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Title: OTEC-1 power system test program: performance of one-megawatt heat exchangers

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5285585· OSTI ID:5285585

Heat exchanger test results for the first deployment of OTEC-1 are reported. These tests were aimed at evaluating the performance of a state-of-the-art, 1-MWe titanium shell-and-tube evaporator and condenser in an ocean environment. The evaporator consisted of both a plain and an enhanced (Union Carbide High Flux) tube bundle, whereas the condenser had plain tubes only. All tests with the evaporator were conducted in the sprayed-bundle mode. Experimental results for the condenser and plain-tube portion of the evaporator were in excellent agreement with performance predictions. This result demonstrates that the thermal performance of large plain-tube heat exchangers can be predicted with a high level of confidence. However, the performance of the enhanced-tube portion of the evaporator was much lower thn predicted. Evidence strongly suggested that this poor performance was attributable mainly to fouling of the High Flux surface by corrosion products consisting predominantly of hydrated aluminum oxides.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
5285585
Report Number(s):
ANL/OTEC-PS-10; ON: DE82008090
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English