Patent ID: 7328578

Claim:
An ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) integrated platform, comprising a) an integrated cold water circuit, comprising: i) a cold water distribution tank; ii) a plurality of horizontal cold water collectors, and; iii) a plurality of cold water vertical conduits connecting in the lower portion with said cold water distribution tank and in the upper portion with said cold water collectors, each of said cold water vertical conduits forming an open shell to house a condenser; b) a plurality of discharge channels extending from above the water line to the bottom of the cold water distribution tank; c) a hull surrounding all or a portion of the discharge channels and the cold water distribution tank, with a plurality of floatation chambers; d) an integrated surface water circuit, comprising: i) a plurality of surface water distribution conduits, passing through the discharge channels and the hull to collect surface water; ii) a plurality of horizontal surface water collectors, and; iii) a plurality of surface water vertical conduits connecting in the lower portion with said surface water distribution conduits and in the upper portion with said surface water collectors, each of said surface water vertical conduits forming an open shell to house either an evaporator or a heater, and; e) alternating lines of the condenser conduits and evaporator conduits are formed in pairs back to back, being connected to fluid manifolds forming parts of an OTEC plant inside the OTEC platform.