Application and Improvement of the Interlayer Thermal Engine Powered by Ocean Thermal Energy in an Underwater Glider

The thermal engine can utilize ocean thermal energy to drive the underwater glider which has an important advantage in range due to huge heat capacity of the ocean. However, weak performances such as low heat transfer rate and overlong heat transfer time limit its application and scope. For overcoming above defects, a unique interlayer thermal engine is presented by this paper. Experimental results show that the heat transfer rate can be improved significantly by the new configuration, while heat transfer time can be obviously reduced by a significant improvement in the hydraulic system of thermal engine.