A working fluid flow rate is one of the important operating conditions. On the OTEC system using ammonia/water mixture as working fluid, the effect of the working fluid flow rate has never been clarified. So this paper describes the effect of the working fluid flow rate on the system. As a result, a maximum net turbine power of 15.6kW is obtained at warm and cold water flow rates of 400m3/h and working fluid flow rate of 6t/h. And, the characteristic turbine power output was found strongly dependent on the evaporator outlet pressure. So the reduction of the pressure drop at the separator is expected to improve the system efficiency.
Energy and environmental problems are becoming more critical, the development of natural energy is desired. Among these natural energy sources, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) can produce it possible of supplying stable electric power and a variety of compound uses, early realization of practical use is expected (William and Avery, 1994). Under these circumstances, for the purpose of realization of practical use of OTEC, the study of system performance improvement using ammonia/water mixture has been performed. The validity has proved theoretically, however, system which has full use of its properties is not yet achieved by experiment at present. In the study, so far, effects to the property of the system and a net power from the temperature difference of heat source, flow rates, and composites of working fluid have examined by experiment, an optimum flow rate of the heat source had been clarified. On the other hand, effects of working fluid flow rate, which is one of the important operating conditions, to system property, and an optimum operating condition, are not yet fully clarified.
