Performance and stability of the mist-lift process for open-cycle OTEC

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5285408

Davenport, R L

In the mist flow proposal for open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), the thermal energy of the warm water is converted into gravitational potential energy causing the water to flow vertically upward as a low-pressure two-phase flow of small droplets in water vapor. The gravitational energy is then converted to electrical energy using a standard hydraulic turbine. The results of SERI's analytical studies of the mist lift process are summarized. Several computer models have been developed: a single-drop-size steady-state (SDS) model; a multiple-drop-size steady-state model including drop coalescence and drop breakup (MDS-B model), and a single-drop-size transient (SDT) model. Results from the multiple-drop-size model indicate that drop growth is rapid up to a mean diameter of about 0.5 mm, and that the drop size spectrum changes little thereafter. Parametric studies performed with the SDS model showed that the range of performance of the mist lift process is large, and showed the effects of design parameters on performance. Results of the transient model suggest that the mist lift process is stable to variations in major parameters as long as the variations are confined to the steady-state operational limits of the particular mist lift tube. Listings of the computer programs used in the study are included as appendices.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5285408
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-252-1422; ON: DE82010881
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
COMPUTER CODES
CONVERSION
DROPLETS
ENERGY CONVERSION
LIFT CYCLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MIST-LIFT CYCLES
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PARTICLES
PERFORMANCE
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
STABILITY
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES
TRANSIENTS