Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
CLAUDE'S POWER VENTURE
STILL SHORT OF SUCCESS
Principle Demonstrated But Ability to
Draw Paying Quantity of Energy
From Sea Remains Improved.

Only ABOUT Oile-IuIluI GULL 10 operate
between these low presSures requires
that the whole equipment be alright
1t must operate in highly evacuated
! Enclosure. 1t has been felt that this
alone would make the plan impracti-
cal, for there are many obstacles to
maintaining such q vacuum which are
greatly magnified when one attempts
to deliver power into the air outside.
Power Leaks Slight.
It obviously Is necessary to operate
the electrical generators also in vac
uum and to bring the power out through
wires. Again it was predicted that
there would be sufficient air dissolved
in the water used to spoil the vacuum.
In order to maintain the necessary vac
uum it would appear necessary to keep
pump working constantly to insure
this condition. This will absorb q
considerable amount of the power itself.
Another power drain on the genera
tor appears in the necessity of pumping
the water from the ocean to the station.
With the station at the waters edge
this need not be large. 1t has been
enormously supposed by some that 1t
would be necessary to supply power to
pump water from the depth of the
ocean since the cold water comes from
the bottom.
Cold Water Rises in Tube.
from the top of the tubs, which leads
to the bottom, the w7tsr will rise in
the tube to the ocean level due to ma
ural buoyancy. Thus the pumps need
only carry the water from the surface
to the station. This Is a very small
amount. 1t is estimated that the total
power losses used in operating the gen.
orator will be about Is per cent of the
power generated. This would leave rs
per cent to be marketed.
If the cold water from the oceans
bottom is to be used as the condensing
medium, it is important that it be de-
temperature at which it existed when
at the bottom. For this reason it must
not be unduly heated either by heat
entering from the surrounding water
as 1t passes upward through the pipe,
nor through friction with the pipe walls.
The water must be transported slowly
and without too much turbulence to
avoid FRACTIONAL heating. This neces-
states a large pipe. and this in turn
means more difficult problem in heat
insulation from the surrounding water.
A careful balancing Of conditions must
be effected.
Pipe Insulated.
This led to the large pipe which
Claude found so difficult to launch. The
pipes are Of corrugated iron and are
insulated by excelsior wrapped with
canvas This Is obviously not durable
form of construction, but it is admit
tedly only an experimental set-up
to determine the possibilities of the
venture before making a permanent in
StallatiOn
Claude estimates that the rise in
temperature Of the water as 1t comes
to the condensers from the ocean bot
tom will not be more than one degree
with the pipe as constructed.
At the time of writing 1t was reported
that Claude had generated sufficient
power to light forty 500-watt lamps.
To many this may mean that the sue
cess of the scheme is assured. But we
must not be too hasty in our enthusi-
asm over these results.
Spends 100000 for 50 Cents.
It is theoretically possible to generate
power wherever there is a temperature
difference. But to generate 1t CONNER
cially Is another thing. AS large a tenn
perature difference as Claude has used
will be found to exist between the in
side and outside of any power house
stack. This could be converted into
power, but it would not be economical
to do so.
There have been various reports as
to the amount of money Claude has
spent in his experiment. Some of these
run to astronomical figures. 1t Is gen.
orally agreed, however, that he prob
ably has spent as much as $4,000, 900
of his own money. In return he has
so far obtained enough energy to light
forty 500-watt lamps for half an hour.
This energy has money value Of less
than so cents.
Claude q Founder Of Industries.
He must generate energy at not less
than is times the present rate In order
to pay the interest on the investment,
even II one neglectS such factors of
labor, upkeep and depreciation. He OBJ
viously must increase his output to IS
or so times that of the present in order
to make the plant pay its way. In adj
dition he must find a market for his
power. From the commercial point Of
view the outlook is not hopeful
Yet one should not forget that Claude
Is founder of industries. Our liquid
air industry, our ammonia industry, our
acetylene industry and our neon light
industry are all founded upon discov-
cries made by this scientist and inven-
tor. These things should be borne in
mind in forming a Judgment of his
present venture.