Alternative Energy from the Ocean
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) was conceived
of by the French engineer Jacques D'Arsonval in 1881. However, at the
time of this writing the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii is home to
the only operating experimental OTEC plant on the face of the earth.
OTEC is a potential alternative energy source that needs to be funded
and explored much more than it presently is. The great hurdle to get
over with OTEC implementation on a wide and practically useful level is
cost. It is difficult to get the costs down to a reasonable level
because of the processes presently utilized to drive OTEC. Ocean thermal
energy would be very clean burning and not add pollutants into the air.
However, as it presently would need to be set up with our current
technologies, OTEC plants would have the capacity for disrupting and
perhaps damaging the local environment.
There are three kinds of OTEC.
“Closed Cycle OTEC” uses a low-boiling point liquid such as, for
example, propane to act as an intermediate fluid. The OTEC plant pumps
the warm sea water into the reaction chamber and boils the intermediate
fluid. This results in the intermediate fluid's vapor pushing the
turbine of the engine, which thus generates electricity. The vapor is
then cooled down by putting in cold sea water.
“Open Cycle OTEC” is not that different from closed cycling, except in
the Open Cycle there is no intermediate fluid. The sea water itself is
the driver of the turbine engine in this OTEC format. Warm sea water
found on the surface of the ocean is turned into a low-pressure vapor
under the constraint of a vacuum. The low-pressure vapor is released in
a focused area and it has the power to drive the turbine. To cool down
the vapor and create desalinated water for human consumption, the deeper
ocean's cold waters are added to the vapor after it has generated
sufficient electricity.
“Hybrid Cycle OTEC” is really just a theory for the time being. It seeks
to describe the way that we could make maximum usage of the thermal
energy of the ocean's waters. There are actually two sub-theories to the
theory of Hybrid Cycling. The first involves using a closed cycling to
generate electricity. This electricity is in turn used to create the
vacuum environment needed for open cycling. The second component is the
integration of two open cyclings such that twice the amount of
desalinated, potable water is created that with just one open cycle.
In addition to being used for producing electricity, a closed cycle OTEC
plant can be utilized for treating chemicals. OTEC plants, both open
cycling and close cycling kinds, are also able to be utilized for
pumping up cold deep sea water which can then be used for refrigeration
and air conditioning. Furthermore, during the moderation period when the
sea water is surrounding the plant, the enclosed are can be used for
mariculture and aquaculture projects such as fish farming. There is
clearly quite an array of products and services that we could derive
from this alternative energy source.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters, portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop online at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. We offer
a great selection online at the lowest prices anywhere. We can also be
found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube