Alternative Energy from the Ocean

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Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), which had been developed by the French engineer Jacques D'Arsonval in 1881. However, at the time of this writing 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 sources that need to be funded and explored more than now. A big hurdle to get over with OTEC implementation on the broad practical and useful level of cost. Difficult to get the cost to a reasonable level because of the process now used to drive OTEC. Ocean thermal energy will be very clean burning and not add to air pollution. However, because no longer will need to set up with the technology at this time, OTEC plants would have the ability to disrupt and possibly damage the local environment.

There are three types 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 space and boils the intermediate fluid. This results in the liquid from the steam turbine from pushing the machine, which produces electricity. With steam is then cooled down in the water by placing the cold sea.

"Open Cycle OTEC" is not that different from closed cycling, except in the Open Cycle there is no intermediate fluid. Sea water itself is the driver of the turbine engine in this OTEC format. Warm sea water found on the sea surface is changed to low-pressure vapor under the constraint of a vacuum. The low pressure vapor is released and is focused in the area have the power to encourage the turbine. To create a cool steam and desalinated water for human consumption, the more cold water from the sea is added to the steam generated sufficient electricity.

"Hybrid Cycle OTEC" really only a theory for a while. He tried to explain how we can make maximum use of the heat energy from sea water. Actually there are two sub-theories to the theory of Hybrid Cycling. The first involves the closed cycling to generate electricity. Electricity is in turn used to create the environment required to open vacuum cycling. The second component is the integration of two open cyclings as twice the amount of desalinated, potable water, are made with just one open cycle.

In addition to used to generate electricity, a closed cycle OTEC plant can be utilized for treating chemicals. OTEC plants, both open cycling and close cycling type, can also be used for pumping up cold deep sea water which then can be used for refrigeration and air. In addition, during the moderation period when the sea water is around the factory, which covered that can be used for projects and marine fish such as farming. Not clear enough array of products and services that we can derive from this alternative energy source.