There has long been an interest in using the vast quantities of thermal energy i

Question

There has long been an interest in using the vast quantities of thermal energy in the oceans to run heat engines. A heat engine needs a temperature difference, a hot side and a cold side. Conveniently, the ocean surface waters are warmer than the deep ocean waters. Suppose you build a floating power plant in the tropics where the surface water temperature is ~ 35.0 C. This would be the hot reservoir of the engine. For the cold reservoir, water would be pumped up from the ocean bottom where it is always ~ 5.00 C.

What is the maximum possible efficiency of such a power plant? In%.

Explanation / Answer

efficiency= 1 - T(cold)/T(hot) = 1- (5+273)/(35+273)= 0.1=10 %

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