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 temperaturedifference, 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 ? 6.00 ?C.

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

Explanation / Answer

efficiency = 1 - (T1 / T2)

= 1 - (6 +273)/(35 +273)

= 1-0.9

= 0.1

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