a condenser. This liquid returns to the evaporator and the
process repeats.
• Pumps
- Moves working fluid and seawater through
the system.
• Turbine
- extracts thermal energy from pressurized
ammonia and uses it to do mechanical work
on a rotating output shaft.
• Generator
- A device that converts rotational mechanical
energy to electrical energy.
 Open Cycle OTEC

• Uses seawater as the working fluid. Warm surface water

is evaporated in a flash evaporator (where water is
evaporated at very low pressure), producing low pressure
steam, which drives a turbine and generator to produce
electricity. The steam in cooled in the condenser by deep
cold seawater. If a surface condenser is used (keeping the
condensate and the cooling water separate), then fresh
water is produced.
T
 Parts of Open Cycle OTEC

• Flash Evaporator – Low pressure chamber where seawater

evaporates to low pressure vapor
• Turbine – Produces continuous power for the generator
• Generator- Produces electricity through the power transferred
from the turbine
• Condenser- Chamber where the low pressure vapor will be
condensed through heat transfer from the cold sea water
• Pumps- Pumps in warm surface water towards the flash
evaporator and cold deep sea water towards the condenser
 Location of OTEC

• Land based
• Shelf
• Floating
 Land-based

Land based OTEC is located near-shore.

A land-based plant could be built well inland from the shore, offering more
protection from storms, or on the beach, where the pipes would be longer.

It is located on an onshore site while it draws water from an ocean or sea

through pumps and water is transported through pipes.
 Land-based

Advantage

They can be
Plants Does not require installed in
constructed do Do not require extensive sheltered areas so
not require lengthy power maintenance that they are
sophisticated cables. associated with relatively safe from
mooring. open-ocean storms and heavy
environment. seas.
 Shelf based
To avoid the turbulent surf zone as well as to move
closer to the cold-water resource, OTEC plants can be
mounted to the continental shelf at depths up to 100
meters.

A shelf-mounted plant could be towed to the site and

affixed to the sea bottom.
 Shelf based
Disadvantage

• It became more expensive than land-based facilities.

• Addressing strong ocean currents and large waves
adds engineering and construction expense.
• It requires extensive pilings to maintain a stable
base.
• Power delivery can require long underwater cables
to reach land.
 Floating

Floating OTEC facilities operate off-shore.

The main advantage of such plant is that it can be easily installed

and the required research for setting up a permanent plant as well
as for research projects can be done.

The disadvantage of such plant is that it is more prone to damages

due to storms. The process of laying powerlines at greater depth is
yet another disadvantage.