Preliminary design of a 100 MW-net ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) power plant study case: Mentawai island, Indonesia

Abstract

Ocean thermal energy conversion is one of the promising renewable energy resources yet relatively unexplored due to its high capital cost for being utilized in commercial scale. In the aim to reduce the capital cost, this paper introduces a concept design of the floating structure from a converted oil tanker ship. To propose the design process, the general principles of designing a converted tanker FPSO is adapted and then modified to deal with ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) characteristic. In the design process, the arrangement of the OTEC layout is carried out by constraint satisfaction method and the prospective floating structure size is varied using Monte Carlo simulation. The variables in the design process consist of the velocities of cold water and warm water transport, the size of the plantship, and the location of the OTEC equipment to the seawater tank. Constraints are introduced as allowable border to determine the acceptability for particular case including the provided space and buoyancy, and the net power output estimation. The results show that the 'typical' size of a Suezmax oil tanker ship is the optimum one for the plantship with the velocity of the water transport of 2-3 m/s. The general arrangement is also conceptualized in this paper.

Marine Heat as a Renewable Energy Source

“…The OTEC schematic of a closed system can be seen as in Figure 2. The similar diagram and components can be found in the Adiputra et al (2019) where they have proposed to develop 100 MW OTEC power plant at Mentawai Island, Indonesia. The working fluid which uses ammonia is used to generate fluid vapor to drive turbine.…”

Power electronics technologies for renewable energy sources

“…On the other hand, to consider this generation method profitable, the differential temperature must be at least 20°C, which constitutes a major drawback. Ocean thermal energy generation systems may operate in closed-cycle, open-cycle, or in a hybrid structure [40]- [43].…”

Renewable Energy: Policy and Strategy

“…In the endeavor to develop OTEC in Indonesia, setting the site in Mentawai Island, Adiputra et al (2020) proposed a preliminary design of OTEC to convert oil tanker ships into OTEC floating structures to reduce the capital cost of OTEC installation. Considering the problem in the CWP component, Adiputra and Utsunomiya (2019) also conducted research on the design of CWP components with a stability-based approach based on internal flow effect (IFE).…”