基于太阳能热发电系统效率的最佳运行温度

分别对汽轮机组热机效率和太阳能集热器效率进行了分析,并对热机效率进行了修正,得到了不同状况下的太阳能热发电系统效率和最优运行温度。研究表明:随着太阳辐照度、太阳能热发电系统聚光比的增加,系统效率提高,最佳集热温度升高;然而,当综合传热系数增大时,系统效率下降,最佳集热温度降低;太阳能集热器光学效率的变化,只影响系统效率,对系统的最佳集热温度影响不大。     

An ocean thermal energy conversion based system for district cooling,ammonia and power production

In this study, a novel Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) based tri-generation system that produces ammonia, cooling and power is developed and analysed. This OTEC plant operates on the naturally existing temperature difference that exists in various depths of the ocean. The OTEC plant used in this study is operated using a single-stage ammonia Rankine cycle. The discharge seawater from the condenser in the organic Rankine cycle is used to provide district cooling. Two different operation cases of the analysed system are considered, where for the first case 50% of the power produced is stored in the form of ammonia during the off-peak hours. The second case is for complete power production proposed for peak hours. For the case where 50% of the power produced (case 1) is used to produce ammonia the highest energy and exergy efficiency is found to be 1.37% and 56.17% respectively. As for the case where, only power is produced (case 2) the maximum energy and exergy efficiency of the OTEC plant is found to be 1.83% and 78.02% respectively. The corresponding maximum power production was 6612 kW and 13,224 kW for cases 1 and 2. The maximum hydrogen and ammonia production rate is found to be 94.35 kg/h and 534.7 kg/h at peak efficiency values. The cooling duty at the peak energy and exergy efficiency is found to be 64.4 MW where the condenser temperature is 11.38 °C.     

On the ocean heat budget and ocean thermal energy conversion

Ocean water covers a vast portion of the Earth's surface and is also the world's largest solar energy collector. It plays an important role in maintaining the global energy balance as well as in preventing the Earth's surface from continually heating up because of solar radiation. The ocean also plays an important role in driving the atmospheric processes. The heat exchange processes across the ocean surface are represented in an ocean thermal energy budget, which is important because the ocean stores and releases thermal energy. The solar energy absorbed by the ocean heats up the surface water, despite the loss of heat energy from the surface due to back‐radiation, evaporation, conduction, and convection, and the seasonal change in the surface water temperature is less in the tropics. The cold water from the higher latitudes is carried by ocean currents along the ocean bottom from the poles towards the equator, displacing the lower‐density water above and creating a thermal structure with a large reservoir of warm water at the ocean surface and a large reservoir of cold water at the bottom, with a temperature difference of 22°C to 25°C between them. The available thermal energy, which is the almost constant temperature water at the beginning and end of the thermocline, in some areas of the oceans, is suitable to drive ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants. These plants are basically heat engines that use the temperature difference between the surface and deep ocean water to drive turbines to generate electricity. A detailed heat energy budget of the ocean is presented in the paper taking into consideration all the major heat inputs and outputs. The basic OTEC systems are also presented and analyzed in this paper. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermodynamic performance assessment of ocean thermal energy conversion based hydrogen production and liquefaction process

In the proposed study, the thermodynamic performance assessment of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) based hydrogen generation and liquefaction system are evaluated. In this context, the energetic and exergetic analyses of integrated system are conducted for multigeneration. This integrated process is consisted of the heat exchangers, turbine, condenser, pumps, solar collector system, hot storage tank, cold storage tank and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. In addition to that, the impacts of different design indicators and reference ambient parameters on the exergetic performance and exergy destruction rate of OTEC based hydrogen production system are analyzed. The energetic and exergetic efficiencies of integrated system are founded as 43.49% and 36.49%, respectively.     

Performance simulation of solar-boosted ocean thermal energy conversion plant

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a power generation method that utilizes small temperature difference between the warm surface water and cold deep water of the ocean. This paper describes the performance simulation results of an OTEC plant that utilizes not only ocean thermal energy but also solar thermal energy as a heat source. This power generation system was termed SOTEC (solar-boosted ocean thermal energy conversion). In SOTEC, the temperature of warm sea water was boosted by using a typical low-cost solar thermal collector. In order to estimate the potential thermal efficiency and required effective area of a solar collector for a 100-kWe SOTEC plant, first-order modeling and simulation were carried out under the ambient conditions at Kumejima Island in southern part of Japan. The results show that the proposed SOTEC plant can potentially enhance the annual mean net thermal efficiency up to a value that is approximately 1.5 times higher than that of the conventional OTEC plant if a single-glazed flat-plate solar collector of 5000-m² effective area is installed to boost the temperature of warm sea water by 20 K.     

Off-design performance analysis of a closed-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion system with solar thermal preheating and superheating

This article reports the off-design performance analysis of a closed-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system when a solar thermal collector is integrated as an add-on preheater or superheater. Design-point analysis of a simple OTEC system was numerically conducted to generate a gross power of 100 kW, representing a base OTEC system. In order to improve the power output of the OTEC system, two ways of utilizing solar energy are considered in this study: (1) preheating of surface seawater to increase its input temperature to the cycle and (2) direct superheating of the working fluid before it enters a turbine. Obtained results reveal that both preheating and superheating cases increase the net power generation by 20–25% from the design-point. However, the preheating case demands immense heat load on the solar collector due to the huge thermal mass of the seawater, being less efficient thermodynamically. The superheating case increases the thermal efficiency of the system from 1.9% to around 3%, about a 60% improvement, suggesting that this should be a better approach in improving the OTEC system. This research provides thermodynamic insight on the potential advantages and challenges of adding a solar thermal collection component to OTEC power plants.     

Maximum efficiency point tracking for an ocean thermal energy harvesting system

Limited energy is the most critical factor that restricts the persistent presence of underwater vehicles in the oceans; thus, harvesting the ocean's thermal energy that is stored in the water column between the sea surface and deep water is a particularly promising solution for the current power shortage. This paper has designed a new ocean thermal energy conversion system which using phase change material as energy storage medium, and proposed a novel maximum efficiency point tracking (MEPT) method for energy conversion. This new method, which is integrated with a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), particle swarm optimization (PSO) and the proportion integration differentiation (PID) control method, could effectively improve the efficiency of energy conversion. Compared with the power generation system that does not use the MEPT method, experimental results show that the proposed method can improve the efficiency of the power generation from less than 19.05% to more than 34.3% and has higher stability (using this method: the efficiency changes from 34.3%-34.7%; without using this method: the efficiency changes from 13.56% -19.05%) when the load changes. This novel method can be used in many conditions, especially when the mathematical model of the generation system is unknown or researchers want to use fewer sensors for maximum efficiency point tracking.     

Energy and exergy analyses of hydrogen production via solar-boosted ocean thermal energy conversion and PEM electrolysis

Energy and exergy analyses are reported of hydrogen production via an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system coupled with a solar-enhanced proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. This system is composed of a turbine, an evaporator, a condenser, a pump, a solar collector and a PEM electrolyzer. Electricity is generated in the turbine, which is used by the PEM electrolyzer to produce hydrogen. A simulation program using Matlab software is developed to model the PEM electrolyzer and OTEC system. The simulation model for the PEM electrolyzer used in this study is validated with experimental data from the literature. The amount of hydrogen produced, the exergy destruction of each component and the overall system, and the exergy efficiency of the system are calculated. To better understand the effect of various parameters on system performance, a parametric analysis is carried out. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the integrated OTEC system are 3.6% and 22.7% respectively, and the exergy efficiency of the PEM electrolyzer is about 56.5% while the amount of hydrogen produced by it is 1.2 kg/h.     

A novel comprehensive procedure for determination of optimum operating conditions for cleaner energy production system

Cleaner energy production system such as direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are considered as an alternative source for generating cleaner energy. Studies based on design of catalysts, electrodes design, proton exchange membrane, and flow field were conducted for improving its performance characteristic such as power density. However, the less focus was paid on determining the operating conditions considering the uncertainties that will result in an increase of power density of DAFCs. Therefore, the present work proposes a novel comprehensive procedure involving experimental study and evolutionary approach of genetic programming (GP) in formulation of robust power density models for DAFCs. Two uncertainties such as the selection of objective function and variations in measurement of operating conditions are incorporated in framework of GP. The power density models incorporate the formulation of new objective function in GP that will result in higher accuracy of the models. Experiments performed on DAFCs validate performance of the models. Simulation profiler is then generated for models to verify its robustness in uncertain operating conditions. The inferences on relationships between power density and operating conditions for DAFCs are made by surface analysis of the models.     

Hydrogen production through solar energy water electrolysis

Various methods of making hydrogen from water have been proposed, but at the present time the only practical way to make hydrogen from water without fossil fuel is electrolysis. The development of a new, advanced, water electrolyser has become necessary for use in hydrogen energy systems and in electricity storage systems. All the new possible electrolysis processes, suitable for large-scale plants, are being analysed, in view of their combination with solar electricity source. A study of system interactions between large-scale photovoltaic plants, for electrical energy supply, and water electrolysis, is carried out. The subsystems examined include power conditioning, control and loads, as they are going to operate. Water electrolysis systems have no doubt been improved considerably and are expected to become the principal means to produce a large amount of hydrogen in the coming hydrogen economy age. Thus, the present paper treats the subject of hydrogen energy production from direct solar energy conversion facilities located on the earth's oceans and lakes. Electrolysis interface is shown to be conveniently adapted to direct solar energy conversion, depending on technical and economical feasibility aspects as they emerge from the research phases. The intrinsic requirement for relatively immense solar collection areas for large-scale central conversion facilities, with widely variable electricity charges, is given. The operation of electrolysis and photovoltaic array combination is verified at different insolation levels. Solar cell arrays and electrolysers are giving the expected results during continuously variable solar energy inputs. Future markets will turn more and more towards larger scale systems powering significantly bigger loads, ranging from hundreds of kW to several MW in size. Detailed design and close attention to subsystem engineering in the development of high performance, high efficiency photovoltaic power plants, are carried out. An overall design of a 50 MWp photovoltaic central station for electricity and hydrogen co-generation is finally discussed.     

Inverted vertical spout evaporators for open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion

The hydrodynamics and heat and mass transfer performance of inverted vertical spout direct contact exchangers are studied in this paper. Simple models are proposed for the performance of the spout for shattered and unshattered sheet flows, the latter representing condensers or evaporators with small inlet superheat. A semi-empirical model is presented for the spout shattered flow. The models are shown to predict the available experimental data reasonably well. Estimates are provided for gas desorption from the seawater in the exchangers.     

Falling jet flash evaporators for open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion

Evaporation from falling superheated water jets for application to open cycle ocean thermal energy conversion is considered. Analyses are performed to show that the interfacial resistance is of no importance to evaporator design and that evaporation is liquid side controlled. The heat exchanger performance is presented in terms of its effectiveness and change of bulk temperature. Unbroken planar and round jets and broken jets which are assumed to be composed of spherical droplets are considered. The analysis is shown to provide a rational basis for correlating experimental data for broken and unbroken jets. Corresponding desorption rates of dissolved noncondensable gas from water jets are then predicted.     

The exergy of the ocean thermal resource and analysis of second-law efficiencies of idealized ocean thermal energy conversion power cycles

We develop a fomula here to compute the maximum amount of work which can be extracted from a given combined mass of warm and cold ocean water (a quantity called the exergy of the ocean thermal resource). We then compare the second-law efficiencies of various proposed ocean thermal energy conversion power cycles to determine which best utilizes the exergy of the ocean thermal resource. The second-law efficiencies of the multicomponent working fluid cycle, the Beck cycle, and the open and closed single- and multiple-stage Rankine cycles are compared. These types of OTEC power plants are analyzed in a consistent manner, which assumes that all deviations from a plant making use of all the exergy (one with a second-law efficiency of 100%) occur because of irreversible transfer of heat across a finite temperature difference. Conversion of thermal energy to other forms is assumed to occur reversibly. The comparison of second-law efficiencies of various OTEC power cycles shows that the multistage Rankine open cycle with just three stages has the potential of best using the exergy of the ocean thermal resource.     

海洋温差发电系统蒸发压力及工质优选分析

文章基于热力学原理,建立了海洋温差发电系统仿真模型,分析了R717,R134a和R600这3种工质系统的性能参数随蒸发压力的变化。研究结果表明:随蒸发压力的增大,不同工质系统的蒸发器和冷凝器的热负荷和海水泵功率均近似呈幂递减的变化趋势,不同工质系统的泵功率均近似呈指数递增的变化趋势,不同工质系统的质量流量均近似呈幂递减的变化趋势,不同工质系统的热效率均近似呈对数递增的变化趋势;蒸发压力越大,R717和R600工质系统的单位换热面积发电量越大,但R134a工质系统的单位换热面积发电量随蒸发压力的增加存在峰值;在不同工质的饱和蒸汽压力下,R600工质系统的单位换热面积发电量最大,但其透平进出口压降较小,乏汽温度高,工质流量大,导致透平尺寸较大;R717工质系统具有较大的蒸发压力操作范围,且其热效率较大,单位换热面积发电量在合适的范围内,适用于海洋温差能发电系统。     

华东沿海海洋温差发电系统的优化设计

海洋温差能是一种可再生的绿色能源,储藏量大,资源稳定。海洋温差发电是利用深层、表层海水的温度差,以高温海水为热源,使液态工质气化推动发电机发电,以低温海水为冷源,使气态工质液化的不断循环的过程。基于能源的可持续发展考虑,可以利用风能、太阳能等可再生能源来优化设计海洋温差发电系统。华东沿海海域有着丰富的太阳能和风能资源,利用太阳能可以提高表层海水与深层海水的温差,利用风力转化装置可以提高和调整汽轮机的转速,保证发电系统持续稳定的发电。利用太阳能、风能对海洋温差发电系统进行优化设计,不仅避免和解决了当前海洋温差发电技术上的一些难点,还扩大了应用温差能资源的海域范围。     

Determination of the optimum pond temperature for maximizing power production of a convecting solar pond thermal-energy conversion system

In order to maximize power production of a convecting solar pond power plant, the optimum pond temperature and the corresponding final conversion efficiency are determined numerically. As the heat sink temperature of the associated power plant was increased, the optimum pond temperature increased and the corresponding final conversion efficiency decreased. Further, the optimum final conversion efficiency of the present solar pond thermal-energy conversion system was found to be less than 3% under the meteorological conditions of Japan.     

An economic and environmental assessment of transporting bulk energy from a grazing ocean thermal energy conversion facility

An ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) facility produces electrical power without generating carbon dioxide (CO₂) by using the temperature differential between the reservoir of cold water at greater depths and the shallow mixed layer on the ocean surface. As some of the best sites are located far from shore, one option is to ship a high-energy carrier by tanker from these open-ocean or “grazing” OTEC platforms. We evaluate the economics and environmental attributes of producing and transporting energy using ammonia (NH₃), liquid hydrogen (LH₂) and methanol (CH₃OH). For each carrier, we develop transportation pathways that include onboard production, transport via tanker, onshore conversion and delivery to market. We then calculate the difference between the market price and the variable cost for generating the product using the OTEC platform without and with a price on CO₂ emissions. Finally, we compare the difference in prices to the capital cost of the OTEC platform and onboard synthesis equipment. For all pathways, the variable cost is lower than the market price, although this difference is insufficient to recover the entire capital costs for a first of a kind OTEC platform. With an onboard synthesis efficiency of 75%, we recover 5%, 25% and 45% of the capital and fixed costs for LH₂, CH₃OH and NH₃, respectively. Improving the capital costs of the OTEC platform by up to 25% and adding present estimates for the damages from CO₂ do not alter these conclusions. The near-term potential for the grazing OTEC platform is limited in existing markets. In the longer term, lower capital costs combined with improvements in onboard synthesis costs and efficiency as well as increases in CO₂ damages may allow the products from OTEC platforms to enter into markets.     

The viability and best locations for ocean thermal energy conversion systems around the world

Marine renewable energies offer alternatives to fossil and nuclear energies. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is one of these alternatives, which also provides a range of additional products - food, air conditioning, water, pharmacheuticals included - hence the term deep ocean water applications (DOWA). It is also, unusually, a base-load system. Applications are in both developed and developing nations, but with particular application to island locations. Economics have significantly improved, due to advances in both design and materials, and OTEC/DOWA has many environmental advantages. Small (up to 1 MW) experimental units have been designed and built, and performance has been measured. These results confirm the growing practicality of OTEC/DOWA, and the next requirement is design, construction and operation of a representative scale demonstrator, typically 5 – 10 MW, to evaluate the feasibility of full scale production systems.     

Conceptual design for combined ocean thermal energy conversion using computational fluid dynamics and heat balance analysis

To overcome the limited efficiency of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), particularly in the mid-latitudes, combined OTEC (C-OTEC) could use power extracted from the latent heat of a power plant condenser. Past research in South Korea has demonstrated the feasibility of a 10 kW C-OTEC system using R134a as a working fluid. As the next phase, a 200 kW C-OTEC demonstration facility with a thermal efficiency of greater than 3% is proposed. This paper presents the engineering design process for kW-scale C-OTEC within a 100 MW-scale thermal power plant. The design process is divided into two stages. First, to predict patterns in steam flow to a connected external evaporator with a porous medium, computational fluid dynamics are calculated. The results show a conservative margin suitable for the conceptual design. Second, an iterative heat balance simulation method simultaneously evaluates the heat balance analysis of the C-OTEC design and the thermal impact of the existing power plant. The design stages are then integrated in terms of heat transference capacity.     

Hydrogen energy production from disposable chopsticks by a low temperature catalytic gasification

This study investigates the comparison of various mineral catalysts on the enhancement of energy yield efficiency with low temperature catalytic gasification of disposable chopsticks. The experiments were carried out in a fluidized bed reactor by controlling the temperature and keeping it within the range of 600 °C–800 °C. The mineral catalysts, such as aluminum silicate, zeolite and calcium oxide (CaO) were used as the experimental catalysts for enhancing energy yield in this research. According to the experimental results, the gasification temperature is a critical factor for improving the gas yield and quality. In general, a higher temperature provides more favorable conditions for thermal cracking and enhances the gas yield and quality. The hydrogen content produced from the tested biomass gasification by various catalysts slightly increased from 11.77% to 14.57%. Furthermore, the lower heating value of synthesis gas increased from 9.28 MJ/Nm³ to 9.62 MJ/Nm³, when the fluidized bed reactor temperature operated at 600 °C and the tested catalysts addition. That is, the catalytic gasification has good energy yield performance for enhancing higher energy content of synthesis gas in a lower-temperature catalytic fluidized bed reactor. Compared with the hydrogen production efficiency, the addition of a calcium based catalyst can reduce bed agglomeration tendency, but it also improves the energy yield in this research.