POWER FROM THE SEA.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 January 1927, Page 3

POWER FROM THE SEA.

A NOVEL IDEA. There Avas a special section at the Leipsig Pair, allotted to the German Institution of Inventors, Avhere a large variety of ucav inventions Avas sho\A r n. From an point of vieAv the most interesting of these Avas that of Dr. Brauer, Avhich comprised a remarkable proposal for obtaining electrical energy from the temperature difference Avhich exists betAveen the surface and at a reasonable depth in tropical ahd semi-tropical seas. The proposal A\ r as laid before the first World PoAA'er Conference at Wembley, but a good deal of Avork lias been put into the development of the idea since then. The temperature of the surface of the sea is as high as 27deg. C. at some parts of the ocean, and may even reach a temperature of 30dog. C., Avhile at a depth of about 200 yards a temperature of about 7deg. C. is found. Trip proposal is to provide a tube reaching to the necessary depth in the sea, and by means of a propeller to cause a Hoav 01 cold Avater up to the sea level where the heat engine is stationed. By using a working substance, such as ammonia, the hot Avater at the surface of the sea can be used to produce the evaporation and the cold Avater the condensation of the working substance. DraAvings Avere exhibited for a plant capable of generating from 200 to 300 horse-poAver, the total cost of Avhich Avas estimated at about £2500. The losses of energy corresponding to the poAver required for the circulation of the cold ivater are said to be about 9 per cent, to 12 per -ent. of the energy obtained from the heat engine. It is stated that an engine capable of developing an output oi‘ 100,000 kw., Avoulcl be a practicable undertaking.