The diagram illustrates the process of producing electricity and obtaining pure, drinkable water from the ocean. The system is known as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).
Overall, it is evident that the process is complex and involves four stages, from vaporizing the ocean water to condensing it into drinking water.
Initially, by utilizing solar energy, warm (29’C) seawater from the surface of the ocean is heated until it vaporizes. The vapors are then transported along the tube where they are released into the evacuated evaporation chamber, and simultaneously, salts are also separated from them. Subsequently, vapors turn the turbines, ultimately producing electricity.
Colder (5’C) water near ocean floor is allowed to flow through pipes in loops, where the extracted salts are also re-added along the way. This flowing cold water acts as a condenser where the vapors that passed through turbines are condensed into the pure, saltless and drinkable water. Finally, the saltwater from the condensing chambers is removed as waste.