Session: 10-02: Alternative Energy Conversion Technology (including Wind, Geothermal, Hydro, and Ocean)

Paper Number: 131397

131397 - A Low Cost 20 MW Commercial Ocean Thermal Energy Plant for Tropical Regions 

Abstract: 

A Low Cost 20 MW Commercial Ocean Thermal Energy Plant for tropical regions

Abstract:

Ocean Thermal Energy has been seriously proposed as a natural, sustainable, and clean source of electric power starting in 1881 when Jacques Arsene d’Arsonval (French physicist) first proposed the concept.  In 1926 G. Claude, a student of d’Arsonval, and P. Boucherot first put the low temperature power concept to the test in a small experiment using warm effluent water from a steel plant in Ougree, Belgium.  Later in the 1930s, Claude built an open cycle land based OTEC plant in Cuba.  After loss and leaks in his long cold-water pipe, Claude went to sea and attempted to run his plant on an old cargo vessel.  Here movement of the vessel with respect to the cold-water pipe caused loss of the pipe. 

Nikola Tesla in 1931 in his paper “Our Future Motive Power” talked about ocean thermal energy.  The French attempted to develop a land based open cycle ocean thermal plant in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire but shelved the project as cheaper hydro and then petroleum projects came into play.   

Through the 20th and now in the 21^st century there have been numerous experiments, developments, and testing of components and thermodynamic cycles, all of which continue to hone technology.  There is abundant agreement among engineers that the OTEC technology will work, and that new technology utilized today will enhance OTEC floating plants.   Constantly, however, the cumulative call argues for the actual construction and installation of a prototype OTEC plant of commercial size, connected to a national municipal electric grid.

Most less developed and smaller developed island nations generate the bulk of their power with diesel fuel. This paper will describe how a 20 MW net prototype commercial Ocean Thermal Energy plant of a specific design can be built and installed in hundreds of tropical locations around the world.    At the current cost of delivered diesel fuel over the last few years at $3.50 to $6.00 US per gallon, the plant proposed in this paper can easily produce base load continuous, sustainable power for these islands at a lower cost than the fuel cost component of power production alone.  OTEC is possible and economically competitive and available today in a prototype floating plant with the technology we have developed.  This paper will describe our approach to an economical floating Sea Solar Power plant located on any of hundreds of possible locations around the world.   

 

James H Anderson, Jr. Pres.

Sea Solar Power

250 North Main St.

Jacobus, PA 17407

Tel: 717-428-3246

Fax: 717-428-2865

Email:  jim@seasolarpower.com

URL:    www.seasolarpower.com

Presenting Author: James Anderson Sea Solar Power

Presenting Author Biography: James H Anderson, Jr

James H. Anderson, Jr. earned bachelor degrees from MIT in Mechanical and Electrical engineering in 1963 and 1966. After graduation he served in the US Navy at sea on several ships in an engineering capacity.

Anderson worked for Jackson and Moreland Consulting Engineers in Boston. Here he worked on their first Nuclear Power plant design studies, special projects, including cycle optimization, computer programs for component design and bottoming cycle analysis.

In 1968 Anderson, his father and a 3rd partner started Coupling Corporation of America (CCA). This company manufactures shaft couplings and services the utility, petro-chem, military, marine, and all markets with industrial power transmission needs.

In 1962 Anderson and his father started investigating the work of George Claude and the possibility of utilizing more modern technology to make sea thermal energy (STE) a practical and economic possibility. Anderson, Jr wrote his bachelor’s thesis on STE in 1963. By 1965, Anderson Sr. and Anderson Jr. had done considerable design work on how to make commercial power from a floating sea thermal power plant. Their first papers were published in 1965.

In 1972 the Andersons were invited to a government sponsored solar energy discussion panel at the time of the first Arab oil embargo to represent the energy concept of obtaining power using the temperature differences found in the tropical oceans. Out of that set of meetings a small alterative energy program started in the National Science Foundation with a small division for what became known as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). The Anderson’s incorporated Sea Solar Power in the early 70’s.

A related project came along in the late 70’s. This was the design and construction of the world’s first commercial 10 MW hot water geothermal power plant located at East Mesa in Southern California. This was carried out by J. Hilbert Anderson, Inc. This plant used geothermally heated water in the ground, a Rankine cycle, specially designed heat exchangers, turbines, and associated equipment designed under the supervision of the Andersons. This hot water geothermal plant was the best performing geothermal plant ever built to this day.

Mr. Anderson continues to be engaged in engineering and management as president of SSP, Coupling Corporation, and J. Hilbert Anderson, Inc., in Jacobus, PA

Married 49 years to Lois, they reside in York, PA. They have 1 son, Jams Hilbert Anderson 3rd who is in business with his father.

Authors:

James Anderson Sea Solar Power