Alternative Energy From The Ocean

Although it sounds like a very modern scientific term - OTEC or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion was first used by the Jacques D'Arsonval a French engineer back in 1881. Despite how old it is, the only operational plant on the planet (at the time of writing) is in Hawaii. The demand to finance this potential alternative energy source for further study is way beyond what most governments are prepared to go. This is despite the current escalating environment issues and the need to save the living environment and preserve as much as possible of the remaining natural environment.

Ocean thermal energy cannot add pollutants into the air because it burns in a very clean manner but it is a complicated process. Unintentionally, due to the disruptive effects that most of our current technologies give out to our environment and society, setting up OTEC plants can not avoid inflicting damages to any locality.

There are three kinds of OTEC:
- Closed Cycle OTEC uses a low-boiling point liquid such as, for example, propane to act as an intermediate fluid. The Ocean Thermal Energy Plant use water from the sea which is pumped into a chamber converting the gas to liquid. rotates large turbines. Once this process has been completed, the resultant liquid is converted back to it's gas state by using cold sea water to cool it.

The primary difference between the Closed Cycle and the Open Cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion methods is that the Open Cycle doe not require the use of the intermediate liquid. All that is used with this system is the sea water itself. Warm surface water is converted into a low pressure vapor by in a vacuum.

When low-pressure vapor is released in a focused area, it will then have the control to drive the turbine. To cool down the vapor and create desalinated water for human consumption, the deeper ocean's cold waters are added to the vapor after it has generated sufficient electricity.

Since the Hybrid Cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion is yet to be explored, it will remain to be just a theory and nothing more unless acted upon. Bringing about the notion that we could make maximum usage of the ocean waters' thermal energy is just the main purpose of the theory. Two sub-theories are actually contained in the theory of Hybrid Cycling. Of the theories involved, the first one discusses the use of a closed cycling which will then be the way to create the vacuum environment needed for open cycling to generate electricity. Following on from this is the second part which incorporates two open cycle plants that will produce twice the drinking water than one open cycle plant.

Apart from generating electricity on demand, a closed cycle production plant can also be employed in the treatment of chemicals. Moreover, refrigeration and air conditioning are other areas to which the used of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plants with both open cycling and close cycling kinds can be very beneficial by pumping up cold deep sea water. The water around the plants during the process can also be used to help promote fish farming projects as well. Utilizing this alternative energy source can surely lead us to derive a selection of products and services.

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