RENEWABLE ENERGY POWER PLANTS

(OPEN ELECTIVE - BME654B)

MODULE 4

Compiled by:
Dr. Kumar B M
Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
ACS College of Engineering,

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Wind Energy :

Properties of wind, availability of wind energy in India, wind velocity and

power from wind; major problems associated with wind power, wind

machines; Types of wind machines and their characteristics, horizontal

and vertical axis wind mills, elementary design principles; coefficient of

performance of a wind mill rotor, aerodynamic considerations of wind mill

design, numerical examples.

Tidal Power:

Tides and waves as energy suppliers and their mechanics; fundamental

characteristics of tidal power, harnessing tidal energy, limitations.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion:

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Principle of working, Rankine cycle, OTEC power stations in the world,
Formation of Wind:
A common occurrence that forms wind is known as a coastal or sea breeze. This sea
breeze is caused by the uneven heating of the ocean and the coastal land by the sun.
Water has what's called a high specific heat, meaning it can absorb a lot of energy before
its temperature rises. Specific heat is the amount of heat energy per unit mass needed
to raise the temperature of that mass. The land, however, does not absorb much energy,
and therefore the air over land will heat up faster than the air over water. When air heats
up, it becomes less dense and therefore is not pulled on by gravity as hard. This causes
the hot air to rise, leaving space where the hot air was and causing a pressure difference
between the air over the land and the air over the ocean. The ocean air then rushes in to
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fill this space due to the decrease in pressure. The movement of the ocean air towards
INTRODUCTION:
 Wind energy is the kinetic energy associated with movement of large masses of
air. These motions result from uneven heating of atmosphere by the sun, creating
temperature, density and pressure differences.
 It is estimated that 1% of all solar radiation falling on the face of the earth is
converted into kinetic energy of the atmosphere. It is thus an indirect form of
solar energy. It is a clean, cheap, and eco-friendly renewable source. Main
disadvantages are - it is a dispersed, erratic and location-specific source.
 Wind energy is harnessed as mechanical energy with the help of wind turbine.
The mechanical energy thus obtained can either be used as such to operate farm
appliances, water pumping, etc., or converted to electric power and used locally
or fed to a grid. A generator coupled to wind turbine is known as aero-generator.
Moderate to high-speed winds, typically from 5 m/s to about 25 m/s are
considered favorable for most wind turbines.
 There are indications that windmills were used by China around 2000 to 1700 B.C.
to pump water and grind grains. Egyptians used wind power to sail ships in the
Nile some 5000 years ago. In Persia and Afghanistan windmills were used around
4
7th century A.D. for grinding grains.
What are the Characteristics of Wind/Properties of wind:
 Wind Speed:
Wind speed, or wind flow speed, is a fundamental atmospheric quantity caused by air moving
from high to low pressure, usually due to changes in temperature. In simple words, wind
speed is the distance covered by air at a particular time.
The speed of the wind is directly proportional to the pressure gradient meaning that as the
change in pressure increases (i.e. pressure gradient increases) the speed of the wind also
increases at that location and also depends on terrain conditions. Wind speed is now
commonly measured with an anemometer. Metres per second (m/s) is the SI unit for the
velocity recommended for reporting wind speeds.

Figure:
Anemometer

 Wind shear:
It is the differences in wind speeds at different heights. When a turbine blade is pointed
straight upward, the speed of the wind hitting its tip can be, for example, 9 miles (14 km) per
hour, but when the blade is pointing straight downward, the speed of the wind hitting its 5tip
What are the Characteristics of Wind/Properties of wind: contd..
 Surface roughness:
The amount of friction that earth’s surface exerts on wind which slows down or reduces it’s
velocity near the earth’s surface. Oceans have very little roughness. A city or a forest has a
great deal of roughness, which slows the wind. This phenomenon, where surface friction slows
the wind and changes the wind direction, is known as the Surface roughness.
 Turbulence:
Wind turbulence generally refers to rapid fluctuations in wind velocity. Rapid changes in the
speed and direction of the wind, often caused by the wind blowing over natural or artificial
barriers are called turbulence. Turbulence causes not only fluctuations in the speed of the wind
but also wear and tear on the turbine. Turbines are mounted on tall towers to avoid turbulence
caused by ground obstacles.

 Variations in wind speed:

During the day, winds usually blow faster than they do at the night because the sun heats the
air, setting air currents in motion. In addition, wind speed can differ depending on the season of
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the year. This difference is a function of the sun, which heats different air masses around earth
What are the Characteristics of Wind/Properties of wind: contd..
 Wind direction
Wind direction is the direction from which the wind is blowing. It is usually expressed in degrees,
and is measured clockwise from true north. For example, a wind blowing from the north has a
wind direction of 0 degrees, while a wind blowing from the east has a wind direction of 90
degrees.
Wind direction can be measured using a wind vane, which is a device that rotates on a vertical
axis and points into the wind. As the wind changes direction, the vane rotates with it and the
direction it points to indicates the wind direction. Wind vanes are commonly found on top of
buildings and weather stations.
Furthermore, wind direction is used to determine wind shear, which is the change in wind speed
or direction over a short distance.
Figure: Wind
Vane

 Air density:
The density of air or atmospheric density, denoted ρ, is the mass per unit volume of Earth's
atmosphere. Air density, like air pressure, decreases with increasing altitude. It also changes
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WIND ENERGY PROGRAM IN INDIA:
 Wind energy program was initiated in India in 1983–84. The program has been
managed and implemented by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources,
Government of India.
 A total capacity of 22,465 MW has been established up to December, 2014 in the
country. India is the fifth largest wind power producer in the world, after China, USA,
Germany, and Spain.
 As per the Indian Wind Atlas, the on-shore wind power potential has been estimated
as 49,130 MW at 50 m height. However, the potential would change as per the actual
land availability in each state.
 The wind potential has also been extrapolated at 80 m height and has been found to
be 1, 02,788 MW. However, this needs to be validated with field measurements. The
state wise potential as well as installed capacity is given in Table.
 A few foreign companies have also set up their subsidiaries in India, while some
companies are now manufacturing wind turbines without any foreign collaboration.
The current annual production capacity of domestic wind turbine industry is around
9500 MW. The technology is continuously upgraded, keeping in view global
developments in this area.
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 Research and Development activities are being undertaken through research
The state wise potential as well as installed capacity is given
in Table.

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Environmental Impacts of Wind [Power /Major problems associated with
wind power]:
Harnessing power from the wind is one of the cleanest and most sustainable ways to generate
electricity as it produces no toxic pollution or global warming emissions. Wind is also abundant,
inexhaustible, and affordable, which makes it a viable and large-scale alternative to fossil
fuels. Despite its vast potential, there are a variety of environmental impacts associated with
wind power generation that should be recognized and mitigated.
Indirect Energy Use and Emissions:
 There is no pollution or emission of carbon dioxide during operation of wind turbine. Carbon
dioxide emission only takes place during manufacturing and installation of wind turbine,
which is very low.
Bird Life:
 Large wind turbines pose a threat to bird life as a result of collision with tower or blades.
Their resting and breeding patterns are also affected.
Noise :
 The disturbance caused by the noise produced by wind turbine is one of the important
factors that prevent its siting close to inhabited areas. The acoustic noise is composed of (a)
mechanical noise due to movement of mechanical parts in the nacelle (mainly gear and also
other equipment), which can be reduced by good design and acoustic insulation and (b)
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aerodynamic noise (swishing sound from the rotating blades), which is a function of wind
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power /Major problems associated with
wind power: contd..
Visual Intrusion: [Disturbing the natural beauty of a site]
 Wind turbines are massive structures quite visible over a wide area in most
locations. In a study, it was found that public appreciation of a landscape
decreases as more and more wind turbines are installed. The Visual Impact
Assessment (VIA) describes the appearance of changes in the landscape
caused by proposed wind farm development. Offshore wind farms being away
from inhabited areas do not in general create same severity of visual intrusion.

Figure: Photo with the turbines superimposed adds an entirely separate11

visual impact.
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power /Major problems associated with
wind power: contd..
Telecommunication Interference:
 Wind turbines present an obstacle for incident electromagnetic waves (i.e. TV or
microwave signals). These waves can be reflected, scattered and dithered. Thus they
interfere with telecommunication links and badly affect the quality of radio and TV
reception. The effect can be mitigated by use of cable system or by installing powerful
antennas.
Safety:
 Accidents with wind turbines are rare but they do happen, as in other industrial activities.
For example, a detached blade or its fragment may be thrown a considerable distance
and can harm people and property. However, most wind turbines are located in isolated
areas, which make it less likely to cause any damage.
Effects on Ecosystem:
 Large-scale use of wind generation can reduce wind speed and cause stress to
ecosystem. Lakes that are downhill from the wind turbines might become warmer
because of reduced evaporation from their surface. The key components of wind energy’s
environmental effects are concrete foundations, access roads, electric wires to the land,
and turbines. This harms both sustainable land use and the marine ecosystem.
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Nevertheless there impacts may not be of great consequence except in certain sensitive
Factors for Wind turbine site selection:
Choosing the right site for wind turbine is the most important decision. Further, the
location plays a vital part in the performance and efficiency of a wind turbine. The
following guidelines can be followed to evaluate site for the installation of wind turbines:
1. Turbines work best when on high and exposed sites. Coastal sites are especially good.
2. Town centres and highly populated residential areas are usually not suitable sites for
wind turbines.
3. Avoid roof-mounted turbines as there is no guarantee that these devices will not
damage property through vibration.
4. The farther the distance between the turbine and the power requirement, the more
power will be lost in the cable. The distance of the cabling will also impact the overall
cost of the installation.
5. Turbulence disrupts the air flow that can wear down the blades and reduces the
lifecycle of the turbine. It is recommended that installing a turbine may be considered
only when the distance between the turbine and the nearest obstacle is more than
twice the height of the turbine, or when the height of the turbine is more than twice
the height of the nearest obstacle.
6. Small turbines require an average wind speed of over 4.5 m/s to produce an efficient
level of electricity. 13
Advantages, Limitations and Applications of Wind Energy:
Advantages of wind energy:
 Wind Energy is a Clean Source of Power:
The production of wind energy is “clean.” Unlike using coal or oil, creating energy from the
wind doesn’t pollute the air or require any destructive chemicals. As a result, wind energy
lessens our reliance on fossil fuels from outside nations as well, which boosts our national
economy and offers a variety of other benefits as well.
 Renewable Source:
The wind is free. In the event that you live in a geological area that gets a lot of wind, it is
ready and waiting. As a renewable asset, wind can never be drained like other regular, non-
renewable assets. You will recover the expense of obtaining and introducing your wind
turbine over time.
 Wind energy is a job creator:
The wind energy industry has boomed since wind turbines became commercially viable. As a
result of this, the industry has created jobs all over the world. Jobs now exist for the
manufacturing, installation, maintenance of wind turbines, and there are even jobs in wind
energy consulting.
 Wind Energy has Low Operating Costs
The wind farms or individual turbines can be expensive to install. However, once it14 is
Advantages, Limitations and Applications of Wind Energy:
Advantages of wind energy: contd..
 Wind energy is space-efficient:
Cumulatively, wind farms can take up a lot of land space; however, the actual turbines and
equipment don’t use up a lot of real-estate. This means that land used for wind turbines can
often also be used for other purposes, such as farming.
 Great Potential for Residential Uses:
The wind energy is especially appealing to the residential market. People are able to
generate their own electricity with wind power in very much the same manner as people do
with the best solar panels (photovoltaic).

Limitations of wind energy :

Although wind energy is a renewable, greener option of energy, it still has its disadvantages
and limitations.
Unreliable/Unpredictable:
Wind energy suffers from what is called intermittency, which is a disruption caused by the
inconsistency of the wind itself. Since wind can blow at various speeds, it’s hard to predict
the amount of energy it can collect at a given time. This means suppliers and cities need to
have an energy reserve or alternative sources of power in case the winds die down for
longer lengths of time. 15
Dangerous to Some Wildlife:
 Wind turbines are known to pose a threat to the wildlife. Flying birds and bats
whose habitats or migratory paths could be injured or killed if they run into the
blades that turn on the fanlike structure of wind turbines when they are spinning.
Aside from the wildlife that flies through the air, wildlife on the ground may also
affected by the noise pollutions generated from whirling blades.
Noisy:
 Wind turbines can be quite noisy, which is why they’re mostly found in very rural
areas where most people don’t live. Depending on the location of the turbine, such
as offshore, noise isn’t an issue. With advancements in technology, newer designs
have been shown to reduce the noise complaints and have a much quieter
presence.
Expensive Upfront Cost:
 If you can imagine, these massive structures are often hundreds of feet tall and
require substantial upfront investment. The placement of wind turbines in rural
areas requires further investment in underground lines to send power to more
populated areas like towns and cities where it’s needed. The majority of the cost is
the initial installation and building stage, but after that, wind energy produces 16an
Wind turbines have been built in power output range from a kilowatt to
few MW to suit wide range of applications. Major applications may be
grouped in three categories.
1. Applications Requiring Mechanical Power:
(i) Wind pumps: Low power turbines are used for producing mechanical
power for pumping water in remote areas. These are also known as
wind pumps. Simple and reliable traditional reciprocating pumps or
centrifugal pumps are used. These wind pumps are used to supply
water for livestock, small scale irrigation, low head pumping for
aquatic breeding and domestic water supply. Mechanical power is also
used to operate farm appliances.
(ii) Sea transport: The old square-rigged sailing ships were inefficient as
they were operated by drag forces. Modern racing yachts, with a
subsurface keel, harness lift forces and are much more efficient and
can sail faster than the wind. Large cargo ships requiring power in MW
range, driven by improved efficient sails are now being designed. Also
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Figure: Old square-rigged sailing Figure: power propellers in
ships ferries[boat/ship] operating short routes

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Figure:
Sailing yacht

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2. As Off Grid Electrical Power Source:
 Machines of low power with a rotor diameter of about 3 m and 40–1000 W rating
can generate sufficient electrical energy for space heating and cooling of homes,
water heating, battery charging, and for operating domestic appliances such as
fan, light and small tools.
 Applications for somewhat more powerful turbines of about 50 kW are: producing
electrical power for navigation signal (e.g. lighthouse), remote communication,
weather stations and offshore oil drilling platforms.
 Intermediate power range, roughly 100 to 250 kW aero-generators can supply
power to isolated populations, farm cooperatives, commercial refrigeration,
desalination and to other small industries. The generator may operate in stand-
alone mode or may be connected to a mini-grid system.
3. As Grid Connected Electrical Power Source:
 Large aero-generators in the range of few hundred kW to few MW are planned for
supplying power to a utility grid. Large arrays of aero-generators, known as wind
farms are being deployed in open plains or offshore in shallow water for this
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purpose.
CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF WIND MACHINES
Two important wind rotor configurations are as follows:
1. In vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT), the axis of rotation is vertical with respect
to the ground (and roughly perpendicular to the wind stream), as shown in Figure
(a).
The following are the two main types of VAWT: (a) Darrieus (which uses lift forces
generated by aerofoils) (b) Savonius (which uses drag forces)
2. Horizontal-axis turbines, in which the axis of rotation is horizontal with respect to
the ground (and roughly parallel to the wind stream), as represented in Figure (b).

Figure : Wind rotor configurations 1. Figure : Wind rotor configurations

Savonius, 2. (a,b &c) Darrieus wind (a) Vertical axis (b) Horizontal axis
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turbines
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT):
HAWT, are the common style that most of us think of when we think of a wind
turbine. it has blades that look like a propeller that spin on the horizontal axis.

Figure :
Horizontal axis
wind turbine

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1. Main Components:
The constructional details of most common, three-blade rotor, horizontal axis wind
turbine are shown in Figure.
Main parts are as follows:
(a) Turbine Blades: Turbine blades are made of high-density wood or glass fiber and epoxy
composites. They have airfoil type cross-section. The blades are slightly twisted from the
outer tip to the root to reduce the tendency to stall. In addition to centrifugal force and
fatigue due to continuous vibrations there are many extraneous forces arising from wind
turbulence, gust, gravitational forces and directional changes in the wind, etc. All these
factors are to be taken care off at the designing stage. Diameter of a typical, MW range,
modern rotor may be of the order of 100 m. Modern wind turbines have two or three
blades.
(b) Hub: The central solid portion of the rotor wheel is known as hub. All blades are attached
to the hub. Mechanism for pitch angle control is also provided inside the hub.
(c) Nacelle: The term nacelle is derived from the name for housing containing the engines of
an aircraft. The rotor is attached to nacelle, mounted at the top of a tower. It contains rotor
brakes, gearbox, generator and electrical switchgear and control. Brakes are used to stop
the rotor when power generation is not desired. Gearbox steps up the shaft rpm to suit the
generator. Protection and control functions are provided by switchgear and control block.
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(d) Yaw Control Mechanism:
The mechanism to adjust the nacelle around vertical axis to keep it
facing the wind is provided at the base of nacelle.
(e) Tower:
Tower supports nacelle and rotor. For medium and large sized turbines,
the tower is slightly taller than the rotor diameter. In case of small sized
turbine, the tower is much larger than the rotor diameter as the air is
erratic at lower heights. Both steel and concrete towers are being used.
The construction can be either tubular or lattice type.
The tower vibrations and resulting fatigue cycles under wind speed
fluctuations are avoided by careful design. This requires avoidance of all
resonance frequencies of tower, the rotor and the nacelle from the wind
fluctuation frequencies.

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 Figure : Pitch control of
a blade adjusts the
pitch to obtain optimal
performance

Figure : Various types of rotors for 25

HAWT
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
(VAWT):

26
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT):
VAWTs are in the development stage and many models are undergoing field trial.
Main attractions of a VAWT are:
(i) It can accept wind from any direction, eliminating the need of yaw control.
(ii) Gearbox, generator etc. are located at the ground, thus eliminating the heavy
nacelle at the top of the tower. This simplifies the design and installation of the
whole structure, including tower.
(iii) The inspection and maintenance also gets easier and
(iv) It also reduces the overall cost.
1. Main Components:
The constructional details of a vertical axis wind turbine (Darrieus type rotor) are
shown in Figure. The details of main components are as follows:
(a) Tower (or Rotor Shaft):
The tower is a hollow vertical rotor shaft, which rotates freely about vertical axis
between top and bottom bearings. It is installed above a support structure. In the
absence of any load at the top, a very strong tower is not required, which greatly
simplifies its design. The upper part of the tower is supported by guy ropes.27The
(b) Blades:
It has two or three thin, curved blades shaped like an eggbeater
in profile, with blades curved in a form that minimizes the
bending stress caused by centrifugal forces. The blades have
airfoil cross-section with constant chord length. The pitch of the
blades cannot be changed. The diameter of the rotor is slightly
less than the tower height. The first large (3.8 MW), Darrieus
type, Canadian machine has rotor height as 94 m and diameter
as 65 m with a chord [of blade] of 2.4 m.
(c) Support Structure:
Support structure is provided at the ground to support the weight
of the rotor. Gearbox, generator, brakes, electrical switchgear
and controls are housed within this structure.
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29
Tidal Power:
 As per present technological status, recoverable energy in oceans exists mainly in the
form of waves, tides and temperature difference (between surface and deep layers).
 Tidal energy exploits the natural rise and fall of coastal tidal waters caused principally by
the interaction of the gravitational fields of the Sun and the Moon.
 The highest level of tidal water is known as flood tide or high tide. The lowest level is
known as low tide or ebb. The level difference between the high and low tide is known
as tidal range. The tidal range varies greatly with location.
 Only sites with large tidal ranges (about 5 m or more) are considered suitable for power
generation.
 Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of the tides into electricity
or other useful forms of power.
 Therefore, tidal energy is an entirely predictable form of renewable energy.

TIDAL POWER GENERATION IN INDIA:

Important site location and estimated power potential of a few Indian tidal energy plant is
given in Table.

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Origin and Nature of Tidal Energy:
Tides are produced by gravitational attraction of moon and sun acting upon the
rotating earth. The moon exerts a larger gravitational force (about 70 per cent of the
tide producing force) on the earth, as it is a great deal closer than the sun. Surface
water is pulled away from the earth on the side facing the moon, and at the same
time the solid earth is pulled away from the water on the opposite side. Thus the
ocean height increases both near and far sides of the earth as shown in Figure.

Figure: Origin of
Tides

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Classification of Tidal Power Plant:
 The basin [pool] system is the most practical method of harnessing tidal
energy. It is created by enclosing a portion of sea behind erected dams. The
dam includes a sluice that is opened to allow the tide to flow into the basin
during tide rise periods and the sluice is then closed.
 When the sea level drops, traditional hydropower technologies (water is
allowed to run through hydro turbines) are used to generate electricity from
the elevated water in the basin.
 we can observe that the tidal power varies as the square of the head and since
the head varies with the tidal range, the power available at different sites
shows very wide variation.
 In order to overcome this wide variation in availability of tidal power, various
tidal basin systems have, therefore, been developed.
The tidal plants are classified on the basis of basins used as
 Single basin system
 Double basin system
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Single-basin Tidal System:
Single basin scheme has only one basin as shown in Figure. It is the simplest system to
generate tidal power. The basin is separated from the ocean/sea by a dam. In single effect
scheme, power is generated during either filling or emptying the basin. Two types of
operation cycles are possible.
In single ebb generation cycle, the sea water fills up the basin through sluice valves when
water level rises in high tides. The stored water in basin is made to run the turbines when the
level of sea water decreases during low tides as shown in the figure. The turbines generate
power using generators. The power output form this system is intermittent as power can be
generated only during low tides.
In single high tide generation cycle, the water is made to enter into basin through the
turbines during high tides. When high tide period is over, the sea level starts falling, which
reduces the head on turbines. The power generation is stopped as sea level reduces with the
onset of low tides. The basin is drained through the sluice ways as sea level is lower during
low tides. The power output is, is therefore intermittent.
In double cycle system, reversible turbines are installed. The power is generated during
both filling and emptying of the basin. Filling of basin is done during high tides when the
water level in basin is low. The water is made to flow through the turbines into basin to run
generators. Emptying of basin is done during low tides when sea level is low and level in
basin is high. The water is made to flow out of the basin through the turbines into the sea
33to
Figure : Single basin, single Figure : Single basin, double
effect tidal energy conversion effect tidal energy conversion
scheme 34
scheme
 Figure: Tidal power plant
construction

Figure : La Rance Tidal Power

Plant, [240 MW] UK. energy can
be generated in either direction,
i.e. in flood and in ebb modes

35
Double - basin Tidal System:
An improvement over the single-basin system is the two-basin system. In this
system, a constant and continuous output is maintained by suitable adjustment of
the turbine valves to suit the head under which these turbines are operating.
In order to maintain continuity of power supply linked and paired basins schemes
are used. Linked basin scheme consists of two basins, one toped up at high tide
and the other emptied at low tide. Thus a permanent head is created between the
two basins. Water flows through turbine from high basin to low basin. The layout
of such a scheme is shown in Figure.

Figure : Double -
basin Tidal System

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TIDAL POWER:
The following are the advantages of tidal power:
1. About two-third of earth’s surface is covered by water, there is scope to
generate tidal energy on large scale.
2. Techniques to predict the rise and fall of tides as they follow cyclic fashion and
prediction of energy availability is well established.
3. The energy density of tidal energy is relatively higher than other renewable
energy sources.
4. Tidal energy is a clean source of energy and does not require much land or
other resources as in harnessing energy from other sources.
5. It is an inexhaustible source of energy.
6. It is an environment friendly energy and does not produce greenhouse effects.
7. Efficiency of tidal power generation is far greater when compared to coal, solar,
or wind energy. Its efficiency is around 80%.
8. Despite the fact that capital investment of construction of tidal power is high,
running and maintenance costs are relatively low.
9. The life of tidal energy power plant is very long.
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The following are the disadvantages of tidal power:
1. Capital investment for construction of tidal power plant is high.
2. Only a very few ideal locations for construction of plant are available and they
too are localized to coastal regions.
3. Unpredictable intensity of sea waves can cause damage to power generating
units.
4. Aquatic life is influenced adversely and can disrupt the migration of fish.
5. The energy generated is not much as high and low tides occur only twice a
day and continuous energy production is not possible.
6. The actual generation is for a short period of time. The tides only happen
twice a day so electricity can be produced only for that time, approximately
for 12 h and 25 min.
7. This technology is still not cost effective and more technological
advancements are required to make it commercially viable.

38
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion: Introduction
 Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a method to produce electricity by
using the temperature differences between warm ocean surface and cool deep
ocean water to run a heat engine. If temperature difference is greater, then
more energy will be produced.
 About 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by oceans, which are continuously
heated by the sun. Extracting the solar energy stored in an ocean is carried out
by exploiting the temperature difference between warm surface water and cold
deep sea water.
 OTEC systems use the ocean’s natural thermal gradient to drive a power-
producing cycle. As long as the temperature difference between warm surface
water and cold deep sea water is greater than about 20°C, an OTEC system can
produce a significant amount of power.
 In many regions, ocean surface water is generally maintained at 25°C or above
and more than 1,000 metres below the surface is generally at about 5°C.
 Therefore, OTEC is an energy technology that converts solar radiation to electric
power through heat of ocean water. 39

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Technology:
OTEC plants can operate on open and closed cycles.
 An open-cycle OTEC uses the warm ocean surface water as working fluid. It is a non-

toxic and environment friendly fluid. The major components of this system are shown in
Figure. It consists of evaporator, low-pressure turbine coupled with electrical generator,
condenser, marine culture ponds, non-condensable gas exhaust, and pumps.
 The working principles of open-cycle OTEC plants are explained as follows with the help of
Figure.
1. The warm ocean surface water is pumped into flash evaporator where it is partially flashed
into steam at a very low pressure. The remaining warm sea water is discharged into the
sea.
2. The low-pressure vapour (steam) expands in turbine to drive a coupled electrical generator
to produce electricity. A portion of electricity generated is consumed in plants to run pumps
and for other work, and the remaining large amount of electricity is stored as net electrical
power.
3. The steam with many gases (such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide) released from
the turbine separated from sea water in an evaporator is pumped into condenser. The
steam is cooled in a condenser by cold deep sea water.
4. The condensed non-saline water is discharged either directly in deep sea cold water
40 or
 Figure : Flash Drum
[Flash
evaporation (or partial
evaporation]
Figure : Open cycle OTEC plant
41
[Basic Rankine cycle]
Closed-cycle OTEC :
The schematic of closed-cycle OTEC is shown in Figure. It has different arrangement when
compared to open-cycle OTEC. Organic fluid with low boiling point is used as working fluid.
Ammonia liquid is the most widely used working fluid. Warm surface sea water and working
fluid piping are placed very closely to each other in a heat exchanger to transfer warm sea
water heat into working fluid. The cold deep sea water piping system is in contact with
working fluid piping system in a condenser where working fluid condenses to its liquid state.
Other components of both open- and closed-cycle OTECs are similar.
Working principles of closed-cycle OTEC are as follows:
1. Working fluid is pumped through heat exchangers in a closed loop cycle which is
perfectly leakage proof.
2. Warm sea surface water is pumped through separate pipe in heat exchanger in close
contact with fluid closed loop cycle.
3. Warm sea water transfer its heat energy to working fluid in heat exchanger and working
fluid vapourizes.
4. The fluid vapour makes the turbine to rotate and drive an electrical generator to produce
electricity.
5. Fluid vapour leaving the turbine is cooled and condensed as liquid fluid and is pumped
again to repeat cycle.
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6. Cold deep sea water is pumped through a separate pipe in condenser for providing
Figure : Closed cycle OTEC 43
Environmental Impacts:
 A number of potential environmental impacts due to use of OTEC
have been identified as follows:
 It is feared that the marine life (eggs, larvae and fish) could be
entrained and destroyed due to intake and expulsion of large
volumes of water. Appropriate siting [arrangement] of intake may
reduce the problem.
 Changes in local temperature and salinity might also effects the
local ecosystem, impact coral and influence ocean currents and
climate.
 In open cycle OTEC system, CO2 dissolved in warm water is

released to atmosphere, which has greenhouse effect on the

environment.
 Release of large quantities of cold water into warmer surface
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
OTEC:

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OTEC power stations in the world:
 The first plant for utilizing the Ocean Thermal Energy had a capacity of 40
kW and was tested in Cuba on 1930 by Georges Claude.
 The first modern OTEC power plant, which was located near Hawaii (USA),
had a thermal capacity of 2.8 MW and electric power output of 50 kW (gross).
How­ever, the net power output of the plant was 18 kW. Hence, the overall
efficiency was only 0.643%.
 Beginning in 1970, the Tokyo Electric Power Company successfully built and
deployed a 100 kW closed-cycle OTEC plant on the island of Nauru. The plant
which became operational in 1981, pro­duced about 120 kW; 90 kW was used
to power the plant itself and the remaining was used to power a school and
several places in Nauru. This set a world record for power output from an
OTEC system where the power was sent to a real power grid.
 National Institute of Ocean Technology was involved in the design,
development and demonstration of a 1 MW OTEC floating plant-the largest of
its kind-in the Indian waters. This is to be commissioned 60 km south east of
Tuticorin, South India where an ocean depth of 1200m available.
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Module 4
Completes

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