Author : Gaurav Kulkarni and Susmit Joshi

Ocean thermal energy conversion system (OTEC) generates electricity indirectly from solar energy, by using temperature difference between warm surface sea water and cold deep sea water by the sun mixed to depths of about 100 m by wave motion. The bottom layer consists of colder water formed at high latitudes. The interface or thermo cline is sometimes marked by an abrupt change in temperature but more often the change is gradual. The temperature difference between the upper (warm) and bottom (cold) layers ranges from 10 °C to 25 °C, with the higher values found in equatorial waters. This implies that there are two enormous reservoirs providing the heat source and the heat sink required for a heat engine. Since OTEC exploits renewable source of energy, recurring cost to generate electric energy is less. There are many applications to this system such as potable water, Hydrogen preparation, nuclear power plant cooling-water purification and electricity generation from the relatively waste and poisonous water.

Keywords: Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), Renewable energy, Refrigerants Simple Rankine cycle, Uehera cycle.

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.6 (Dec-2016)