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 ≈≈ 30 ∘C∘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 ∘C∘C.What is the maximum possible efficiency of such a power plant? In%.

Answer 1

Answer:

$\eta_{th} = 8.247\%$

Explanation:

The maximum possible efficiency for the floating power plant is given by the Carnot's Efficiency:

$\eta_{th} = \left(1-\frac{278.15\,K}{303.15\,K} \right)\times 100\%$

$\eta_{th} = 8.247\%$