The Oceans Energy

Alternative Energy from the Ocean

In 1881, French engineer Jacques D’Arsonval was able to envision the notion of having Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). Sadly only one place in the world is actually running a plant using and studying this technology and that is The Natural Energy Laboratory on the island of Hawaii. The demand to finance this potential alternative energy source for further study is way beyond what most governments are prepared to go. With such an unlimited power source, you can never ask for cheaper costs since the processes involved driving OTEC are complex and serious funding is required. Unintentionally, due to the disruptive effects that most of our current technologies give out to our environment and society, setting up OTEC plants can not avoid inflicting damages to any locality.

Three types of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion exist:

Propane which is an example of a low-boiling point liquid is what the “Closed Cycle OTEC” uses to act as an intermediate fluid. The Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plant works in a way that it boils the intermediate fluid once it pumps the warm sea water into the reaction chamber. When vapors from the intermediate fluid push the engine’s turbine, electricity is then generated. Cold sea water is then used to cool down the vapor.

It is already taken that intermediate fluid is used in closed cycling and even though there is no such thing involved in the Open Cycle, still, “Open Cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion” isn’t that poles apart from closed cycling. With this method it is just the pressure of the sea that turns the turbines. Under the constraint of a vacuum, the warm sea water originating from the surface of the ocean is turned into a low-pressure vapor. The power to drive the turbine is within the low-pressure vapor when released in a focused area. Once sufficient energy has been created, the now desalinated water is pumped to much lower ocean depths where it is cooled and ready to be used for people to drink.

Since the “Hybrid Cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion” is yet to be explored, it will remain to be just a theory and nothing more unless acted upon. Bringing about the notion that we could make maximum usage of the ocean waters’ thermal energy is just the main purpose of the theory. Even in this theory form, Hybrid Cycling already has two separate methods. The first involves using a closed cycling to generate electricity which is, in turn, used to create the vacuum environment needed for open cycling. Following on from this is the second part which incorporates two open cycle plants that will produce twice the drinking water than one open cycle plant.

Another benefit of the closed cycle plant is to treat chemicals and not just as an energy source. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plants of both types can also be employed to pump cold deep ocean water which can be used to refrigerate and also for air conditioning systems. The water around the plants during the process can also be used to help promote fish farming projects as well. This is a energy source that even after all this time is only just starting to be taken seriously and investigate and it is obvious that many benefits can be derived from the oceans this way.

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