DocumentCode
3310435
Title
Hydro power from the ocean
Author
Jensen, Robert K.
fYear
1988
fDate
31 Oct-2 Nov 1988
Firstpage
1039
Abstract
A patented hydro-well invention is described that falls into the classification of an open-cycle ocean thermo energy conversion device. The apparatus drops warm salt water entrained with air down a penstock to drive a hydroelectric turbine generator. The salt water is cooled by the ocean sump and becomes heavier than the ambient water. The air is compressed hydraulically and separated to create a second work force. The forces, together with salinity, work to exhaust the water. The invention consumes no fossil fuel, does not pollute, and has the potential to furnish most of the world´s electric needs without subjecting people to radiation. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has estimated that a mechanism of 2 MWe can be built at a cost of $7200/kWe. Using the same cost basis, a 2-MWe hydro well could be built for $1345/kWe because it is only 1/3 as deep and handles 1/8 the amount of water of conventional OTEC devices
Keywords
economics; hydraulic turbines; hydroelectric generators; ocean thermal energy conversion; seawater; turbogenerators; OTEC; cost; hydro-well; hydroelectric turbine generator; ocean sump; open-cycle ocean thermo energy conversion device; penstock; salinity; warm salt water; Costs; Energy conversion; Fossil fuels; Generators; Gravity; Hydraulic turbines; Hydroelectric power generation; Marine pollution; Ocean temperature; Oceans; Power generation; Sea surface; US Department of Energy; Water heating; Water pollution;
fLanguage
English
Publisher
ieee
Conference_Titel
OCEANS '88. A Partnership of Marine Interests. Proceedings
Conference_Location
Baltimore, MD
Type
conf
DOI
10.1109/OCEANS.1988.23658
Filename
23658
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