2019년 한국해역에서의 1MW OTEC플랜트의 실증실험

Abstract

Even though OTEC(Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) has long history, but it did not commercialize yet due to no demonstration of pre-commercial size (MW class) of economy. 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 relevent and continous 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 Korean OTEC team have manufactured key components such as radial inflow type turbine, permenant magnet synchronous generator, semi-welded asymetric plate type evaporator and condenser so on during from 2016 to 2018. These will be fabricated on rectangular barge (Boryeong-ho) with moon pool in the end of September, 2019. OTEC barge will be towed to eastern sea of Pohang-si, and moored with 4 point spreading system at 150m deep under sea state 3 in the early September. HDPE Riser of 1.2m indiameter of 120m long will be attached below submersible pump case to intake deep seawater as well as surface seawater. Though this OTEC plant was designed for generating electricity of 1MW in Kiribati waters where thermal gradient is abo