OTEC biofouling, corrosion, and materials study from a moored platform at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5599299· OSTI ID:5599299

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

During the 404 days between 29 January 1980 and 10 March 1981 the Center conducted an uninterrupted biofouling test at Punta Tuna, Puerto Rico, of periodically cleaned, OTEC evaporator tubes. The fouling resistance (R/sub f), total surface carbon and nitrogen content, ATP, and the wet film thickness (WFT) were determined throughout the test. Visual observations of the fouling film were made by light sectioning and scanning microscopy, and at the end of the test, a study was made of the macrofouling of the flow system. The results of thest tests indicate that a base layer of bacteria and exudated polysaccharides enhance microbial adhesion and thereby create an environment conducive to rapid film growth. Fouling rates (dR/sub f//dt) for aluminum were generally higher than for titanium but they were linear for both materials and did not exceed 0.3(10/sup -4/)ft/sup 2/-h-/sup 0/F/Btu-day for either material during the 13-month study. Excellent correlation was found to exist between R/sub f/ and WFT which supports the hypothesis that it is the stagnant film of water entrapped by bacteria which is largely responsible for the insulating properties of the biofilm. The macrofouling study identified 61 species of benthic invertebrates representing ten phyla growing in those parts of the flow system, where flow was less than 3 fps but no macrofouling where the flow velocity significantly exceeded 3 fps.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Center for Energy and Environment Research, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5599299
• Report Number(s): ANL/OTEC-BCM-023; ON: DE82007037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
ALUMINIUM
ATP
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL FOULING
CARBON
CLEANING
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EVAPORATORS
FILMS
FILTERS
FOULING
GREATER ANTILLES
HEAT METERS
HOSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
METERS
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSCOPY
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEOTIDES
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER PLANTS
PUERTO RICO
RESIDUES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
TEST FACILITIES
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WATER