Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system
Abstract
An improved open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system including a flash evaporator for vaporizing relatively warm ocean surface water and an axial flow, elastic fluid turbine having a vertical shaft and axis of rotation. The warm ocean water is transmitted to the evaporator through a first prestressed concrete skirt-conduit structure circumferentially situated about the axis of rotation. The unflashed warm ocean water exits the evaporator through a second prestressed concrete skirt-conduit structure located circumferentially about and radially within the first skirt-conduit structure. The radially inner surface of the second skirt conduit structure constitutes a cylinder which functions as the turbine's outer casing and obviates the need for a conventional outer housing. The turbine includes a radially enlarged disc element attached to the shaft for supporting at least one axial row of radially directed blades through which the steam is expanded. A prestressed concrete inner casing structure of the turbine has upstream and downstream portions respectively situated upstream and downstream from the disc element. The radially outer surfaces of the inner casing portions and radially outer periphery of the axially interposed disc cooperatively form a downwardly radially inwardly tapered surface. An annular steam flowpath of increasing flow area in themore »
- Inventors:
-
- West Goshen, PA
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863502
- Patent Number(s):
- 4189647
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03G - SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-C-03-1473
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- cycle; ocean; thermal; energy; conversion; improved; including; flash; evaporator; vaporizing; relatively; warm; surface; water; axial; flow; elastic; fluid; turbine; vertical; shaft; axis; rotation; transmitted; prestressed; concrete; skirt-conduit; structure; circumferentially; situated; unflashed; exits; located; radially; inner; skirt; conduit; constitutes; cylinder; functions; outer; casing; obviates; conventional; housing; enlarged; disc; element; attached; supporting; row; directed; blades; steam; expanded; upstream; downstream; portions; respectively; surfaces; periphery; axially; interposed; cooperatively; form; downwardly; inwardly; tapered; annular; flowpath; increasing; downward; direction; bounded; structures; transversely; circular; wall; rotatably; associated; substantially; coextensive; receive; array; stationary; vanes; extend; casings; provide; structural; support; impart; desired; rotatably supporting; ocean thermal; skirt-conduit structure; desired flow; annular array; outer casing; ocean water; relatively warm; tapered surface; radially inward; radially inwardly; outer surfaces; structural support; flow direction; outer periphery; turbine blade; outer housing; thermal energy; inner surface; outer surface; energy conversion; turbine blades; radially inner; prestressed concrete; axial direction; axial flow; surface water; steam flow; radially outer; radially directed; annular steam; ocean surface; structure located; vertical shaft; warm ocean; cycle ocean; substantially radial; circular wall; element attached; flash evaporator; stationary vane; associated structure; /290/60/
Citation Formats
Wittig, J Michael. Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Wittig, J Michael. Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system. United States.
Wittig, J Michael. Tue .
"Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863502.
@article{osti_863502,
title = {Open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system},
author = {Wittig, J Michael},
abstractNote = {An improved open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system including a flash evaporator for vaporizing relatively warm ocean surface water and an axial flow, elastic fluid turbine having a vertical shaft and axis of rotation. The warm ocean water is transmitted to the evaporator through a first prestressed concrete skirt-conduit structure circumferentially situated about the axis of rotation. The unflashed warm ocean water exits the evaporator through a second prestressed concrete skirt-conduit structure located circumferentially about and radially within the first skirt-conduit structure. The radially inner surface of the second skirt conduit structure constitutes a cylinder which functions as the turbine's outer casing and obviates the need for a conventional outer housing. The turbine includes a radially enlarged disc element attached to the shaft for supporting at least one axial row of radially directed blades through which the steam is expanded. A prestressed concrete inner casing structure of the turbine has upstream and downstream portions respectively situated upstream and downstream from the disc element. The radially outer surfaces of the inner casing portions and radially outer periphery of the axially interposed disc cooperatively form a downwardly radially inwardly tapered surface. An annular steam flowpath of increasing flow area in the downward axial direction is radially bounded by the inner and outer prestressed concrete casing structures. The inner casing portions each include a transversely situated prestressed concrete circular wall for rotatably supporting the turbine shaft and associated structure. The turbine blades are substantially radially coextensive with the steam flowpath and receive steam from the evaporator through an annular array of prestressed concrete stationary vanes which extend between the inner and outer casings to provide structural support therefor and impart a desired flow direction to the steam.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}