Dossier Océan et énergie - Énergie Thermique des Mers

Sommaire IOA News Letters

Readers¡¦Column

by
Shabbir Safety
Safety Hardware Mart,
188, Rasappa Chetty Street,
Chennai-600 003
India

Gentlemen

OTEC has been around for quite some time and its status is still on a research and development level. Among the many drawbacks andshortcomings one that is glaring is the consumption of   large amount of energy in pumping the cold deep-sea water. As is evident from various experimental approaches, even the largest plant presently working consumes anywhere from about 10 to 20 % of the power produced by the plant. This is a colossal hurdle, which has become one of the contributing factors in OTEC not taking off from the tarmac. Even the proposed new soft pipe? approach is not going to provide any reductionin the power consumption. In fact, the soft pipe? with its pump down onthe deep sea floor is definitely going to consume more power due to the uneven flow resistance offered by the buckling and bulging of the soft pipe? over its entire length.

Now I have come up with an innovative solution, which not only drastically reduces the energy consumed for pumping the cold deep-seawater but also removes certain limitations promulgated by the depth andthe extraordinary length of the pipeline. Named GUC^*? it would worke qually well with the tiniest permissible to the largest possible plant.GUC? instantly provides substantial savings, to the tune of about 75 %,in the power required to pump the cold deep-sea water. It would now beeven cheaper to use the cold water for air-conditioning purpose too.

Apart from this, GUC? permits use of soft pipe? a suitable new designfor this too has been conceived, and a host of other benefits accrue too.I have tested the GUC? on a table-top experiment and thereafter from a height of 60? The results indicate that the concept is 100 % workable.

I am offering this new concept called the GUC? ?at a price. The complete concept will be disclosed after the proper execution of then ecessary legal and contractual papers.

I am sure your keenness and sincerity at finding a solution to make OTEC a success would arouse your enthusiasm in considering this new concept positively.

* ¡¦ GUC ¡¦ is an acronym for the name temporarily given to the new concept.