A Numerical Investigation of the Plunging Phenomenon of Cold Water Discharged from Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Systems

The main role of cold water discharged from ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems is that deep ocean water, which is dense and nutrient-rich, is released through the condenser and discharged into the ocean surface. We present a numerical simulation in which a cold-water is discharged into a temperature-stratified fluid. A semi-empirical formula relating the outlet flow and the plunging depth was obtained by model analysis, and the k multiplier was 1.15. The model results are consistent with the experimental data.