Among the renewable energy sources, ocean energy is encountering an increasing interest. Several technologies can be applied in order to convert the ocean energy into electric power: among these, ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is an interesting technology in the equatorial and tropical belt, where the temperature difference between surface warm water and deep cold water allows one to implement a power cycle. Although the idea is very old (it was first proposed in the late nineteenth century), no commercial plant has ever been built. Nevertheless, a large number of studies are being conducted at the present time, and several prototypes are under construction. A few studies concern hybrid solar-ocean energy plants: in this case, the ocean thermal gradient, which is usually comprised in the range 20–25 °C in the favorable belt, can be increased during daytime, thanks to the solar contribution. This paper addresses topics that are crucial in order to make OTEC viable, and some technical solutions are suggested and evaluated. The closed cycle option is selected and implemented by means of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power plant, featuring multiple ORC modules in series on the warm water flow; with a three-level cycle, the performance is approximately 30% better if compared to the single-level cycle. In addition, the hybrid solar-OTEC plant is considered in order to investigate the obtainable performance during both day and night operation; this option could provide efficiency benefit, allowing one to almost triplicate the energy produced during daytime for the same prescribed water flow.
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April 2013
Research-Article
Performance Analysis of OTEC Plants With Multilevel Organic Rankine Cycle and Solar Hybridization
Paola Bombarda,
e-mail: paola.bombarda@polimi.it
Paola Bombarda
Dipartimento di Energia
,Politecnico di Milano
,Via Lambruschini 4
,20156 Milano
, Italy
e-mail: paola.bombarda@polimi.it
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Costante Invernizzi,
Costante Invernizzi
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica
e Industriale
,Università degli Studi di Brescia
,Via Branze 38
,25123 Brescia
, Italy
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Mario Gaia
Mario Gaia
Turboden srl
,Via Cernaia 10
,25124 Brescia
, Italy
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Paola Bombarda
Dipartimento di Energia
,Politecnico di Milano
,Via Lambruschini 4
,20156 Milano
, Italy
e-mail: paola.bombarda@polimi.it
Costante Invernizzi
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica
e Industriale
,Università degli Studi di Brescia
,Via Branze 38
,25123 Brescia
, Italy
Mario Gaia
Turboden srl
,Via Cernaia 10
,25124 Brescia
, Italy
Contributed by the International Gas Turbine Institute of ASME for publication in the Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power. Manuscript received March 3, 2012; final manuscript received September 11, 2012; published online March 18, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Piero Colonna.
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. Apr 2013, 135(4): 042302 (8 pages)
Published Online: March 18, 2013
Article history
Received:
March 3, 2012
Revision Received:
September 11, 2012
Citation
Bombarda, P., Invernizzi, C., and Gaia, M. (March 18, 2013). "Performance Analysis of OTEC Plants With Multilevel Organic Rankine Cycle and Solar Hybridization." ASME. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power. April 2013; 135(4): 042302. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4007729
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