Conceptual design of an open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion net power-producing experiment (OC-OTEC NPPE)

Technical Report · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6625364· OSTI ID:6625364

Bharathan, D; Green, H J; Link, H F; Parsons, B K; Parsons, J M; Zangrando, F

This report describes the conceptual design of an experiment to investigate heat and mass transfer and to assess the viability of open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OC-OTEC). The experiment will be developed in two stages, the Heat- and Mass-Transfer Experimental Apparatus (HMTEA) and the Net Power-Producing Experiment (NPPE). The goal for the HMTEA is to test heat exchangers. The goal for the NPPE is to experimentally verify OC-OTEC's feasibility by installing a turbine and testing the power-generating system. The design effort met the goals of both the HMTEA and the NPPE, and duplication of hardware was minimal. The choices made for the design resource water flow rates are consistent with the availability of cold and warm seawater as a result of the seawater systems upgrade carried out by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the state of Hawaii, and the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research. The choices regarding configuration of the system were made based on projected performance, degree of technical risk, schedule, and cost. The cost for the future phase of the design and the development of the HMTEA/NPPE is consistent with the projected future program funding levels. The HMTEA and NPPE were designed cooperatively by PICHTR, Argonne National Laboratory, and Solar Energy Research Institute under the guidance of DOE. The experiment will be located at the DOE's Seacoast Test Facility at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. 71 refs., 41 figs., 34 tabs.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 6625364
• Report Number(s): SERI/TP-253-3616; ON: DE90000304
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
DESIGN
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
OPEN-CYCLE SYSTEMS
DESALINATION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EQUIPMENT INTERFACES
EVAPORATORS
FLOW RATE
FLOWSHEETS
FORECASTING
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING METHODS
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
POWER GENERATION
PROCESS CONTROL
SAFETY
SEAWATER
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SPECIFICATIONS
STEAM CONDENSERS
STEAM TURBINES
CONDENSERS
CONTROL
CONVERSION
DEMINERALIZATION
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY TRANSFER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MACHINERY
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VAPOR CONDENSERS
WATER
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
140800* - Solar Energy- Ocean Energy Systems
299000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation