Results of in-situ biofouling control, and corrosion test at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico and its significance on OTEC heater exchanger design

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5049224

Sasscer, D S; Morgan, T O; Tosteson, T R

Because Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) operates at a low thermodynamic efficiency, heat exchangers represent a major portion of the overall cost of an OTEC power plant. For this reason, the commercial viability of OTEC depends on the design of efficient and inexpensive heat exchangers which have an operational life expectancy of 20 to 30 years and which can be maintained at a high level of efficiency by the use of effective biofouling control. Summarized here are the results of experiments conducted by the Center for Energy and Environment Research of the University of Puerto Rico to: determine the nature of the biofilm which develops on heat exchanger surfaces exposed to running seawater, test the effectiveness of brush cleaning and chlorination in controlling biofouling on these surfaces and study the corrosion behavior of zinc protected aluminum alloys under OTEC conditions in an attempt to qualify them for use in low cost OTEC heat exchangers.

• Research Organization: Center for Energy and Env. Res., College Station, Mayaguez
• OSTI ID: 5049224
• Journal Information: Proc. Annu. Meet. - Am. Sect. Int. Sol. Energy Soc.; (United States), Vol. 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
HEAT EXCHANGERS
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
CORROSION RESISTANCE
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ANTIFOULANTS
CLEANING
CONTROL
MATERIALS TESTING
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PUERTO RICO
SERVICE LIFE
ALLOYS
FEDERAL REGION II
FOULING
GREATER ANTILLES
ISLANDS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER PLANTS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
USA
WEST INDIES
140800* - Solar Energy- Ocean Energy Systems