Operational experience of the OC-OTEC experiments at NELH

Conference · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6430225

Link, H

The Solar Energy Research Institute, under funding and program direction from the US Department of Energy, has been operating a small-scale test apparatus to investigate key components of open- cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC). The apparatus started operations in October 1987 and continues to provide valuable information on heat-and mass-transfer processes in evaporators and condensers, gas sorption processes as seawater is depressurized and repressurized, and control and instrumentation characteristics of open-cycle systems. Although other test facilities have been used to study some of these interactions, this is the largest apparatus of its kind to use seawater since Georges Claude's efforts in 1926. The information obtained from experiments conducted in this apparatus is being used to design a larger scale experiment in which a positive net power production is expected to be demonstrated for the first time with OC-OTEC. This paper describes the apparatus, the major tests conducted during its first 18 months of operation, and the experience gained in OC-OTEC system operation. 13 refs., 8 figs.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6430225
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-253-3480; CONF-890436-10; ON: DE89000877
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140800* -- Solar Energy-- Ocean Energy Systems
CONDENSERS
CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVAPORATORS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
MACHINERY
MASS TRANSFER
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
TESTING
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY