Flexible retractable cold water pipe for an ocean thermal energy conversion system
AssigneeLockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
InventorsJames G. Wenzel, Lloyd C. Trimble
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cold water pipe (11) for an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system comprises a tubular membrane (12) made of a fabric such as a canvas, which is substantially impervious to flowing water. A proximal end of the pipe (11) is secured to a surface structure such as a ship (10), and a distal end of the pipe (11) is extendible from the surface structure to a selected ocean depth. The pipe (11) functions as a conduit through which cold water from the selected ocean depth can be drawn to the surface structure for use in a thermodynamic process of the OTEC system. The distal end of the pipe (11) can be quickly retracted to the surface structure when it becomes desirable to move the surface structure.
Claims18
An ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system comprising:
- (a) a flexible conduit of generally tubular configuration, a proximal end of said conduit being secured to a surface structure and a distal end of said conduit being extendible from said surface structure to a selected ocean depth;
- (b) ballast means secured to said distal end of said conduit;
- (c) means for extending said distal end of said conduit from said surface structure to said selected ocean depth, and for retracting said distal end of said conduit from said selected ocean depth to said surface structure, said means for extending and retracting said distal end of said conduit including:
- (i) a plurality of cables, a proximal end of each cable being secured to winch means mounted on said surface structure, and a distal end of each cable being secured to said ballast means;
- and
- (ii) a plurality of annular shaping members coaxially surrounding said conduit, said shaping members being attached to said conduit at different locations between said proximal end and said distal end of said conduit, said annular shaping members including:
- (A) an uppermost shaping member attached to said conduit adjacent said proximal end of said conduit, said uppermost shaping member being securable to said surface structure when said distal end of said conduit is extended to said selected ocean depth, and
- (B) a lowermost shaping member attached to said conduit adjacent said distal end of said conduit;
- (d) a plurality of clamping devices mounted on each shaping member located intermediate said uppermost and said lowermost shaping members, each one of said clamping devices on each one of said intermediate shaping members being operable to engage a corresponding one of said cables when said distal end of said conduit is extended to said selected ocean depth;
- and
- (e) means for drawing water from said selected ocean depth through said conduit to said surface structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.