OTEC

Capturing energy using temperature gradients across water depths.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) technology converts solar energy stored in the layers of the tropical and subtropical oceans. Thermal heat engines use the temperature difference between the sun-warmed surface water and cold water in the deep ocean. The temperature difference between surface waters and deeper water can reach over 25oC in summer months, although usually this temperature difference exists only over water with depths of 1,000 m or greater. Many different OTEC archetypes have been investigated, some on floating offshore platforms and some built onshore with pipelines to transport the water to and from the ocean. Each system uses one or a combination of thermodynamic processes to turn the temperature difference into mechanical energy. Both the open-cycle and closed-cycle plants use cold water pumped from the deep ocean to condense a working fluid. An ancillary benefit is that the condensate is freshwater that can have other uses such as agriculture and potable drinking water.

Photo: Okinawa Prefecture Industrial Policy Division

Affiliated Marine Energy Engineering Documents

Total results: 426
Title Author Date Type of Content Technology Collection Method Engineering
Role of R717 blends in ocean thermal energy conversion organic Rankine cycle Hu, Z., Chen, Y., Zhang, C. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Performance analysis of ocean thermal energy conversion system integrated with waste heat recovery from offshore oil and gas platform Du, Y., Peng, H., Xu, J. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Performance
Theoretical, numerical and experimental research on an innovative ocean thermal energy conversion coupled VMD desalination system Ma, Q., Liu, X., Tong, L. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Lab Data, Modeling
Efficiency Enhancement in Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: A Comparative Study of Heat Exchanger Designs for Bi2Te3-Based Thermoelectric Generators Chung, Y., Wu, C. Journal Article OTEC Modeling Performance, Structural
Basic design optimization of power and desalinated water for hybrid cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system integrated with desalination plant Azmi, A,, Yasunaga, T., Fontaine, K. Journal Article OTEC, Hybrid-Cycle
Technologies and Policies to support the Integration of Marine Renewable Energies into a Grid Lafoz, M., Rojas, R., Osorio, A. Presentation Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC Field Data Grid Integration
Resource Assessment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, Tidal Stream, and Ocean Current for Powering Blue Economy Applications in Puerto Rico Yang, Z. , Rollano, F., Medina, G. Conference Paper Current, Tidal, Ocean Current, OTEC Modeling
Aquatic Renewable Energy Potential in Colombia: A Preliminary Study Colmenares-Quintero, R., Rojas, N., Baquero-Almazo, M. Conference Paper Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC
Oceanographic characterization of areas of interest for a possible implementation of OTEC technology in Mexico Garcia Huante, A., Ponce-Núñez, F., Garduño-Ruiz, E. Conference Paper OTEC Field Data
PAMEC 2024 Plenary Session: Marine Energy Technologies & Services Johnstone, C. Presentation Current, Wave, OTEC
Resource assessment, technology development, public policies, and deploying large-scale projects of marine and ocean energy in Colombia Osorio, A., Roldan-Carvajal, M., Colmenares, F. Conference Paper Current, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC
Development of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion in Barranquilla, Colombia Acevedo, D., Kleute, B., Kirkenier, J. Conference Paper OTEC Modeling
Potential of renewable energies from ocean resources in the Colombian Caribbean Peña, J., Garcia, D., Illidge, J. Conference Paper Current, Tidal, Wave, Salinity Gradient, OTEC
Design of an OTWEC-OC plant to produce desalinated water and electricity in Ensenada, B.C. Pool, L., Meneses, L., Chay, E. Conference Paper OTEC, Open-Cycle Modeling Performance, Structural
Powering the Blue Economy – Foundational Research and Development for Offgrid Uses of Marine Energy Copping, A., Cavagnaro, R., Sirnivas, S. Presentation Current, Wave, OTEC Modeling Performance, Structural
An Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion power plant: Advanced exergy analysis and experimental validation Colorado-Garrido, D., Mendoza-Bernal, E., Toledo-Paz, L. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
An Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion power plant: Advanced exergy analysis and experimental validation Colorado-Garrido, D., Mendoza-Bernal, E., Toledo-Paz, L. Journal Article OTEC Modeling
Design and Experimental Study of 50 kW Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Test Platform Based on Organic Rankine Cycle Lu, B., Liu, Y., Zhai, X. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Lab Data Performance, Structural
Design and performance assessment of an OTEC driven combined plant for producing power, freshwater, and compressed hydrogen Yilmaz, F., Ozturk, M., Selbas, R. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Vibrational and stability analysis of internal flow-induced cold-water pipe for OTEC subjected to the clump weight under different boundary conditions Tan, J., An, C., Zhang, Y. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling
An innovative ocean thermal energy conversion system with zeotropic Rankine cycle and direct contact membrane distillation for enhanced efficiency and sustainability Ma, Q., Feng, X., Li, J. Journal Article OTEC Modeling
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Economics: Updates and Strategies Vega, L., Martin, B. Report OTEC Modeling
Thermodynamic analysis of heat storage of ocean thermal energy conversion integrated with a two-stage turbine by thermal power plant condenser output water Hoseinzadeh, S., PaeinLamouki, M., Garcia, D. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Hybrid Devices, Performance
Experimental study and performance comparison of a 1 kW-class solar-ocean thermal energy conversion system integrated air conditioning: Energy, exergy, economic, and environmental (4E) analysis Zhang, Y., Chen, Y., Qiu, X. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Lab Data Performance
Thermodynamic, economic, exergoeconomic analysis of an integrated ocean thermal energy conversion system Xiao, C., Hu, Z., Chen, Y. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Modeling Performance
Experimental investigation on the performance of a Solar-Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion system based on the Organic Rankine Cycle Gao, W., Wang, F., Tian, Z. Journal Article OTEC, Closed-Cycle Lab Data Hybrid Devices
Displaying 401 - 426 of 426 results