Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system structure

Patent · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:863605

Wittig, J Michael ^[1]

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1. West Goshen, PA

A generally mushroom-shaped, open cycle OTEC system and distilled water producer which has a skirt-conduit structure extending from the enlarged portion of the mushroom to the ocean. The enlarged part of the mushroom houses a toroidal casing flash evaporator which produces steam which expands through a vertical rotor turbine, partially situated in the center of the blossom portion and partially situated in the mushroom's stem portion. Upon expansion through the turbine, the motive steam enters a shell and tube condenser annularly disposed about the rotor axis and axially situated beneath the turbine in the stem portion. Relatively warm ocean water is circulated up through the radially outer skirt-conduit structure entering the evaporator through a radially outer portion thereof, flashing a portion thereof into motive steam, and draining the unflashed portion from the evaporator through a radially inner skirt-conduit structure. Relatively cold cooling water enters the annular condenser through the radially inner edge and travels radially outwardly into a channel situated along the radially outer edge of the condenser. The channel is also included in the radially inner skirt-conduit structure. The cooling water is segregated from the potable, motive steam condensate which can be used for human consumption or other processes requiring high purity water. The expansion energy of the motive steam is partially converted into rotational mechanical energy of the turbine rotor when the steam is expanded through the shaft attached blades. Such mechanical energy drives a generator also included in the enlarged mushroom portion for producing electrical energy. Such power generation equipment arrangement provides a compact power system from which additional benefits may be obtained by fabricating the enclosing equipment, housings and component casings from low density materials, such as prestressed concrete, to permit those casings and housings to also function as a floating support vessel.

• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4210820
• OSTI ID: 863605
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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additional
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houses
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human
included
inner
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materials
mechanical
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motive
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mushroom
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obtained
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outer
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outwardly
partially
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potable
power
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prestressed
prestressed concrete
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provides
purity
radially
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radially outer
radially outward
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relatively
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requiring
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rotor
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skirt-conduit
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steam
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thermal
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