Phenomenon · phenomenon:ocean-thermal-gradient-conversion
Ocean thermal energy conversion
Warm surface seawater boils a low-boiling working fluid (or itself under vacuum) that is condensed by cold deep water; a Rankine cycle across a 20 K difference.
Atlas record: 4 claims reference this phenomenon — 2 demonstrated and 2 established.
Explorerelations · matrix context · routes · sources · cite
conditions: liquid · temperature gradient required
4claims26enumerated routes1routes with complete-composition evidence13candidate routes not searched2cited sources
Relations
drives · 1
- a ≈ 20 K difference between warm surface water and cold water from ~1000 m depth
produces · 1
member of · 1
bounded by · 1
- Carnot efficiency ≈ 7% for 300 K against 280 K
Matrix context
D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.
Enumerated routes through this · 26 (showing 24)
- Ocean thermal energy conversion plant3/5 est · demonstrated
- Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work1/3 est · candidate
- Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work3/5 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Chemical potential difference → Combustion → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Electric potential difference → Peltier effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Electric potential difference → Ettingshausen effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Incident radiation flux → Photothermal absorption → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Radiative imbalance with the sky → Radiative sky cooling → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work3/5 est · candidate
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fusion → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work1/5 est · candidate
- Chemical potential difference → Combustion → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · candidate
- Chemical potential difference → Combustion → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Electric potential difference → Peltier effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · same energy form
- Electric potential difference → Peltier effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · same energy form
- Electric potential difference → Ettingshausen effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · same energy form
- Electric potential difference → Ettingshausen effect → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · same energy form
- Incident radiation flux → Photothermal absorption → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · candidate
- Incident radiation flux → Photothermal absorption → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Radiative imbalance with the sky → Radiative sky cooling → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · candidate
- Radiative imbalance with the sky → Radiative sky cooling → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Radioactive decay → Beta particles → Radioisotope heating → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Radioactive decay → Alpha particles → Radioisotope heating → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Mechanical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Electromagnetic induction → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · candidate
- Nuclear binding-energy difference → Nuclear fission → Temperature gradient → Ocean thermal energy conversion → Mechanical motion → Rotating-machine generator action → Charge carriers → Electrical work5/7 est · extends a recorded pathway
Cited sources · 2
- [1]G. Claude. Power from the tropical seas (1930)
- [2]A. Bejan. Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics (4th ed.) (2016)
Cite this entity
Physical Transformation Atlas (2026). entity phenomenon:ocean-thermal-gradient-conversion: Ocean thermal energy conversion. Dataset revision rbfbfcbb70e57 (hash of the canonical data). https://physical-transformation-atlas.wldud5192.workers.dev/phenomenon/ocean-thermal-gradient-conversion
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