R&D Seawater Systems

Function: Deliver or discharge cold and warm seawater to and from power system.

What do we know?

A number of pipe system designs are available for specific plants/sites, which generally include costs.
Designs and costs are strong functions of material and size.
Development of 40-inch polyethylene pipe at Keahole Point successful; reverse catenary design.
Seawater pumps for near-shore or pump-house use generally available off-the-shelf; cost known.
Minimizing discharge pipe lengths is known to be advantageous economically, but may have environmental drawbacks.
Environmental impacts are related to dissolved gas level, nutrients, and temperatures.
General analytical programs for predicting pipe loads are available, but may be more applicable to small shore-based plants or large floating plants; verification of all codes required.

Tradeoffs and impacts of various supply and discharge pipe designs, materials, and deployment techniques for a wide range of plants sizes.
Loading conditions of pipes from currents, buoyancy, etc., in seawater.
Pumping options including siting considerations and costs.
Pipe system costs for a wide range of sizes.
Variations in seawater system designs as a function of plant size and plant site.
Land-based plant pipe system designs are less well established at larger electric capacities.

Reduce uncertainty in pipe designs and costs for all plant sizes.
Examine innovative designs and materials with potential for significant cost reduction.
Develop fabrication and deployment methods for materials applicable to larger-size pipes.
Determine long-term reliability.
Obtain operational data for commercial environments.