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The exergy of the ocean thermal resource and analysis of second-law efficiencies of idealized ocean thermal energy conversion power cycles

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  • Johnson, D.H.

Abstract

We develop a fomula here to compute the maximum amount of work which can be extracted from a given combined mass of warm and cold ocean water (a quantity called the exergy of the ocean thermal resource). We then compare the second-law efficiencies of various proposed ocean thermal energy conversion power cycles to determine which best utilizes the exergy of the ocean thermal resource. The second-law efficiencies of the multicomponent working fluid cycle, the Beck cycle, and the open and closed single- and multiple-stage Rankine cycles are compared. These types of OTEC power plants are analyzed in a consistent manner, which assumes that all deviations from a plant making use of all the exergy (one with a second-law efficiency of 100%) occur because of irreversible transfer of heat across a finite temperature difference. Conversion of thermal energy to other forms is assumed to occur reversibly. The comparison of second-law efficiencies of various OTEC power cycles shows that the multistage Rankine open cycle with just three stages has the potential of best using the exergy of the ocean thermal resource.

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  • Johnson, D.H., 1983. "The exergy of the ocean thermal resource and analysis of second-law efficiencies of idealized ocean thermal energy conversion power cycles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 8(12), pages 927-946.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:8:y:1983:i:12:p:927-946
    DOI: 10.1016/0360-5442(83)90092-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Takeshi Yasunaga & Kevin Fontaine & Yasuyuki Ikegami, 2021. "Performance Evaluation Concept for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion toward Standardization and Intelligent Design," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, April.

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