Subject: RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

Semester: EE- 5th

Subject Code: BTEE- 504D-18

CO4 To get the utilization of Biogas Plants and Geothermal energy

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a renewable energy technology that utilizes the
temperature difference between warm surface waters and cold deep waters in tropical oceans. The
process involves circulating a working fluid, such as ammonia, between a surface heat exchanger
and a deep-water heat exchanger. The warm surface water heats the working fluid, causing it to
vaporize and drive a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.

The cold deep water is used to condense the vapor back into a liquid. OTEC has the potential to
provide continuous, clean energy without greenhouse gas emissions, while also enabling other
benefits like desalination and aquaculture. However, it faces challenges related to high upfront
costs, technical complexity and environmental impacts on marine ecosystems.

Working Principle of OTEC Plant

OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) is a method of generating electricity by utilizing the
temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep water in the ocean. Here is a
simplified explanation of how an OTEC plant works :

1. Collection of warm surface water: The OTEC plant is typically located in a tropical or
subtropical region where there is a significant temperature difference between the surface
and deep ocean waters. Large-diameter pipes called “cold water pipes” or “seawater intake
pipes” are deployed to depths of around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) or more. These pipes
collect warm surface water, usually with temperatures around 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68
to 77 degrees Fahrenheit).
2. Evaporation process: The warm surface water is pumped through a heat exchanger called
the “evaporator.” In the evaporator, a low-pressure liquid (often ammonia) with a low
 boiling point is circulated in a separate closed-loop system. As the warm surface water
passes through the evaporator, it heats the working fluid, causing it to evaporate into steam.
3. Power generation: The high-pressure steam produced from the evaporator is directed
toward a turbine. The steam expands in the turbine, spinning its blades and driving a
generator, which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. This process is
similar to conventional power plants that use steam turbines.
4. Cold water condensation: After passing through the turbine, the now low-pressure and
cooler steam enters a condenser. Cold deep ocean water, usually with temperatures around
5 to 10 degrees Celsius (41 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit), is pumped through another set of
pipes called “warm water pipes” or “sea water discharge pipes.” The cold water circulates
inside the condenser, causing the steam to condense back into a liquid state.
5. Heat rejection: The heat extracted from the steam is transferred to the cold water from the
deep ocean, which absorbs the excess heat. The cold water is then discharged back into the
ocean, completing the cycle.
6. Additional applications: OTEC plants can also utilize the temperature difference to
produce freshwater through a process called “desalination.” As warm surface water passes
through the evaporator, it can be used to evaporate seawater, leaving the salt behind. The
resulting steam can then be condensed to produce fresh water.

It’s important to note that OTEC technology is still in the early stages of development, and large-
scale commercial OTEC plants are limited in number. There are several variations of OTEC
systems, such as closed-cycle and open-cycle systems, each with its own design considerations.
The efficiency and viability of OTEC plants depend on factors such as the temperature differential,
availability of suitable sites and economic considerations.

OTEC system

The system converts the thermal energy of hot surface water of the sea into electrical and other
forms of energy because of the temperature gradient existing between the surface and deep
seawater. There are potentially three basic types of OTEC power plant cycles to be utilized as
below :

o (a) Open cycle

o (b) Closed cycle
o (c) Hybrid cycle.

1. Open Cycle or (Clude Cycle)

An open-cycle OTEC system operates similarly to a closed-cycle system, but with a few notable
differences. In an open-cycle OTEC plant, there is no intermediate working fluid involved. Instead,
the warm surface water directly enters a vacuum-flashed evaporator, where it is transformed into
low-pressure vapour in a vacuumed environment. This process requires a significant vacuum pump
to create the necessary conditions.

Here is a breakdown of the steps involved in the open-cycle OTEC process :

1. Warm surface water intake: The warm seawater from the ocean surface is pumped into
the flash evaporator, denoted as step (1-2) in the process.
2. Flash evaporation: In the flash evaporator, the warm sea water is subjected to low pressure
and vacuum conditions, causing it to rapidly vaporize and form steam. This step is
represented as (1-2) in the process.
3. Steam production: The depressurization process continues from (2) to (3), resulting in the
complete vaporization of the seawater and the production of steam. This steam is then
directed to the low-pressure turbine, represented as (3-5) in the process.
4. Power generation: The steam generated in the previous step is used to drive a large-
diameter low-pressure turbine (around 12 m/MW of the steam plant). The turbine is
connected to a generator, which converts the mechanical energy of the turbine into
electrical energy.
5. Warm water discharge: The warm water separated from the evaporator, depicted as (4)
in the process, is discharged back into the ocean at the bottom. This step completes the
cycle for the warm water.
 6. Steam condensation: After leaving the turbine, the steam enters a contact-type condenser,
represented as (5-7) in the process. Cold water from the depths of the ocean is pumped into
the condenser to facilitate the condensation of the steam back into liquid form.
7. Desalination and utilization: The condensed water obtained from the condenser is
desalinated water, which can be utilized for various purposes. This water is typically free
of salt and can be used for drinking, agriculture, or other applications.
8. Cold water intake: The cold deep water from the ocean, after being used in the condenser,
is discharged back into the sea, where it meets the low-temperature seawater. This step is
denoted as (6) in the process.

The open-cycle OTEC system requires a large turbine due to the significant volume of low-
pressure steam involved (typically around 0.02 bar). Additionally, the plant necessitates a
substantial amount of pumping work due to the large quantities of warm and cold water handled,
which is a result of the low-temperature difference between the water sources.

2. Closed Cycle or (Anderson Cycle)

In a closed-cycle OTEC system, the warm surface water does not directly vaporize. Instead, it
heats an intermediate working fluid with a low boiling point, such as ammonia or freon, in the
evaporator (heat exchanger).
 1. Warm surface water intake: The warm seawater is directed into the evaporator, where it
transfers heat to the intermediate working fluid (ammonia or freon).
2. Heat transfer and vaporization: The warm surface water in the evaporator raises the
temperature of the intermediate working fluid, causing it to vaporize into a high-pressure
gas.
3. Power generation: The high-pressure gas from the evaporator is directed to drive the
turbines, which are connected to generators to produce electricity.
4. Condensation: After passing through the turbine, the high-pressure gas (now at a lower
pressure) enters the condenser. Cold water from the deep sea is used to cool the gas, causing
it to condense back into a liquid state.
5. Heat rejection and circulation: The condensed liquid working fluid is pumped back to
the evaporator to restart the cycle. At all times, the working fluid remains in a closed system
and is continuously circulated by a pump.

3. Hybrid Cycle

This cycle is a combination of open and closed cycles. The overall thermal efficiency of a hybrid
system is higher than the other two systems. The hybrid systems are used to produce electricity as
well as desalinated water.
There are two concepts of the hybrid system. The first one is to use a closed-cycle OTEC to
generate electricity and produce desalinated water. The necessary low-pressure environment for
the open cycle OTEC is produced in the flash evaporator to flash the water vapor. The water gets
evaporated in a vacuum chamber and is condensed back in the second ammonia evaporator to
produce desalinated water as in an open cycle. The intermediate secondary fluid (ammonia) gets
evaporated in this chamber and enters the turbine as in a closed cycle to produce turbine work to
generate electricity. The non-condensable gases are removed from the ammonia evaporator and
are discharged into the atmosphere.

The second concept is to integrate two open cycles OTEC, one cycle is used to run the turbine.
This work is utilized to create the vacuum environment in the heat exchanger. In this cycle, there
will be twice the amount of desalinated water produced.

Advantages of OTEC Plant

1. Renewable energy: OTEC harnesses the ocean’s thermal energy, providing a renewable
and sustainable source of power.
2. Baseload power: OTEC can generate electricity consistently, offering a reliable baseload
power supply without relying on intermittent sources like solar or wind.
3. Environmentally friendly: OTEC plants have low greenhouse gas emissions and do not
contribute to air pollution, making them environmentally friendly compared to fossil fuel-
based power generation.
 4. Integrated desalination: OTEC can produce freshwater through desalination, addressing
water scarcity issues in coastal regions.
5. Potential for additional applications: OTEC has the potential for diverse applications
such as aquaculture, supporting economic growth, and food security in coastal areas.

Disadvantages of OTEC Plant

1. Limited scalability: OTEC plants currently face challenges in scaling up to large

capacities. The technology is still in the early stages of development, and implementing
larger-scale OTEC plants may require further advancements and infrastructure
modifications.
2. Energy transmission: OTEC plants located far from coastal areas may face challenges in
transmitting the generated electricity to the mainland grid. Overcoming transmission losses
and establishing efficient power transmission infrastructure can be a significant hurdles.
3. Competition with other renewable energy sources: OTEC faces competition from other
well-established and economically viable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind
power. These alternatives may offer more cost-effective solutions, potentially limiting the
widespread adoption of OTEC technology.

Applications of OTEC Plant

1. Power generation: The primary application of OTEC plants is to generate electricity.

OTEC can provide a reliable and continuous source of power, particularly in tropical and
subtropical regions with suitable oceanic conditions.
2. Desalination: OTEC plants can integrate desalination processes to produce fresh water.
The temperature gradient in OTEC systems can be utilized to evaporate seawater and
obtain fresh water through condensation, addressing water scarcity issues in coastal areas.
3. Aquaculture: The nutrient-rich cold water discharged from OTEC plants can be utilized
for aquaculture, promoting the farming of marine species. This supports the growth of fish
and other aquatic organisms, enhancing food security and economic opportunities in
coastal regions.
4. Cooling and air conditioning: OTEC plants can be utilized for cooling applications,
especially in coastal areas with high cooling demands. The cold water from deep ocean
depths can be used for air conditioning and refrigeration, reducing the energy consumption
associated with traditional cooling systems.

Rankine Cycle
 The Rankine Cycle is a mechanical cycle commonly used in power plants to convert the
pressure energy of steam into mechanical energy through steam turbines. The Rankine
Cycle’s major components include a rotating steam turbine, a boiler pump, a stationary
condenser, and a boiler.

A boiler is used to heat the water for steam at the required pressure and temperature as per
the turbine’s requirement for power generation.

The turbine exhaust is directed to a condenser where the steam is cooled and converted
back to liquid water. This water is then pumped back to the boiler to be reheated.

Ideal Rankine Cycle

An Ideal Rankine Cycle occurs when the working fluid passes through the power plant
components without any irreversibility or frictional pressure drops. The Rankine cycle is the basic
operating cycle for all power plants where a working fluid is continuously changing its phase from
liquid to vapor and vice-versa.

The (p-h) and (T-s) diagrams are useful in understanding the working of the Rankine cycle along
with the description given below:
The boiler is a large heat exchanger where heat liberating fuel like coal, lignite, or oil transfers the
heat indirectly to water at constant pressure. Water enters the steam boiler from the boiler feed
pump as a compressed liquid at state-1 and is heated to the saturation temperature as shown in the
T-s diagram as state-3.

The energy balance in the boiler is or energy added in a steam generator,

qin= h3-h1
3-4 Isentropic Expansion or Isentropic expansion in a turbine
Vapor from the boiler outlet enters the turbine at state 3, where it expands isentropically over the
turbine fixed and moving blade to produce work done in the form of mechanical rotation of the
turbine shaft, which is connected to the electrical generator.
Work delivered by the turbine (Neglecting heat transfer with the surroundings)
Wturbine out= h3-h4
4-5 Isobaric Heat Rejection or Constant pressure heat rejection in a condenser

At state-4, vapor enters the condenser. The change of phase occurs as vapor is condensed to liquid
at constant-pressure in the condenser by transferring the steam’s heat to the circulating water flow
through the tubes of the condenser. Change of phase occurs in the condenser, and the working
fluid leaving the condenser is in a liquid state and marked as point 5.
Energy rejected in the condenser, qout= h4-h5
5-1 Isentropic Compression or Isentropic compression in a pump

Water exits the condenser at state 5 and enters the pump. This pump raises the pressure of the
water by imparting work during the processes. In units of smaller size and low specific volume,
this small work can be neglected compared to the work-output of a steam turbine.
Work was done on the pump per kg of water, W51= h5-h1.
The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle is given by:

OR

Difference Between Ideal and Actual Rankine Cycle

The efficiency of the ideal Rankine cycle is close to the efficiency of the Carnot Cycle.

But in real plants, each stage of the Rankine cycle is associated with some irreversible processes.
Thus the efficiency of the actual Rankine cycle is far lower than the ideal Rankine cycle
efficiency.
Given below Fig. 1-a and Fig 1-b represents the Rankine cycle on P-v and T-s diagram
 Rankine Cycle Representation is as follows on P-v and T-s diagrams:

Ideal Rankine Cycle 1-2‘-b-3‘-4‘-1

Actual Rankine Cycle 1-2-b-3-4-1

Critical Point (CP) is in the curve’s center, as shown in Fig 1-a and 1-b above. The curved lines
on the left side of the CP are saturated-liquid lines, and the region/area to the left of these lines are
called sub-cooled liquid regions.

Similarly, curved lines on the right side of the CP are saturated- vapor lines and the region/area to
the right of these lines are called super-heat vapor regions.