A

TECHNICAL SEMINAR REPORT

ON
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION
Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the award of degree
of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

by

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

(Accredited by National Board of Accreditation)

(Accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council)

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING JAGTIAL
Nachupally (Kondagattu), Jagtial Dist.
505501, Telangana
Year of Submission: 2022

i
 JNTUH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
NACHUPALLY (Kondagattu), JAGTIAL: DIST. (T.S)

DEPARTMENT OF
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
(Accredited by National Board of Accreditation)

(Accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council)

CERTIFICATE

DATE: 13/12/2022

This is to certify that the Technical seminar report entitled “OCEAN

THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION” is being submitted by VANAPARTHI SAI RAJ
(20JJ5A0210) in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the
Degree of BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY in ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING by the J.N.T.U.H UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
JAGTIAL, during the Academic Year 2022-23, is a record of bonafide work
carried out by him under my guidance and supervision.

Seminar Guide Head of the Department

Dr K. Srinivas
Mr.C.Radha Charan
Associate Professor & Head
Associate Professor of EEE Department of EEE

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish to express sincere thanks to all the people who guided me

in delivering this seminar and in the completion of the seminar report.
I wish to convey my sincere gratitude to Dr.D.RAMESH, Principal and

Dr.T.VENUGOPAL, Vice Principal, JNTUH University College of Engineering, Jagtial

for their support in providing the necessary facilities to present this seminar.

I wish to convey my sincere gratitude to Dr.K.SRINIVAS, Associate

Professor & Head, EEE Department for his enormous support and
timely guidance for successful completion of this seminar.

I wish to sincerely thank my Seminar Guide Mr.C.RADHACHARAN,

Associate Professor of EEE who has given me necessary guidance in
delivering this seminar.

I thank all the other staff of EEE Department who assisted me

when I needed their help.

VANPARTHI SAI RAJ (20JJ5A0210)

iii
 LIST OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS PAGE NO

List of figures........................................................................................................1
ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................2
CHAPTER-1 : INTRODUCTION................................................................3
CHAPTER-2 : OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY...................................4-6
2.1: Intensive Energy........................................................................4
2.2: Plant Design and Location.................................................6
CHAPTER-3 : ELECTRICITY CONVERSION SYSTEMS........7-12
3.1: Closed-cycle OTEC..................................................................7
3.2: Open-cycle OTEC......................................................................9
3.3: Hybrid OTEC system..............................................................12
CHAPTER-4 : OTHER TECHNOLOGIES...........................................13
CHAPTER-5 :
5.1: Benefits of OTEC…………………………………………… 14
5.2: Disadvantages.............................................................................15
5.3: Applications...................................................................................15
CHAPTER-6 : CASE STUDY……………………………………….. 17
Conclusion.............................................................................................................18
References.............................................................................................................19

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURES PAGE.NO

1. Fig:1.1 Schematic of an OTEC floating platform.................3

2. Fig:2.1 Working principle of OTEC.................................................5
3. Fig:3.1 Schematic of closed cycle of OTEC............................8
4. Fig:3.2 Schematic of open cycle of OTEC................................10
5. Fig:3.3 Schematic of hybrid of OTEC system........................12
6. Fig:4.1 Ocean thermal energy............................................................16

1
 ABSTRACT

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is an energy technology

that converts solar radiation to electric power. OTEC systems use the
ocean's natural thermal gradient—the fact that the ocean's layers of water
have different temperatures to drive a power-producing cycle. As long as
the temperature between the warm surface water and the cold deep water
differs by about 20°C (36°F), an OTEC system can produce a significant
amount of power, with little impact on the surrounding environment.

The distinctive feature of OTEC energy systems is that the end products

include not only energy in the form of electricity, but several other synergistic

products. The principle design objective was to minimize plan cost by

minimizing plant mass, and taking maximum advantage of minimal warm and

cold water flows. Power is converted to high voltage DC, and is cabled to shore

for conversion to AC and integration into the local power distribution network.

The oceans are thus a vast renewable energy resource, with

the potential to help us produce billions of watts of electric power.

2
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN ENERGY

Oceans cover more than 70% of Earth's surface, making them the world's

largest solar collectors. The sun's heat warms the surface water a lot more than

the deep ocean water, and this temperature difference creates thermal energy.

Just a small portion of the heat trapped in the ocean could power the world.

Most people have been witness to the awesome power of the world's oceans.

For least a thousand years, scientists and inventors have watched ocean waves

explode against coastal shores, felt the pull of ocean tides, and dreamed of

harnessing these forces. But it's only been in the last century that scientists and

engineers have begun to look at capturing ocean energy to make electricity.

FIG: 1.1 Schematic of an OTEC floating platform

The ocean can produce two types of energy: thermal energy from the sun's

heat, and mechanical energy from the tides and waves. Ocean thermal energy is

used for many applications, including electricity generation. Ocean mechanical

energy is quite different from ocean thermal energy. Even though the sun affects all

ocean activity, tides are driven primarily by the gravitational pull of the moon, and

waves are driven primarily by the winds. As a result, tides and waves are sporadic

sources of energy, while ocean thermal energy is fairly constant.

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 CHAPTER 2
OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION

OTEC is a process which utilizes the heat energy stored in the

tropical ocean. The world's oceans serve as a huge collector of heat
energy. OTEC plants utilize the difference in temperature between
warm surface sea water and cold deep sea water to produce electricity.

2.1 Intensive Energy :

The energy associated with OTEC derives from the difference in temperature
between two thermal reservoirs. The top layer of the ocean is warmed by the
sun to temperatures up to 20 K greater than the seawater near the bottom of
the ocean. OTEC energy is different from geothermal energy in that one
cannot assume the cold reservoir is infinite. The physical energy of two large
reservoirs of fluid at different temperatures is

in J/kg where r is the mass of warm water divided by the mass of cold

water entering the plant(1). For optimal performance, r is approximately

0.5. It is assumed in this analysis that the specific heat of the two fluid

reservoirs is an average value over the often small temperature

difference, but varying with salinity in the case of seawater.

Thermal energy conversion is an energy technology that

converts solar radiation to electric power. OTEC systems use the
ocean's natural thermal gradient—the fact that the ocean's layers of
water have different temperatures— to drive a power-producing cycle.

4
 As long as the temperature between the warm surface water and the
cold deep water differs by about 20°C, an OTEC system can produce a
significant amount of power. The oceans are thus a vast renewable resource,
with the potential to help us produce billions of watts of electric power. This

potential is estimated to be about 1013 watts of base load power generation,

according to some experts. The cold, deep seawater used in the OTEC
process is also rich in nutrients, and it can be used to culture both marine
organisms and plant life near the shore or on land. OTEC produce steady,
base-load electricity, fresh water, and air-conditioning options.

FIG: 2.1 Working principle of OTEC

OTEC requires a temperature difference of about 36 deg F (20 deg C).

This temperature difference exists between the surface and deep seawater
year round throughout the tropical regions of the world. To produce
electricity, we either use a working fluid with a low boiling point (e.g.
ammonia) or warm surface sea water, or turn it to vapor by heating it up with
warm sea water (ammonia) or de-pressurizing warm seawater. The pressure
of the expanding vapor turns a turbine and produces electricity.

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2.2 Plant Design and Location :

Commercial OTEC facilities can be built on

Land or near the shore

Platforms attached to the shelf
Moorings or free-floating facilities in deep ocean water

Land-based and near-shore are more advantageous than the other two.
OTEC plants can be mounted to the continental shelf at depths up to 100
meters, however may make shelf-mounted facilities less desirable and more
expensive than their land-based counterparts. Floating OTEC facilities with a
large power capacity, but has the difficulty of stabilizing and of mooring it in
very deep water may create problems with power delivery.

Commercial ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants must be located

in an environment that is stable enough for efficient system operation. The

temperature of the warm surface seawater must differ about 20°C (36°F) from

that of the cold deep water that is no more than about 1000 meters (3280 feet)

below the surface. The natural ocean thermal gradient necessary for OTEC

operation is generally found between latitudes 20 deg N and 20 deg S.

6
 CHAPTER 3

TYPES OF ELECTRICITY CONVERSION SYSTEMS

There are three types of electricity conversion systems: closed-cycle, open-

cycle, and hybrid. Closed-cycle systems use the ocean's warm surface water to

vaporize a working fluid, which has a low-boiling point, such as ammonia. The vapor

expands and turns a turbine. The turbine then activates a generator to produce

electricity. Open-cycle systems actually boil the seawater by operating at low

pressures. This produces steam that passes through a turbine/generator. And

hybrid systems combine both closed-cycle and open-cycle systems.

3.1 Closed-Cycle OTEC :

In the closed-cycle OTEC system, warm sea water vaporizes a

working fluid, such as ammonia, flowing through a heat exchanger
(evaporator). The vapor expands at moderate pressures and turns a
turbine coupled to a generator that produces electricity. The vapor is then
condensed in heat exchanger (condenser) using cold seawater pumped
from the ocean's depths through a cold-water pipe. The condensed
working fluid is pumped back to the evaporator to repeat the cycle. The
working fluid remains in a closed system and circulates continuously.

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 FIG: 3.1 Schematic of closed cycle OTEC

The heat exchangers (evaporator and condenser) are a large and

crucial component of the closed-cycle power plant, both in terms of
actual size and capital cost. Much of the work has been performed on
alternative materials for OTEC heat exchangers, leading to the recent
conclusion that inexpensive aluminum alloys may work as well as
much more expensive titanium for this purpose.

Required condensate pump work, wC. The major additional parasitic

energy requirements in the OTEC plant are the cold water pump work,
wCT, and the warm water pump work, wHT. Denoting all other parasitic
energy requirements by wA, the net work from the OTEC plant, wNP is

wNP = wT + wC + wCT + wHT + wA

The thermodynamic cycle undergone by the working fluid can be analyzed

without detailed consideration of the parasitic energy requirements. From the

first law of thermodynamics, the energy balance for the working fluid as the

8
system is wN = QH + QC

Where wN = wT + wC is the net work for the thermodynamic cycle.

For the special idealized case in which there is no working fluid
pressure drop in the heat exchangers,

QH = ∫ THds
H

and

QC = ∫ TCds
C

so that the net thermodynamic cycle work becomes

wN = ∫ THds + ∫ TCds
H C

Subcooled liquid enters the evaporator. Due to the heat exchange with
warm sea water, evaporation takes place and usually superheated vapor
leaves the evaporator. This vapor drives the turbine and 2-phase mixture
enters the condenser. Usually, the subcooled liquid leaves the condenser
and finally, this liquid is pumped to the evaporator completing a cycle.

3.2 Open-Cycle OTEC :

The open cycle consists of the following steps: (i) flash evaporation of a
fraction of the warm seawater by reduction of pressure below the saturation
value corresponding to its temperature (ii) expansion of the vapor through a
turbine to generate power; (iii) heat transfer to the cold seawater thermal sink
resulting in condensation of the working fluid; and (iv) compression of the non-
condensable gases (air released from the seawater streams at the low operating
pressure) to pressures required to discharge them from the system.

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 FIG: 3.2 Schematic of open cycle of OTEC

This process being iso-enthalpic,

h2 = h1 = hf + x2hfg

Here, x2 is the fraction of water by mass that has vaporized. The

warm water mass flow rate per unit turbine mass flow rate is 1/x2.

The low pressure in the evaporator is maintained by a vacuum pump that

also removes the dissolved non condensable gases from the evaporator. The
evaporator now contains a mixture of water and steam of very low quality.
The steam is separated from the water as saturated vapour. The remaining
water is saturated and is discharged back to the ocean in the open cycle. The
steam we have extracted in the process is a very low pressure, very high
specific volume working fluid. It expands in a special low pressure turbine.

h3 = hg

Here, hg corresponds to T2. For an ideal adiabatic reversible turbine,

10
 s5,s = s3 = sf + x5,ssfg

The above equation corresponds to the temperature at the exhaust

of the turbine, T5. x5,s is the mass fraction of vapour at point 5.

The enthalpy at T5 is,

h5,s = hf + x5,shfg

This enthalpy is lower. The adiabatic reversible turbine work = h 3-h5,s.

Actual turbine work wT = (h3-h5,s) × polytropic efficiency

The condenser temperature and pressure are lower. Since the turbine exhaust will

be discharged back into the ocean anyway, a direct contact condenser is used. Thus

the exhaust is mixed with cold water from the deep cold water pipe which results in

a near saturated water.That water is now discharged back to the ocean.

h6=hf, at T5. T7 is the temperature of the exhaust mixed with cold sea
water, as the vapour content now is negligible,

There are the temperature differences between stages. One between warm

surface water and working steam, one between exhaust steam and cooling water

and one between cooling water reaching the condenser and deep water. These

represent external irreversibilities that reduce the overall temperature difference.

The cold water flow rate per unit turbine mass flow rate,

11
Turbine mass flow rate,

Warm water mass flow rate,

Cold water mass flow rate

3.3 Hybrid OTEC System :

Another option is to combine the two processes together into an
open-cycle/closed-cycle hybrid, which might produce both electricity and
desalinated water more efficiently. In a hybrid OTEC system, warm
seawater might enter a vacuum where it would be flash-evaporated into
steam, in a similar fashion to the open-cycle evaporation process.

FIG: 3.3 Schematic of hybrid of OTEC system

The steam or the warm water might then pass through an evaporator to
vaporize the working fluid of a closed-cycle loop. The vaporized fluid
would then drive a turbine to produce electricity, while the steam would
be condensed within the condenser to produced desalinated water

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 CHAPTER 4

OTHER TECHNOLOGIES

OTEC offers one of the most benign power production technologies, since

the handling of hazardous substances is limited to the working fluid (e.g.,

ammonia), and no noxious by-products are generated. OTEC requires drawing

sea water from the mixed layer and the deep ocean and returning it to the mixed

layer, close to the thermo cline, which could be accomplished with minimal

environmental impact. Aquaculture is perhaps the most well-known byproduct of

OTEC. Cold-water delicacies, such as salmon and lobster, thrive in the nutrient-

rich, deep, seawater from the OTEC process. Micro algae such as Spirulina, a

health food supplement, also can be cultivated in the deep-ocean water.

Wave energy systems also cannot compete economically with traditional

power sources. However, the costs to produce wave energy are coming down,

Once built, however, wave energy systems (and other ocean energy plants)

should have low operation and maintenance costs because the fuel they use sea

water is free. Like tidal power plants, OTEC power plants require substantial

capital investment upfront. Another factor hindering the commercialization of

OTEC is that there are only a few hundred land-based sites in the tropics where

deep-ocean water is close enough to shore to make OTEC plants feasible.

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 CHAPTER 5
5.1 BENEFITS OF OTEC :

We can measure the value of an ocean thermal energy conversion

(OTEC) plant and continued OTEC development by both its economic
and no economic benefits. OTEC’s economic benefits include the:

Helps produce fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and

methanol Produces base load electrical energy
Produces desalinated water for industrial, agricultural, and residential
uses Is a resource for on-shore and near-shore Mari culture operations

Provides air-conditioning for buildings

Provides moderate-temperature refrigeration
Has significant potential to provide clean, cost-effective
electricity for the future.
Fresh Water-- up to 5 liters for every 1000 liters of cold seawater.

Food--Aquaculture products can be cultivated in discharge water.

OTEC’s no economic benefits, which help us achieve global

environmental goals, include these:

Promotes competitiveness and international trade

Enhances energy independence and energy security

Promotes international sociopolitical stability

Has potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions resulting

from burning fossil fuels.

In small island nations, the benefits of OTEC include self-sufficiency, minimal

environmental impacts, and improved sanitation and nutrition, which result from

the greater availability of desalinated water and Mari culture products

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5.2 DISADVANTAGES :

OTEC-produced electricity at present would cost more than electricity

generated from fossil fuels at their current costs. The electricity cost

could be reduced significantly if the plant operated without major overhaul

for 30 years or more, but there are no data on possible plant life cycles.

OTEC plants must be located where a difference of about 40° Fahrenheit

(F) occurs year round. Ocean depths must be available fairly

close to shore-based facilities for economic operation.
Floating plant ships could provide more flexibility.

5.3 APPLICATIONS :

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems have many

applications or uses. OTEC can be used to generate electricity, desalinate
water, support deep-water Mari culture, and provide refrigeration and air-
conditioning as well as aid in crop growth and mineral extraction. These
complementary products make OTEC systems attractive to industry and
island communities even if the price of oil remains low.

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 FIG: 4.1 OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY

The electricity produced by the system can be delivered to a utility grid or

used to manufacture methanol, hydrogen, refined metals, ammonia, and similar

products. The cold [5°C (41ºF)] seawater made available by an OTEC system creates

an opportunity to provide large amounts of cooling to operations that are related to

or close to the plant. Likewise, the low-cost refrigeration provided by the cold

seawater can be used to upgrade or maintain the quality of indigenous fish, which

tend to deteriorate quickly in warm tropical regions. The developments in other

technologies (especially materials sciences) were improving the viability of mineral

extraction processes that employ ocean energy.

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 CHAPTER 6

CASE STUDY (INDIA)

Conceptual studies on OTEC plants for Kavaratti (Lakshadweep

islands), in the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and off the Tamil Nadu coast at
Kulasekharapatnam were initiated in 1980. In 1984 a preliminary design
for a 1 MW (gross) closed Rankine Cycle floating plant was prepared by
the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras at the request of the Ministry
of Non-Conventional Energy Resources. The National Institute of Ocean
Technology (NIOT) was formed by the governmental Department of Ocean
Development in 1993 and in 1997 the Government proposed the
establishment of the 1 MW plant of earlier studies. NIOT signed a
memorandum of understanding with Saga University in Japan for the joint
development of the plant near the port of Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu).

It has been reported that following detailed specifications, global

tenders were placed at end-1998 for the design, manufacture, supply and
commissioning of various sub-systems. The objective is to demonstrate the
OTEC plant for one year, after which it could be moved to the Andaman &
Nicobar Islands for power generation. NIOT’s plan is to build 10-25 MW
shore-mounted power plants in due course by scaling-up the 1 MW test
plant, and possibly a 100 MW range of commercial plants thereafter.

17
 CONCLUSION

OTEC has tremendous potential to supply the world’s energy. It is

estimated that, in an annual basis, the amount solar energy absorbed by
the oceans is equivalent to atleast 4000 times the amount presently
consumed by humans. For an OTEC efficiency of 3 percent, in converting
ocean thermal energy to electricity, we would need less than 1 percent of
this renewable energy to satisfy all of our desires for energy.

OTEC offers one of the most compassionate power production technologies, since
the handling of hazardous substances is limited to the working fluid (e.g., ammonia),
and no noxious by-products are generated. Through adequate planning and
coordination with the local community, recreational assets near an OTEC site may
be enhanced. OTEC is capital-intensive, and the very first plants will most probably
be small requiring a substantial capital investment. Given the relatively low cost of
crude oil and of fossil fuels in general, the development of OTEC technologies is
likely to be promoted by government agencies. Conventional power plants pollute
the environment more than an OTEC plant would and, as long as the sun heats the
oceans, the fuel for OTEC is unlimited and free.

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 REFERENCES

1. D. H. Johnson, Energy, Vol. 8, No. 20, pp. 927-946 (1983).

2. Claude G. (1930), "Power from the Tropical Seas" in

Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 52, No.12, 19, pp. 1039-1044.

3. Nihous G.C. and. Vega L.A (1991), "A Review of Some Semi-
empirical OTEC Effluent Discharge Models", in Oceans ‘91,
Honolulu, Hawaii. [The OTEC effluent models are summarized]

4. Ocean Thermal Corporation. (1984a). Ocean Thermal Energy

Conversion (OTEC) Preliminary Design Engineering Report.
Prepared for U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C.

5. Ocean Data Systems Inc. (1977). OTEC Thermal Resource Report

for Hawaii Monterey, CA: Ocean Data Systems, Inc.

19