Ocean thermal energy conversion power plant
AssigneeThe Abell Foundation, Inc.
InventorsBarry R. Cole, Jonathan M. Ross, Andrew Rekret, Henry Sibenaller, William Schulz, Russ Krull, Laurence Jay Shapiro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection.
Claims20
A method of connecting a submerged vertical pipe to a floating platform comprising:
- providing a floating structure having a vertical pipe receiving bay, wherein the vertical pipe receiving bay has a first diameter;
- providing a vertical pipe having a top end portion that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and a bearing surface;
- inserting the top end portion of the vertical pipe into the vertical pipe receiving bay;
- moving at least one detent such that the at least one detent has a diameter that is different from the first or second diameters, wherein the diameter of the at least one detent is less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter;
- and
- contacting the at least one detent with the bearing surface of the pipe to suspend the vertical pipe from the floating structure.
A method of connecting a submerged vertical pipe to a floating platform comprising:
- providing a floating structure having a vertical pipe receiving bay, wherein the pipe receiving bay has a first diameter, wherein the vertical pipe receiving bay comprises walls that define a center of the vertical pipe receiving bay;
- wherein the center of the vertical pipe receiving bay is sized to receive a top end portion of the vertical pipe receiving bay;
- providing a vertical pipe having a top end portion that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and a bearing surface;
- inserting the top end portion of the vertical pipe into the vertical pipe receiving bay;
- moving at least one detent such that the at least one detent has a diameter that is different from the first or second diameters;
- and
- contacting the at least one detent with the bearing surface of the pipe to suspend the vertical pipe from the floating structure.
A method of connecting a submerged vertical pipe to a floating platform comprising:
- providing a floating structure having a vertical pipe receiving bay, wherein the pipe receiving bay has a first diameter and a bearing surface;
- providing a vertical pipe having a top end portion that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter;
- inserting the top end portion of the vertical pipe into the vertical pipe receiving bay;
- moving at least one detent such that the at least one detent has a diameter that is different from the first or second diameters, wherein the at least one detent is arranged in or on the pipe;
- and
- contacting the at least one detent with the bearing surface of the vertical pipe receiving bay to suspend the vertical pipe from the floating structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.