DYNAMISCH PLAATSBEPALINGSSYSTEEM VOOR EEN SCHIP DAT EEN ZEEWATERRUIMTEENERGIEOMZETTINGSSYSTEEM BEVAT.

摘要

A dynamic positioning system for a sea-going vessel containing an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system utilizes the thrust produced by the sea water effluents resulting from the energy conversion process to position the vessel against wind and ocean current forces. In one preferred embodiment applicable to both cylindrical surface and spar buoy types of vessels, both the warm water and cold water discharges are collected in a common annular plenum and then discharged through nozzles spaced angularly around the periphery of the plenum. Each nozzle is rotatable through a 90 DEG arc in a vertical plane to alter the direction of the discharge water jet and thereby to alter the horizontal component of the thrust or the driving force acting upon the vessel. The nozzles may be selected as to location and angular orientation to attain the net resultant force vector necessary to provide station-keeping or propulsion to the vessel under most any combination of wind and ocean current conditions.