• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1101-1105
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• 2014

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion(OTEC) which uses the temperature difference between warm surface sea-water and cold deep sea-water to produce electric power is the promising technology. OTEC is able to be utilized as the $CO_2$ reducing technology by using the consistent temperature differential, while the system efficiency is very low. Thus, the design and development of a efficient turbine is essential to improve the system efficiency for OTEC. In this study, a 100kW-class radial inflow turbine using R32 was designed for OTEC and this turbine's performance was estimated by analysis of CFD. According as the simulation results, turbine's geometry was corrected. The radial inflow turbine satisfying the requirements is designed by the repeated attempts.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.1002-1006
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• 2015

In this paper, design and analysis of permanent magnet synchronous generator for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) considering magnetically coupled turbine-rotor system is discussed. In particular, the rotor dynamics considering bearing span and journal shaft diameter is highlighted. The two topologies of permanent magnet synchronous generator with magnetic coupling are employed for comparison of computed rotor dynamics and generating characteristics. The analysis results show that the critical speed of the turbine-rotor system is higher when the rotor is coupled by magnetically coupling. Finally, the experimental results confirmed the validity of the proposed design and analysis scheme and successful development.

• Solar Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.101-113
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• 1999

Thermodynamic performance of a simple Rankine cycle, regenerative Rankine cycle, and Kalina cycle for Ocean thermal Energy Conversion(OTEC) is evaluated under the same condition with various working fluids. The evaporator and condenser are modeled by a UA and LMTD method while the turbine and pump are modeled by considering isentropic efficiencies. As for the working fluids, R22, R134a, R32, propylene, ammonia are used for the Rankine cycles while ammonia/water and R32/R134a mixtures are used for Kalina cycle. Calculated results show that newly developed fluids such non-ozone depleting refrigerants as R134a and R32 perform as well as R22 and ammonia. The regenerative Rankine cycle showed a 1.2 to 2.8% increase in energy efficiency as compared to the simple Rankine cycle while the Kalina cycle with ammonia/water mixture showed a 1.8% increase in energy efficiency. The efficiency of the Kalina cycle with R32/R134a mixtures is the same as that of a simple Rankine cycle using R22. Therefore, the regenerative Rankine cycle turns out to be best choice for OTEC applications.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.80-84
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• 2011

The cycle performance of closed ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system with 50 kW gross power was evaluated to obtain the basic data for the optimal design of OTEC using waste heat such as solar power, discharged heat from condenser of power plant. The basic thermodynamic model for OTEC is Rankine cycle, and the surface seawater and deep seawater were used for the heat source of evaporator and condenser, respectively. The cycle performance such as efficiency, heat exchanger capacity, etc. was analyzed on the variation of temperature increase by waste heat. The cycle efficiency increased and necessary capacity of evaporator and condenser decreased under 50kW gross power with respect to the temperature increase of working fluid. Also, when the temperature increase is about $13.5^{\circ}C$, the heat which can be used is generated. By generator with 0.9 effectiveness under the simulated condition, the cycle efficiency was improved approximately 3.0% comparing with the basic cycle.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.237.1-237.1
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• 2010

Recent developments such as concern over global warming, depletion of fossil fuels and increase in energy demands by the increasing world population has eventually lead to mass production of electricity using renewable sources. Ocean contains energy in form of thermal energy and mechanical energy: thermal energy from solar radiation and mechanical energy from the waves and tides. The current paper looks at generating power using waves. The primary objective of the present study is to maximize the primary energy conversion (first stage conversion) of the base model by making some design changes. The model entire consisted of a numerical wave tank and the turbine section. The turbine section had three components; front guide nozzle, augmentation channel and the rear chamber. The augmentation channel further consisted of a front nozzle, rear nozzle and an internal fluid region representing the turbine housing. Different front guide nozzle configuration and rear chamber design were studied. As mentioned, a numerical wave tank was utilized to generate waves of desired properties and later the turbine section was integrated. The waves in the numerical wave tank were generated by a piston type wave maker which was located at the wave tank inlet. The inlet which was modeled as a plate wall which moved sinusoidally with the general function, $x=asin{\omega}t$. In addition to primary energy conversion, observation of flow characteristics, pressure and the velocity in the augmentation channel, rear chamber as well as the front guide nozzle are presented in the paper. The analysis was performed using the commercial code of the ANSYS-CFX. The base model recorded water power of 29.9 W. After making the changes, the best model obtained water power of 37.1 W which represents an increase of approximately 24% in water power and primary energy conversion.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.81-90
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• 2017

The 1MW OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) platform was designed for application in equatorial seas. In this study, the OTEC platform was investigated using numerical and experimental methods. An octagon-shaped OTEC platform was investigated using the Ocean Engineering Basin of KRISO. These experiments included various tests of regular waves, irregular waves and irregular waves with current (wave+current). The responses of the platform in regular waves showed good agreement between the numerical and experimental results, including the motion RAO, wave run up, and mean drift force. The peak period of heave and pitch motions were observed around 0.5 rad/s, and the effect of the total reflection was found under short wave conditions. The standard deviation (STD) of the platform motion was checked in irregular waves of equatorial and Hawaiian seas. The STD of the pitch was less than $4^{\circ}$ different from the operability requirement under equatorial conditions and the surge STD of the wave frequency showed good agreement between the numerical and experimental results. The STD values of the surge and pitch were increased 66.6% and 92.8% by the current effects in irregular waves, but the pitch STD was less than $4^{\circ}$ under equatorial conditions. This study showed that the STD of the surge was affected by spring effects. Thus, the watch circle of the platform and tension of the mooring lines must be evaluated for a specific design in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.20-25
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• 2001

부유식 파랑에너지 변환시스템(Oscillating Water Column)에서 에너지 변환은 입력파와 챔버, 챔버내 공기의 상호작용으로 이루어진다. 이 논문은 파랑에너지를 기계적 운동으로 변환하는 기계적 특성을 해석한다. 단일 진동수 규칙파가 입력되었을 때에 파에 의하여 챔버의 상하운동이 선형적으로 발생하며, 이 상하운동은 챔버내의 압력 변화에 영향을 받는다. 상하운동과 챔버내로 투과한 파, 그리고 챔버내 압력에 의해 발생되는 파에 의해 챔버내의 상대운동을 정하고, 그 상대운동에 의한 공기의 압축 팽창과 온도상승을 근사적 열역학적 방정식으로 해석하여 오리피스를 통한 유량과 압력을 기준으로 에너지 변환요율을 결정하였다. 얻어진 식은 간단하면서도 관련요소의 영향을 전반적으로 표현한다. 개구율 변화에 따른 운동응답을 비교하였다.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.170-170
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• 2010

The energy conversion from the temperature difference between hot and cold source like ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), requires a long and large-diameter pipe (about 1000 to 10,000 meters long) to reach the deep water. The pipe diameter ranges from 2.8 meter for proposed early test systems, to 5 meter for large, commercial power generation systems. The pipe must be designed to resist collapsing pressures produced by water temperature and density differences, and the reduced pressure required to induce flow up the pipe. Other design considerations include the external-drag effect on the pipe due to ocean currents, and the wave-induced motions of the platform to which the pipe is attached. Various approaches to the pipe construction have been proposed, including aluminum, steel, concrete, and fiberglass. More recently, a flexible pipe construction involving the use of fiberglass reinforced plastic has been proposed. This report presents the results of a scaled fixed cold water pipe (CWP) model test program performed by EES(Engineering Equation Solver) to demonstrate the feasibility of this pipe approach.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2014

Ocean thermal energy conversion(OTEC) is a power generation method that utilizes temperature difference between the warm surface seawater and cold deep sea water of ocean. As potential sources of clean-energy supply, Ocean thermal energy conversion(OTEC) power plants' viability has been investigated. Therefore, this paper evaluated the thermodynamic performance of solar-OTEC convergence system for the production with electric power and desalinated water. The comparison analysis of solar-OTEC convergence system performance was carried out as the fluid temperature, saturated temperature difference and pressure of flash evaporator under equivalent conditions. As a results, maximum system efficiency, electric power and fresh water output show at 40, 10, 2.5 kPa of the flash evaporator pressure, respectively. And their respective enhancement ratios were approximately 6.1, 18, 8.6 times higher than that of the base open OTEC system. Also, performance of solar-OTEC system is the highest in the flash evaporator pressure of 10 kPa.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.470-476
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• 2010

The thermodynamic performance of closed ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) cycle with 1 MW gross power was evaluated to obtain the basic data for the optimal design of OTEC. The basic thermodynamic model for OTEC is Rankine cycle and the thermal effluent from power plant was used for the heat source of evaporator. The cycle performance such as efficiency, heat exchanger capacity, etc. was analyzed on the temperature variation of thermal effluent. The saturated pressure of evaporator increased with respect to the increase of thermal effluent temperature, so the cycle efficiency increased and necessary capacity of evaporator and condenser decreased under 1 MW gross power. As the thermal effluent temperature increases about $15^{\circ}C$, the cycle efficiency increased approximately 44%. So, it was revealed that thermal effluent from power plant is important heat source for OTEC plant. Also, if there is an available waste heat, it can be transferred heat to the working fluid form the evaporator through heat exchanger and cycle efficiency will be increased.