대한민국의 해수온도차발전 기술 개발 소개

Abstract

Even though OTEC(Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) has long history of 140 years, it was not commercialized yet due to no demonstration of pre-commercial size (MW class) with economic feasibility. Based on fundamental study on closed cycle OTEC system since 2010, KRISO(Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering) had designed 1MW OTEC plant in 2015 after verifying prototype model test of 20kW pilot plant in 2013. To meet with socio-economic demands on continuous clean energy at coastal community along tropical belt, the Korean OTEC team have carried out demonstration project of 1MW OTEC plant to build up at coast of Tarawa, Kiribati in 2021 funded by Korean government, MOF since 2016. We, the KoreanOTEC team have manufactured key components such as radial inflow type turbine, permanent magnet synchronous generator, semi-welded asymmetric plate type evaporator and condenser so on during from 2016 to 2018. These were fabricated on rectangular barge (Boryeong-ho) with moon pool in the end of August, 2019. OTEC barge was towed to eastern sea of Pohang-si, and moored with 4 point spreading system at 128m deep under sea state 3 between several Typhoon attacks during September to October in 2019. HDPE Riser of 1.2m in diameter of 120m long was attached through moon pool of OTEC barge. And submersible pumps in side risers were used to intake deep seawater as well as surface seawater. Though this OTEC plan