Title: Ocean exergy and energy conversion systems

Authors: A.F. Miguel; M. Aydin

Addresses: Department of Physics and Evora Geophysics Centre, University of Evora, Rua Romao Ramalho, 59, 7000-671 Evora, Portugal ' Institute of Energy, Istanbul Technical University, Ayazaga Campus, 34469 Maslak-Istanbul, Turkey; Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario, L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: Oceans store energy in the form of currents, waves, tides, heat and salinity that can help to alleviate worldwide demand for power and the global climate change threat. They also store a considerable amount of an isotope of hydrogen (deuterium) which takes part in the most promising fusion reactions. Exergy analysis can be applied to evaluate the work potential (extractable) of a resource. This paper focuses on the exergy content of ocean reservoirs and provides a review of the technology installed for harvesting ocean energy.

Keywords: ocean energy; exergy analysis; renewable energy; hydropotential energy; hydrokinetic energy; temperature gradients; salinity gradients; deuterium; nuclear fusion; energy conversion systems; wave power; tidal power; wave energy; tidal energy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2012.047507

International Journal of Exergy, 2012 Vol.10 No.4, pp.454 - 470

Received: 26 Aug 2011
Accepted: 06 Oct 2011
Published online: 25 Jun 2012 *

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