We have always heard or maybe seen several forms of renewable energy generating plants and equipments like hydroelectric plant or solar panels but Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion or OTEC is not the thing that we heard everyday. People upon hearing this things might say "What's that?" or "How will it generate electricity?".
Well, the following post might help you understands how Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion works.
OTEC uses the heat energy stored in the Earth's oceans to generate electricity.
OTEC works best when the temperature difference between the warmer, top layer of the ocean and the colder, deep ocean water is about 20°C (36°F). These conditions exist in tropical coastal areas, roughly between the Tropic of Capricorn (northern Argentina to Madagascar to Australia) and the Tropic of Cancer (Mexico, Middle East, India, South of Taiwan).
OTEC plants require an expensive, big diameter intake pipe, which is submerged a mile or more into the ocean's depths to bring the cold water to the surface.
Experts believe that by becoming cost-competitive with conventional power technologies, OTEC could produce billions of watts of electrical power.
History shows that OTEC technology was started in 1881 by French physicist Jacques Arsene d'Arsonval, who proposed the tapping of ocean's thermal energy. In 1974 the United States established the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, the main purpose is to provide a support facilities for OTEC research.
There are three types of OTEC systems. First is the Close-Cycle which uses low boiling point fluid being heated by oceans' warm surface water to rotate the turbine which in turn produce electricity. Second is the Open-Cycle system which uses oceans' warm surface water, place on a low pressure container to directly rotate the turbine which of course produces electricity. The third is the Hybrid-Cycle, a combination of Close and Open Cycles, in this case warm water heated at low pressure chamber vaporizes and in turn also vaporizes the fluid with low boiling point which rotates the turbine.
DIAGRAM OF HOW OTEC WORKS
Aside from the main product which is electricity, cold seawater can flow directly to the cooling system for air-conditioning purposes. Used seawater which losses much salt during the process can also be use for drinking and agricultural purposes.
