Performance simulation for 1MW OTEC using water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean

Abstract

As a response to environment destruction and increasing oil price, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is gaining attention from various countries as an attractive alternative source of energy. In Republic of Korea, research on OTEC had been ongoing since 2010, and is focusing on 1MW demonstration plant project. Korea Research Institute of Ships & Oceans Engineering (KRISO) is planning for trail operation of 1MW demonstration plant in Korea in 2018, and installation andlong-term operation in a country with greater thermal gradient. Trial runs are scheduled to go on during August when surface water temperature is at its highest. With the data obtained from the trial runs, optimal long-term operation plan in the equator waters will be determined. In this study, we conducted performance simulation for 1MW OTEC using water temperatures of typical August in the East Sea of Republic of Korea to collect data before actual trial runs. The temperature of deep seawater of East Sea does not change much from 3℃, so temperature of deep sea water is set as a constant. For the temperature of surface water, real time data of Pohang coastal observation point, where trial runs are to be conducted, during August of 2015. The turbine power and efficiency of the system are simulated. The cycle used for simulation consists of an OTEC system with turbine, condenser, pump, evaporator, using R32 as a refrigerant. Performances of va