Chapter 14

1. Plot the maximum thermal efficiency for an OTEC facility operating with a
temperature difference range of 10 C < T < 24 C. How important is T to the
feasibility for an OTEC system?
ORIGIN 1

i := 10 .. 24 Th := 300 K Ti := i K

T
carnot :=
Th

0.1
0.09
0.08
0.07
0.06
carnot0.05

0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
T

In going from 10 C to 24 C, the efficiency more than doubles. Indeed, at 10 C, the

efficiency is so low than such a system is not feasible.
2. An open-cycle OTEC system operates with warm surface water at 24 C and
surface condenser water of 14 C from the deep cold water at 12 C. The evaporator
pressure is 0.0264 bar that corresponds to a saturation temperature of 22 C, and the
condenser pressure and temperature are 16 C and 0.0182 bar. The turbine
efficiency is 0.83. If the turbine is to extract 100 kW, determine the system efficiency
and the warm water, cold water, and turbine mass flow rates. Contrast these results
from the results of Example 14.1.

T
T

1
2 2g

2f
4

3s 3
ss

kJ := 1000 J

At 24 C, the warm surface water possesses an enthalpy of

kJ
h 1 := 100.6459
kg

The process from 1 to 2 is constant enthalpy, so tha t

kJ
h 2 := 100.6459
kg
At 22 C
kJ kJ kJ kJ
h f := 92.2804 h fg := 2449.015 h g := 2541.295 sg := 8.6225
kg kg kg kg K
The quality at state 2 then becomes
x 2 := 0.5
Given
h 2 = h f + x 2 h fg
 3
x 2 := Find( x 2) x 2 = 3.416 10

Since only vapor enters the turbine

kJ kJ
h 2g := 2541.295 s2g := 8.6225
kg kg K

At the turbine exit, T = 16 C, and the remainiing properties are

kJ kJ kJ kJ
s3g := 0.23897 s3fg := 8.5188 h 3f := 67.1685 h 3fg := 2463.209
kg K kg K kg kg
The process, 2g-3s, is isentropic, so
x 3 := 0.5
Given
s2g = s3g + x 3 s3fg

x 3 := Find( x 3) x 3 = 0.984
3 kJ
h 3s := h 3f + x 3 h 3fg h 3s = 2.491 10
kg
The isentropic work extracted is
kJ
Wideal := h 2g h 3s Wideal = 50.031
kg
And the actual work becomes
kJ
e := 0.83 Wact := e Wideal Wact = 41.526
kg
3 kJ
h 3 := h 2g Wact h 3 = 2.5 10
kg
kW -1
mdottur := 100 mdottur = 2.408 kg s
Wact
Wact
thermal :=
h 3 h 3f thermal = 0.017

The mass flow rates can be calculated as

mdottur -1
mdotwarm := mdotwarm = 704.992 kg s
x2
In the direct contact condenser, cold water at 14 C is used.
kJ
h cold := 58.7910
kg
Using an energy balance on the direct contact condenser

h 3 h 3f -1
mdotcold := mdottur mdotcold = 699.264 kg s
h 3f h cold
Example 13.1 has a 14 C temperature difference while this problem the temperature difference is
10 C. This is reflected in lower thermal efficiency and the higher flow rates required to generate
100 kW.
3. A closed-cycle OTEC system uses propane as the working fluid. The warm
surface water enters and leaves the evaporator at 25 C and 22 C, respectively. The
cold water enters and leaves the condenser at 7 C and 10 C, respectively. The
propane evaporating temperature is 19 C, and the condensing temperature is 13
C. The plant output is 100 MW, and the turbine efficiency is 0.83. The overall heat
transfer coefficient for both the evaporator and the condenser is 1400 W/m 2K.
Determine the propane flow rate, the evaporator and condenser surface areas, the
warm- and cold- water mass flow rates, and the overall thermal efficiency.
Propane Properties at 19 C and 13 C.

T P hf hfg hg sf sfg sg
C kPa kJ/kg kJ/kg kJ/kg kJ/kgK kJ/kgK kJ/kgK

13 686.5 551.0 358.8 909.8 4.378 1.252 5.63

19 809.9 566.1 349.4 915.5 4.430 1.193 5.624

At the turbine inlet:

kJ kJ
T19 := 19 C hg19 := 915.5 sg 19 := 5.624
kg kg K
At the turbine exhaust:
kJ kJ kJ
sg 13 := sg 19 sg 13 = 5.624 sf13 := 4.378 sfg13 := 1.252
kg K kg K kg K

kJ kJ kJ
hf13 := 551.0 hfg13 := 358.8 hg13 := 909.8
kg kg kg
x 13 := 0.5
Given
sg 13 = sf13 + x 13 sfg13

x 13 := Find( x 13) x 13 = 0.995

For an isentropic expansion

kJ
hisen 13 := hf13 + x 13 hfg13 hisen 13 = 908.081
kg
kJ
Wideal := hg19 hisen 13 Wideal = 7.419
kg
P19 := 809.9 kPa P13 := 686.5 kPa

P := P19 P13 P = 123.4 kPa

e := 1.0 t := 0.83
kJ
Wact := t Wideal Wact = 6.158
kg

Powert := 100 MW
 Powert 4 -1
mdotpropane := mdotpropane = 1.624 10 kg s
e Wact

Leaving the turbine

kJ
h 13 := hg19 Wact h 13 = 909.342
kg
Evaporator (liquid at 19 C to vapor at 13 C)
C := K
Qevap := mdotpropane ( hg19 hf13)
6
Qevap = 5.919 10 kW

( 25C 19 C) ( 22 C 19 C) W
LMTDevap := LMTDevap = 4.328 K U := 1400
25C 19 C
ln 2
m K
22 C 19 C
Qevap 5 2
Aevap := Aevap = 9.768 10 m
U LMTDevap

kJ kJ
hf25 := 104.8 hf22 := 92.28
kg kg
Qevap 5 -1
mdotevap := mdotevap = 4.728 10 kg s
hf25 hf22

Condenser (mixture exiting the turbine to liquid at 13 C)

Qcond := mdotpropane ( h 13 hf13)

6
Qcond = 5.819 10 kW

( 13C 7 C) ( 13 C 10 C)
LMTDcond := W
13C 7 C LMTDcond = 4.328 K U := 1400
ln 2
13 C 10 C m K

Qcond 5 2
Acond := Acond = 9.603 10 m
U LMTDevap

kJ kJ
hf10 := 42.02 hf7 := 29.43
kg kg

Qcond 5 -1
mdotcond := mdotcond = 4.622 10 kg s
hf10 hf7

Powert
thermal := thermal = 0.017
Qevap
4. The Annapolis, Canada tidal energy system is specified as producing 18 MW with
an area of 15 km2 and a tidal range of 6.4 m. Investigate the energy available from
protocol 1 and protocol 2 of the Annapolis system if energy is harvested between t1
= 1 hr and t2 = 4 hr.

m kg 2
g := 9.807 := 1025 A := 15 km kWh := kW hr
2 3
sec m
R := 6.4 m

For protocol 1:
2 5
W1 := 0.5 g A R W1 = 8.578 10 kWh

For protocol 2:
1
a := 0.0625 t1 := 1 hr t2 := 4 hr
hr
t1 t 2 a2 2
W2 := g A R 0.988 hr a cos t2 t1
2 2
cos
6.2083 hr 6.2083 hr 2
4
W2 = 8.88 10 kWh

For protocol 2:
1
a := 0.1250 t1 := 1 hr t2 := 4 hr
hr
t1 t 2 a2 2
W2 := g A R 0.988 hr a cos t2 t1
2 2
cos
6.2083 hr 6.2083 hr 2
4
W2 = 7.707 10 kWh

For protocol 2:
1
a := 0.03125 t1 := 1 hr t2 := 4 hr
hr
t1 t 2 a2 2 2
W2 := g A R 0.988 hr a cos t2 t1
2
cos
6.2083 hr 6.2083 hr 2
4
W2 = 5.696 10 kWh

For protocol 2:
For Protocol 2, the value of a has a significant effect on the energy extracted. Consider a
parameteric study of the energy output as a function of a.

i := 1 .. 20
 0.0625
a := i t1 := 1 hr t2 := 4 hr
i 10hr

t2 ( ai) 2
2
2 t1 2
W2 := g A R 0.988 hr a cos cos t2 t1
i i
6.2083 hr 6.2083 hr 2

1 .10
5

8 .10
4

W2 6 .10
4
i
kWh 4 .104

2 .10
4

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
ai
1
hr

For this system operating under Protocol 2, an "a" of 0.09/hr yields the most energy
harvested.

W2
i
Power := Average power over a tidal cycle.
i 6.2083 hr

20

16

Power i 12
MW
8

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
ai
1
hr

This results shows the maximum average power extracted to be 16 MW; a value close to the 18
MW quoted for the facility.
5. A 1-m ocean wave has a period of 5 seconds in the ocean. Find the wavelength,
the wave velocity, and the energy and power densities for this wave. Contrast the
results of this problem with Example 14.4. How important is wave height in
determining wave energy?
:= 5 sec a := 0.5 m
2
= 39 m
:= 1.56 m
sec
-1
c := c = 7.8 s m

1 1
f := f = 0.2
sec
2 3 J
ED := 0.5 a g ED = 1.257 10
2
m
W
PD := f ED PD = 251.304
2
m

Since only the amplitude is changed, and that relationship is quadratic, the energy and power
density are 1/4 of Example 14.4.