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Thermal Conversion Device for Hydrothermal Vents
Navy SBIR FY2011.1
| Sol No.: |
Navy SBIR FY2011.1 |
| Topic No.: |
N111-071 |
| Topic Title: |
Thermal Conversion Device for Hydrothermal Vents |
| Proposal No.: |
N111-071-0813 |
| Firm: |
Maritime Applied Physics Corporation
1850 Frankfurst Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21226-1024 |
| Contact: |
Keith Scidmore |
| Phone: |
(207) 837-6175 |
| Web Site: |
www.mapcorp.com |
| Abstract: |
One of the primary limitations of underwater sensors, unmanned underwater vehicles, and autonomous systems, especially in remote or deep locations, is the availability of energy. System endurance, speed, cost, and power for onboard systems can all benefit from the availability of in-situ power generation stations. Maritime Applied Physics Corporation (MAPC) proposes to design a modular, solid-state thermoelectric generator (TEG), based on the Seebeck/Peltier effect using customized available components, to extract electrical power from high temperature geothermal vents in deep sea areas. This 20 kilowatt system and its deployment method will address exposure to corrosive liquids, simultaneous extremes in hot and cold, very high ambient pressures, fouling by solids precipitated from cooling liquid, abrasion by suspended particles, and encrustation by sulfur oxidizing bacteria and organisms attracted to the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria that make up the local vent ecosystem.
Successful completion of the Phase I design will readily lead to the Phase II development of a brassboard prototype and the opportunity for commercialization of this product.
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| Benefits: |
The objective of this project is develop a reliable, long term means to harvest energy from deep water geothermal vents for use by unmanned underwater vehicles and other autonomous systems. This effort will provide valuable advancement in the ability of such a system to survive challenging conditions such as corrosion, abrasion, biological fouling, and temperature and pressure extremes. The proposed system will be scalable and adaptable to a wide range of underwater energy harvesting applications. |
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