| Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) | | | | the ocean is turned into a low-pressure |
| was conceived of by the French engineer | | | | vapor under the constraint of a vacuum. |
| Jacques D'Arsonval in 1881. However, at | | | | The low-pressure vapor is released in a |
| the time of this writing the Natural | | | | focused area and it has the power to |
| Energy Laboratory of Hawaii is home to | | | | drive the turbine. To cool down the |
| the only operating experimental OTEC | | | | vapor and create desalinated water for |
| plant on the face of the earth. OTEC is | | | | human consumption, the deeper ocean's |
| a potential alternative energy source | | | | cold waters are added to the vapor after |
| that needs to be funded and explored | | | | it has generated sufficient electricity. |
| much more than it presently is. | | | | Hybrid Cycle OTEC is really just a |
| The great hurdle to get over with OTEC | | | | theory for the time being. It seeks to |
| implementation on a wide and practically | | | | describe the way that we could make |
| useful level is cost. It is difficult to | | | | maximum usage of the thermal energy of |
| get the costs down to a reasonable level | | | | the ocean's waters. There are actually |
| because of the processes presently | | | | two sub-theories to the theory of Hybrid |
| utilized to drive OTEC. Ocean thermal | | | | Cycling. The first involves using a |
| energy would be very clean burning and | | | | closed cycling to generate electricity. |
| not add pollutants into the air. | | | | This electricity is in turn used to |
| However, as it presently would need to | | | | create the vacuum environment needed for |
| be set up with our current technologies, | | | | open cycling. The second component is |
| OTEC plants would have the capacity for | | | | the integration of two open cyclings |
| disrupting and perhaps damaging the | | | | such that twice the amount of |
| local environment. | | | | desalinated, potable water is created |
| There are three kinds of OTEC. | | | | than with just one open cycle. |
| Closed Cycle OTEC uses a low-boiling | | | | In addition to being used for producing |
| point liquid such as, for example, | | | | electricity, a closed cycle OTEC plant |
| propane to act as an intermediate fluid. | | | | can be utilized for treating chemicals. |
| The OTEC plant pumps the warm sea water | | | | OTEC plants, both open cycling and close |
| into the reaction chamber and boils the | | | | cycling kinds, are also able to be |
| intermediate fluid. This results in the | | | | utilized for pumping up cold deep sea |
| intermediate fluid's vapor pushing the | | | | water which can then be used for |
| turbine of the engine, which thus | | | | refrigeration and air conditioning. |
| generates electricity. The vapor is then | | | | Furthermore, during the moderation |
| cooled down by putting in cold sea | | | | period when the sea water is surrounding |
| water. | | | | the plant, the enclosed are can be used |
| Open Cycle OTEC is not that different | | | | for mariculture and aquaculture projects |
| from closed cycling, except in the Open | | | | such as fish farming. There is clearly |
| Cycle there is no intermediate fluid. | | | | quite an array of products and services |
| The sea water itself is the driver of | | | | that we could derive from this |
| the turbine engine in this OTEC format. | | | | alternative energy source. |
| Warm sea water found on the surface of | | | | |