Proposed OTEC Punta Tuna Pilot Plant

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · AIAA Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5461444

Marina, J; Perez, F

Siting features and the design of a 40 MWe prototype OTEC for installation at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico are presented. An annual average temperature gradient of 40 F from surface to 3,000 ft depth, a sharp coastal drop-off, projected benign environmental effects, and expensive indigenous power supplies are seen as favorable for fixed, floating, or grazing OTEC plants. The Punta Tuna design is for a platform fitted with generators in 300 ft of water, submarine cable power transmission, fiberglass seawater pipes, NH3 as a working fluid, and heat exchangers at the 300 ft depth, below hurricane wind and wave action. Methods of installing the 3,000 ft cold water pipes are discussed, and the use of OTEC derived electricity for aluminum smelting in the Caribbean is indicated.

• Research Organization: Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, San Juan, PR
• OSTI ID: 5461444
• Report Number(s): CONF-811205-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIAA Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: 81-2565
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
CONVERSION
DESIGN
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY CONVERSION
FEDERAL REGION II
FLUIDS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GREATER ANTILLES
INSTALLATION
NORTH AMERICA
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
PILOT PLANTS
POWER
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
PUERTO RICO
SITE SELECTION
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
WORKING FLUIDS