5.

7 OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a method to produce electricity by using the
temperature differences between warm ocean surface and cool deep ocean water to run a heat
engine. If temperature difference is greater,then more energy will be produced. About 70% of the
earth‟s surface is covered by oceans, which are continuously heated by the sun. Extracting the
solar energy stored in an ocean is carried out by exploiting the temperature difference between
warm surface water and cold deep sea water.

OTEC sites that are located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°N and
23.5°S of equator) found to be best locations. Ocean water with temperature gradient of 5°C and
more is known as ocean thermal energy. However, significant amount of electric power can be
generated in the location where a temperature difference of 20°C and above exists between warm
surface water and cold deep water. In many regions, ocean surface water is generally maintained
at 25°C or above and more than 1,000 metres below the surface is generally at about 5°[Link]
average temperature in Baltic Sea is about 10°C, setting up of OTEC electrical power plant is not
Profitable
Therefore, OTEC is an energy technology that converts solar radiation to electric power through
heat of ocean water. These systems use ocean‟s natural thermal gradient. As long as the
temperature difference between the warm surface water and the cold deep water below 600
metres by about 20°C, an OTEC system can produce a significant amount of power.

Thus, oceans are vast renewable resources with the potential to produce thousands of kW of
electric power. The cold deep sea water used in the OTEC system is also rich in nutrients, and it
can be used to cultivate plant and marine organism near the shore or on land.

5.7.1 PRINCIPLE OF OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION

The basic principle of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is explained as follows:

❖ The warm water from the ocean surface is collected and pumped through the heat
exchanger to heat and vaporize a working fluid, and it develops pressure in a secondary
cycle. Then, the vaporized working fluid expands through a heat engine (similar to a
turbine) coupled to an electric generator that generates electrical power. Working fluid
 vapour coming out of heat engine is condensed back into liquid by a condenser. Cold
deep ocean water is pumped through condenser ere the vapour is cooled and returns to
liquid state. The liquid (working fluid) is pumped again through heat exchanger and cycle
repeats. It is known as closed-cycle OTEC.
❖ If ocean surface water is high, enough propane or similar material is used as working
fluid; otherwise, for low-temperature surface water, fluid such as ammonia with low
boiling point is used.

❖ In an open-cycle OETC, warm ocean surface water is pumped into a low pressure boiler
to boil and produce steam. Then, the steam is used in steam turbine to drive an electrical
generator for producing electrical power.

❖ The cold deep sea water is used in condenser to condense steam. Some fractions of
electrical power generated by OTEC plants are used for operating and controlling
equipment's involved in power plants, and high electrical power is used for feeding to
several other energy consumers.

5.3.2 OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION PLANTS

There are two different kinds of OTEC power plants, namely land-based Power plant
and floating power plant.
[Link] Land-based Power Plant
The land-based power plant will consist of a building as shown in Figure 5.3.1. It is
constructed on shore and accommodates all parts of OTEC plants. It requires laying down
long pipes from plant site on shore to two extreme points of necessary temperature
gradient.
One pipe is used to collect warm ocean surface water through screened enclosure near the
shore. Another long pipe lay down on the slope deep into the ocean to collect cold water.
A third pipe is used as outlet to discharge used water again in ocean via marine culture
ponds deep down the ocean. Cost of pipe installation and maintenance is very expensive,
and land based plant is also very expensive.
Since large electricity is used to pump water through long pipes, the net electricity
reduces considerably. Land-based OTEC plant has the advantage of savings on electrical
transmission line and connectivity to electrical power grid.
 Fig 5.3.1. Land Based OTEC power Plant

[Link] Floating Power Plant

! Floating power plant is built on a ship platform exactly where required temperature
gradient sufficient for OTEC plant is available. The working principle of ocean Thermal
energy conversion.(OTEC) is same as that of land-based power plant. Undoubtedly, the
cost savings exist on piping system, but long transmission line is required to transmit
electrical power from plant to sea shore.
! Owing to high installation cost of long Underwater power cables and its inefficiency and
Many other associated problems, floating OTEC plants are considered for the production
of fuels, such as hydrogen, on the platform itself by the electrolysis of water.
! Cold water pipe is the largest single item in the land-based plant design, as the slopes are
seldom larger than 15° or more. If 1,000-metres-long vertical pipe with 10 to 15 m
diameter used in floating plant, the length of land-based plant considering slope will be
about three times.
 Fig 5.3.2 Floating power Plant
[Source: “Renewable Energy Sources and Emerging Technologies” by [Link], K.C Singal,
Rakesh Ranjan, Page: 385]

TYPES OF OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC) CYCLES:

(1) Open cycle (or) Claude cycle.

(2) Closed cycle (or) Anderson cycle.

The ocean and seas constitute about 70% of the earth’ssurface area and hence they represent
a large storage reservoir of the solar energy. In tropical waters, the surface water temperature is
about 27°C and at 1 km directly below, the temperature is about 4°C. The reservoir of surface water
may be considered a heat source and the reservoir of cold water (1 km below) is considered a heat
sink. The concept of ocean thermal energy conversion is based on the utilization of temperature
difference between the heat source and the sink in a heat engine to generate power.

The temperature gradient present in the ocean is utilized in a heat engine to generate power.
This is called OTEC. Since the temperature gradient is very small, even in the tropical region, OTEC
systems have very low efficiencies and very high capital costs. There are two basic designs for
OTEC systems.

1. Open cycle or Claude cycle.

2. Closed cycle or Anderson cycle.

Open cycle or Claude cycle

 In this cycle, the seawater plays a multiple role of a heat source, working fluid, coolant and
heat sink. Warm surface water enters an evaporator where the water is flash evaporated to steam
under particle vacuum. Low pressure is maintained in the evaporator by a vacuum pump. The low
pressure so maintained removes the non-condensable gases from the evaporator. The steam and
water mixture from evaporator then enters a turbine, driving it thus generating electricity. The
exhaust from the turbine is mixed with cold water from deep ocean in a direct contact condenser and
is discharged to the ocean. The cycle is then repeated. Since the condensate is discharged to the
ocean, the cycle is calledopen’. ‘

Flash evaporation

In the evaporator the pressure is maintained at a value (0.0317 bar) slightly lower than the saturation
pressure of warm surface water at 27°C (0.0356 bar). Hence, when the surface water enters the
evaporator, it gets ‘superheated’This. super heated water undergoes ‚volume boiling‛ causing the
water to partially flash to steam.

Figure: OTEC –open cycle.

Closed OTEC cycle

Here, a separate working fluid such as ammonia, propane or Freon is used in addition to water. The
warm surface water is pumped to a boiler by a pump. This warm water gives up its heat to the
secondary working fluid thereby losing its energy and is discharged back to the surface of the ocean.
The vapours of the secondary working fluid generated in the boiler, drive a turbine generating
power. The exhaust from the turbine is cooled in a surface condenser by using cold deep seawater,
and is then circulated back to the boiler by a pump.
 Figure: OTEC –closed cycle

Advantages of OTEC

1. Ocean is an infinite heat reservoir which receives solar incidence throughout the year.
2. Energy is freely available.

Disadvantage of OTEC

1. Efficiency is very low, about 2.5%, as compared to 30-40% efficiency for conventional
power plants.

2. Capital cost is very high.