Power plants – Utilizing natural heat
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-29
2004-02-10
Nguyen, Hoang (Department: 3748)
Power plants
Utilizing natural heat
C405S052000, C405S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688105
ABSTRACT:
To a recent World Bank report $600 billion will be spent over the next decade to augment water reserves. In those areas that now rely on desalination methods for generating fresh water, people look for more abundant and less costly sources.
In exploring the earth's water resources, one can not find a more abundant source than in polar ice, which stores approximately 80% of the entire planet's fresh water. Harvesting and transporting this water to prepared ports, in the form of naturally occurring icebergs, would make monumental changes. Desert and arid climates could become agricultural centers with abundant irrigation. Densely populated regions, which now struggle with pollution, would be able to overcome poverty and disease. Industries would have lower costs because of more available resources. People would not need to compete for scarce resources when ample supplies are provided, thereby reducing the possibility of confrontations and war.
With these potential benefits in view, an International Conference and Workshop on Iceberg Utilization was convened. It was held at Iowa State University in 1977 and was attended by the world's foremost experts on iceberg utilization and other related disciplines. A book entitled “Iceberg Utilization,” edited by A. A. Husseiny, provides the details of the conference, and states that its objectives, among others, are examining the feasibility of iceberg utilization and providing reference material for the same. Within it there is much detail on the various aspects of global iceberg utilization, including iceberg selection, harvesting, insulation, transport, storage, and the final distribution and consumption of its fresh melt water.
Each one of these aspects present tremendous and unique challenges that must be overcome in order to be feasible and successful. The prior art in this field, however, while introducing some interesting and innovative approaches, unfortunately has not yet sufficiently met these challenges, as will be shown below.
First the iceberg must be chosen. Data on the size, shape, and distribution of tabular icebergs appears on page 55 of the above-mentioned book. Tabular icebergs are preferred for transport because their flat surfaces have less drag through the water and a rectangular cross section would help avoid rolling or calving during transport. Additionally, transport would be aided if the iceberg had a large length to width ratio. The Antarctic has the greatest selection of tabular icebergs, and more particularly the Ross and Amery ice shelves produce a large number of ideal tabular icebergs. The iceberg will be chosen based on an optimal shape, size, and location for transport and storage.
In order to convey it to the Northern hemisphere, the iceberg must be protected from warm waters. “If icebergs towed across tropical areas are unprotected, the water losses due to ablation could make their use uneconomical. Hence, it is imperative to protect towed icebergs from ablation throughout their trip by incorporating adequate insulation to minimize heat transfer,” wrote Syed N. Hussain, on page 423 of the above-referenced book. The use of an insulator and protector under the iceberg and along its sides up to and above the waterline would be the best way to ensure that an economically feasible sized iceberg's arrival at its terminal port. This is because the greatest causes, by far, for iceberg melting, calving, and spalling during transport would be due to the warmer water surrounding the lower five-sixths the iceberg and the ocean's wave action in the area of its waterline.
In view of this, several patents have dealt with both or either of these two problems. The methods and apparatuses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,751 (1979), U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,887 (1979), U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,712 (1980), U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,409 (1980), U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,418 (1980), U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,640 (1981), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,423 (1981), all to Mougin, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,415 (1966) to Merrill all present the same general flaws. Firstly, the apparatuses themselves add a level of complexity far above what is necessary to insulate and protect an iceberg. Secondly, they would be extremely expensive to manufacture. Specialized factories would have to be built to produce and handle the over 800,000 square yards of petroleum-based or other material and items needed to cover just the sides of one iceberg alone. Thirdly, problems arise in handling and transporting these immense apparatuses not only from the factory to the ocean, but also over water to the iceberg preparation sites. Fourthly, the apparatuses are composed of non-recyclable components and so present problems relating to further transport from or ultimate disposal at the final destination site. Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, all of the above-cited patents, excepting U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,415, do not insulate the bottom of the iceberg. This means that nearly two-thirds of the total area of the iceberg which is exposed to the surrounding warm water is neglected, which will dramatically increase melting and ablation. Thus, precious and costly fresh water, measuring in the billions of gallons, will be wasted en route to where it is needed the most.
In addition to their general flaws, some of the above-cited patents have particular shortcomings as well. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,172,751 and 4,230,418 both rely on a wall of chilled water to insulate the iceberg. In practice, because the chilled water is not contained, it will simply sink and be replaced by the surrounding warm water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,712 has ballast tanks which will drag against the insulating sheath and wall and thus damage them. Also, the entire insulating wall is supported on weak ice. U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,409 has many joints and thus much leakage, and the flexing of the wall from wave action will agitate the water surrounding the iceberg. Also, it is supported by gantries located in the soft ice on top of the iceberg which is not adequately strong and stable. U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,640 adds sixty meters to the width of the iceberg. This prevents any streamlining of the iceberg's shape and adds a very substantial frictional surface area during transport, which greatly increases energy costs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,423 uses helicopter platforms which do not conform to the specifications of the Aeronautics Safety Board. U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,415 is meant for icebergs a small fraction of the size dealt with here.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,491 (1980) to Mougin discloses a method for reducing the rate at which solar radiation melts the freeboard of the iceberg. Though the method itself is highly questionable and surely unsafe, the entire undertaking is quite unnecessary and not remunerative. “Kollmeyer has investigated in detail the melting of icebergs and has estimated that the heat transferred by radiation is about {fraction (1/500)}
th
of that by conduction and convection through contact with the sea water,” wrote Syed N. Hussain on page 424 in the above-mentioned book.
To move a large iceberg thousands of miles for up to six months at sea, an improved system of propulsion must be developed. A system, outlined by C. Peter Benedict on pages 334-338, exists for towing relatively small icebergs short distances. However, the system cannot be applied to these far larger icebergs over greater distances. Similany, U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,946 (1986) to Page, is intended for relatively small icebergs which must only be towed out of shipping lanes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,184 (1981) to Mougin and U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,715 (1976) to Fitch et al. both also require towing with cables. In particular U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,715 is extremely ill-suited for long distances.
Towing a massive iceberg with cables cannot work for a number of reasons. Firstly, the cables could not be easily set at a point below sea level where force would be best applied to the mass. Accelerating force vectors should be applied to act directly through the center of gravity of the iceberg to avoid rolling or canting. To render matters still more
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