Increasing the efficiency of supplemented ocean thermal energy conversion (sotec) systems

Abstract

A system and method for increasing the efficiency of an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system is described. In some examples, the system collects thermal energy using a solar collector, warms ocean water located within the solar collector, and provides the warmed water to an OTEC system, such as to a vaporizer of a heat engine. In some examples, the OTEC system provides electricity and other energy to another system, creating a cycle of sustainable economic development of energy and resources.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for sustainable economic development of a resource located in an ocean, the system comprising:
 an ocean thermal energy conversion system, wherein the ocean thermal energy conversion system includes:
 a heat engine configured to produce electricity, wherein the heat engine includes a vaporizer, a turbine, a working fluid, and a condenser; and 
 a supplement reception component configured to receive a supplement that increases an operational efficiency of the heat engine; and 
   a resource generation system, wherein the resource generation system includes:
 a resource component configured to generate a resource from feedstock provided to the resource generation system and electricity produced by the heat engine of the ocean thermal energy conversion system; and 
 a provision component configured to provide a portion of the generated resource as the supplement received by the supplement reception component of the ocean thermal energy conversion system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generated resource is heat, and the heat increases a temperature of ocean water provided to the vaporizer to vaporize the working fluid within the vaporizer. 
     
     
         3 . A method for sustainable economic development of ocean-based resources, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a heat engine associated with an ocean thermal energy conversion system, heat from a resource generation system;   operating the heat engine associated with the ocean thermal energy conversion system using the received heat, wherein operating the heat engine associated with the ocean thermal energy conversion system generates electricity;   providing a portion of the generated electricity to the resource generation system; and   operating the resource generation system using the provided electricity.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the received heat is excess heat generated during the operation of the resource generation system. 
     
     
         5 . An ocean thermal energy conversion system, the system comprising:
 a vaporizer configured to receive water from an ocean and vaporize a working fluid using the received water;   a condenser configured to receive water from an area of the ocean lower than the surface area of the ocean and condense vaporized working fluid;   a working fluid passageway, coupled to the vaporizer and the condenser, configured to provide the working fluid to the vaporizer and receive the working fluid from the condenser;   a turbine, coupled to the vaporizer, configured to generate electricity using the vaporized working fluid; and   a solar collector, coupled to the vaporizer, configured to provide water to the vaporizer at a temperature higher than a temperature of the water of the surface area of the ocean.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the solar collector comprises:
 a web assembly configured to trap solar energy; and   a channel within the solar web assembly configured to:
 receive the water from the surface area of the ocean; 
 warm the water received from the surface area of the ocean; and 
 transport the received water to the vaporizer. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the solar collector comprises:
 a channel configured to hold water received from the surface area of the ocean; and   an insulated air space at least partially surrounding the channel and configured to capture solar energy in order to raise the temperature of the water held by the channel.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the solar collector is a spiral shaped solar collector. 
     
     
         9 . An ocean thermal energy conversion system, the system comprising:
 a heat engine, wherein the heat engine is configured to generate electricity using ocean water; and   a solar collector, wherein the solar collector is configured to raise the temperature of ocean water received by a vaporizer of the heat engine.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the solar collector is configured to provide ocean water to the vaporizer of the heat engine at a temperature higher than the temperature of ocean water surrounding the solar collector. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the heat engine is configured to heat a working fluid within the heat engine using the ocean water received by the vaporizer of the heat engine. 
     
     
         12 . A method for increasing the operating efficiency of an ocean thermal energy conversion system, the method comprising:
 receiving water from the ocean into a solar collector;   warming the received water in the solar collector; and   providing the warmed water to the ocean thermal energy conversion system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein warming the received water in the solar collector includes capturing solar energy using air pockets surrounding a channel that contains the water received from the ocean. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein warming the received water in the solar collector includes capturing solar energy using lenses surrounding a channel that contains the water received from the ocean. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein providing the water to the ocean thermal energy conversion system includes providing the warmed water to a vaporizer of the solar thermal energy conversion system, wherein the vaporizer heats a working fluid using the provided water to operate a turbine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving water from the ocean into a solar collector includes receiving water from the ocean into a spiral solar collector assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 manufacturing a solar collector using polymers derived from ocean debris surrounding the ocean thermal energy conversion system.   
     
     
         18 . A method for increasing the operating efficiency of an OTEC system, the method comprising:
 collecting heat; and   increasing the temperature of water input into a vaporizer of the OTEC system using the collected heat.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein collecting heat includes collecting solar energy using a solar collector. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein collecting heat includes collecting heat from an electrolyzer that converts water into hydrogen and oxygen. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein collecting the heat includes capturing solar energy using a solar collector, the method further comprising:
 warming the water within the solar collector before inputting the water into the vaporizer of the OTEC system.   
     
     
         22 . A solar collector assembly, comprising:
 a channel configured to receive ocean water into the solar collector assembly and hold the received ocean water within the solar collector assembly;   a solar energy trapping portion surrounding the channel and configured to heat the received ocean water; and   a coupling portion configured to transport the heated ocean water to an ocean thermal energy conversion system.   
     
     
         23 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion includes air pockets configured to capture solar energy; 
     
     
         24 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion includes lenses configured to capture solar energy. 
     
     
         25 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion is formed of a thin film polymer. 
     
     
         26 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion is a web of insulated air spaces. 
     
     
         27 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion is a web of insulated spaces containing a gas having a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of air. 
     
     
         28 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the solar energy trapping portion is formed of polymers derived from ocean debris. 
     
     
         29 . The solar collector assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the coupling portion configured to transport the heated ocean water to an ocean thermal energy conversion system is configured to transport the heated ocean water to a vaporizer of the ocean thermal energy conversion system.