An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects
Previous investigations of the large-scale deployment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversions (OTEC) systems are extended by allowing some atmospheric feedback in an ocean general circulation model. A modified ocean-atmosphere thermal boundary condition is used where relaxation corresponds to atmospheri...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:6c2d31e439c2485abd741eb320e28ec1 2023-05-15T13:48:50+02:00 An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects Yanli Jia Gérard C. Nihous Krishnakumar Rajagopalan 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6010012 https://doaj.org/article/6c2d31e439c2485abd741eb320e28ec1 EN eng MDPI AG http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/6/1/12 https://doaj.org/toc/2077-1312 2077-1312 doi:10.3390/jmse6010012 https://doaj.org/article/6c2d31e439c2485abd741eb320e28ec1 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Vol 6, Iss 1, p 12 (2018) Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion OTEC ocean general circulation model Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering VM1-989 Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6010012 2022-12-31T10:43:30Z Previous investigations of the large-scale deployment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversions (OTEC) systems are extended by allowing some atmospheric feedback in an ocean general circulation model. A modified ocean-atmosphere thermal boundary condition is used where relaxation corresponds to atmospheric longwave radiation to space, and an additional term expresses horizontal atmospheric transport. This produces lower steady-state OTEC power maxima (8 to 10.2 TW instead of 14.1 TW for global OTEC scenarios, and 7.2 to 9.3 TW instead of 11.9 TW for OTEC implementation within 100 km of coastlines). When power production peaks, power intensity remains practically unchanged, at 0.2 TW per Sverdrup of OTEC deep cold seawater, suggesting a similar degradation of the OTEC thermal resource. Large-scale environmental effects include surface cooling in low latitudes and warming elsewhere, with a net heat intake within the water column. These changes develop rapidly from the propagation of Kelvin and Rossby waves, and ocean current advection. Two deep circulation cells are generated in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific basins. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is reinforced while an AMOC-like feature appears in the North Pacific, with deep convective winter events at high latitudes. Transport between the Indo-Pacific and the Southern Ocean is strengthened, with impacts on the Atlantic via the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Pacific Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 6 1 12 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion OTEC ocean general circulation model Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering VM1-989 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
spellingShingle |
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion OTEC ocean general circulation model Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering VM1-989 Oceanography GC1-1581 Yanli Jia Gérard C. Nihous Krishnakumar Rajagopalan An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
topic_facet |
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion OTEC ocean general circulation model Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering VM1-989 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
description |
Previous investigations of the large-scale deployment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversions (OTEC) systems are extended by allowing some atmospheric feedback in an ocean general circulation model. A modified ocean-atmosphere thermal boundary condition is used where relaxation corresponds to atmospheric longwave radiation to space, and an additional term expresses horizontal atmospheric transport. This produces lower steady-state OTEC power maxima (8 to 10.2 TW instead of 14.1 TW for global OTEC scenarios, and 7.2 to 9.3 TW instead of 11.9 TW for OTEC implementation within 100 km of coastlines). When power production peaks, power intensity remains practically unchanged, at 0.2 TW per Sverdrup of OTEC deep cold seawater, suggesting a similar degradation of the OTEC thermal resource. Large-scale environmental effects include surface cooling in low latitudes and warming elsewhere, with a net heat intake within the water column. These changes develop rapidly from the propagation of Kelvin and Rossby waves, and ocean current advection. Two deep circulation cells are generated in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific basins. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is reinforced while an AMOC-like feature appears in the North Pacific, with deep convective winter events at high latitudes. Transport between the Indo-Pacific and the Southern Ocean is strengthened, with impacts on the Atlantic via the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yanli Jia Gérard C. Nihous Krishnakumar Rajagopalan |
author_facet |
Yanli Jia Gérard C. Nihous Krishnakumar Rajagopalan |
author_sort |
Yanli Jia |
title |
An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
title_short |
An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
title_full |
An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
title_fullStr |
An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
title_full_unstemmed |
An Evaluation of the Large-Scale Implementation of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Using an Ocean General Circulation Model with Low-Complexity Atmospheric Feedback Effects |
title_sort |
evaluation of the large-scale implementation of ocean thermal energy conversion (otec) using an ocean general circulation model with low-complexity atmospheric feedback effects |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6010012 https://doaj.org/article/6c2d31e439c2485abd741eb320e28ec1 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean The Antarctic Pacific |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Vol 6, Iss 1, p 12 (2018) |
op_relation |
http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/6/1/12 https://doaj.org/toc/2077-1312 2077-1312 doi:10.3390/jmse6010012 https://doaj.org/article/6c2d31e439c2485abd741eb320e28ec1 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse6010012 |
container_title |
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
12 |
_version_ |
1766249835959156736 |