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A system for generating energy and extracting minerals from the ocean. The system preferably comprises an underwater chamber adapted to intake cold water at the floor of the ocean and which, for energy generating purposes performs electrolysis. The chamber communicates via a conduit system with a su

A system for generating energy and extracting minerals from the ocean. The system preferably comprises an underwater chamber adapted to intake cold water at the floor of the ocean and which, for energy generating purposes performs electrolysis. The chamber communicates via a conduit system with a submerged deformable condenser disposed above it. The condenser is coupled to a mineral recovery system positioned at the surface. A pump draws cold solution from the ocean bottom through the system. The condenser includes a pair of sub-compartments disposed in heat exchange relation, and refrigerant within one of the sub-compartments is liquefied by cooler water flowing through the other sub-compartment. A separate, deformable evaporator includes an internal chamber for boiling refrigerant which is warmed by surface water pumped through an adjacent chamber. As refrigerant flows from the evaporator to the condenser a turbine is driven to generate energy. Preferably the condenser and evaporator are formed from thinwalled materials such as plastic or the like, and are located at depths such that hydrostatic pressure neutralizes refrigerant pressure. In one form of the invention separate passageways are provided throughout the condenser sub-system to segregate minerals generated by electrolysis.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for simultaneously generating energy and recovering minerals, the system comprising: an electrolysis chamber adapted to be disposed at the bottom of a body of water, the chamber including a pair of spaced-apart electrolysis electrodes and a water inlet; means for electrically energiz

1. A system for simultaneously generating energy and recovering minerals, the system comprising: an electrolysis chamber adapted to be disposed at the bottom of a body of water, the chamber including a pair of spaced-apart electrolysis electrodes and a water inlet; means for electrically energizing said electrodes whereby to facilitate electrolysis within said chamber; a deformable condenser in fluid flow communication with said electrolysis chamber disposed at an intermediate depth above said chamber and including a first internal sub-compartment having fluid input means and fluid output means and a second internal sub-compartment normally filled with a refrigerant and having fluid input means and fluid output means said first and second sub-compartments disposed in heat exchange relation within said condenser for cooling said refrigerant; conduit means interconnecting said electrolysis chamber with said condenser, said last mentioned means coupled to said first internal condenser sub-compartment input means; chemical recovery means disposed at the surface of said body of water for extracting minerals from solution rising upwardly from said electrolysis chamber through said system, said recovery means in fluid flow communication with said first internal condenser sub-compartment fluid output means; pump means for lifting solution upwardly through said electrolysis chamber and said condenser to said chemical recovery means; a deformable evaporator including a first internal chamber and a second internal chamber disposed in heat exchange relation, said second chamber normally filled with a refrigerant and having at least one input and at least one output; means for forcing relatively warm surface water through said evaporator first internal chamber whereby to boil said refrigerant within said evaporator second internal chamber; primary turbine means for generating energy from refrigerant pressure, said turbine means comprising an input coupled to an evaporator second chamber output and an output coupled to said condenser second internal sub-compartment input means whereby refrigerant flows between said evaporator and said condenser; and, return path means coupled between said condenser second internal sub-compartment output means and an evaporator second internal chamber input for recycling refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser. 2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said condenser and said evaporator are each located at a depth wherein hydrostatic pressure is substantially equal to their internal refrigerant pressure. 3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein: said electrolysis chamber includes means disposed between said electrodes whereby to substantially segregate chemical products of electrolysis into two separate regions; said first internal sub-compartment of said condenser is divided into separate mineral solution passageways; said conduit means comprises two separate hoses interconnecting each of said electrolysis chamber regions with said separate condenser sub-compartment mineral passageways; and, said chemical recovery means is interconnected to said first internal condenser sub-compartment by two separate hoses respectively coupled to said separate passageways for minimizing commingling of recovered minerals. 4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said conduit means separate hoses comprise a plurality of high pressure hose junction points separating a plurality of increased diameter, spaced-apart buoyancy members. 5. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second evaporator chambers are formed from flexible, deformable material, said second chamber positioned substantially at the center of said evaporator. 6. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein said first chamber comprises a bag loosely surrounding said second chamber and having an open bottom for permitting escape of water pumped down into said evaporator. 7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said condenser first and second internal sub-compartments are formed from flexible, deformable material, and said second sub-compartment is positioned substantially concentrically within said first subcompartment. 8. The system as defined in claim 7 wherein said condenser includes exterior wall means formed from deformable material and positioned in surrounding relation with respect to said first sub-compartment for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 9. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said condenser first and second internal sub-compartments are formed from flexible, deformable material, and said second sub-compartment is positioned substantially concentrically within said first sub-compartment. 10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said condenser includes exterior wall means formed from deformable material and positioned in surrounding relation with respect to said first sub-compartment for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 11. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said return path means includes second turbine means for generating energy in response to passage of liquid refrigerant therethrough. 12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said system includes tertiary turbine means coupled between an evaporator second chamber output and the output of said primary turbine means for recycling heat spreading water residue mixed with said refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser to promote thermal efficiency, said tertiary turbine means driven by said first and second turbine means. 13. The system as defined in claim 2 including means associated with said conduit means for generating energy in response to the flow of chemical solution therethrough. 14. A system for producing energy comprising: a cold water intake chamber adapted to be disposed at the ocean bottom for intaking cold water into said system; a deformable condenser in fluid flow communication with said chamber disposed at an intermediate depth above said chamber and including first internal sub-compartment having fluid input means and fluid output means and second internal sub-compartment normally filled with refrigerant and having fluid input means and fluid output means, said first and second sub-compartments disposed in heat exchange relation within said condenser for cooling said refrigerant; conduit means interconnecting said intake chamber with said condenser, said conduit means coupled to said first internal condenser sub-compartment input means; pump means for drawing cold water upwardly through said intake chamber and said condenser; a deformable evaporator including a first internal chamber and a second internal chamber disposed in heat exchange relation, said second internal chamber normally filled with a refrigerant and having at least one input and at least one output; means for forcing relatively warm surface water through said evaporator first internal chamber whereby to boil said refrigerant within said second evaporator internal chamber; primary turbine means for generating energy from refrigerant pressure, said turbine means comprising an input coupled to an evaporator second chamber output and an output coupled to said condenser second internal subcompartment input means whereby refrigerant flows between said evaporator and said condenser; and, return path means coupled between said condenser second internal sub-compartment output means and an evaporator second internal chamber input for recycling refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser. 15. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said condenser and said evaporator are each located at a depth wherein hydrostatic pressure is substantially equal to their internal refrigerant pressure. 16. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said first and second evaporator chambers are formed from flexible, deformable material, said second chamber positioned substantially at the center of said evaporator. 17. The system as defined in claim 16 wherein said first chamber comprises a bag loosely surrounding said second chamber and having an open bottom for permitting escape of water pumped down into said evaporator. 18. The system as defined in claim 17 wherein said condenser first and second internal sub-compartments are formed from flexible, deformable material, and said second sub-compartment is positioned substantially concentrically within said first sub-compartment. 19. The system as defined in claim 18 wherein said condenser includes exterior wall means formed from deformable material and positioned in surrounding relation with respect to said first sub-compartment for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 20. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein said condenser first and second internal sub-compartments are formed from flexible, deformable material, and said second sub-compartment is positioned substantially concentrically within said first sub-compartment. 21. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein said condenser includes exterior wall means formed from deformable material and positioned in surrounding relation with respect to said first sub-compartment for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 22. The system as defined in claim 15 wherein said return path means includes second turbine means for generating energy in response to passage of liquid refrigerant therethrough. 23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein said system includes tertiary turbine means coupled between an evaporator second chamber output and the output of said primary turbine means for recycling heat spreading water residue mixed with said refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser to promote thermal efficiency, said tertiary turbine means driven by said first and second turbine means. 24. The system as defined in claim 15 including means associated with said conduit means for generating energy in response to the flow of chemical solution therethrough. 25. A method for simultaneously generating energy and recovering minerals from a large body of water, the method comprising the steps of: ionizing mineral salts in an electrolysis chamber adapted to be disposed at the bottom of said body of water; pumping the output of the electrolysis chamber to a deformable condenser disposed at an intermediate depth above said chamber for cooling a refrigerant disposed in a separate sub-compartment therewithin; recovering minerals from said body of water after pumping ionized solution through said condenser to the surface; boiling refrigerant in a submerged deformable evaporator by pumping relatively warm surface water downwardly therethrough; generating energy from refrigerant pressure by passing refrigerant gas through a turbine coupled between the evaporator and the condenser; and, returning liquid refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator whereby to recycle said refrigerant. 26. The method as defined in claim 25 including the steps of locating said condenser and said evaporator at a depth wherein hydrostatic pressure is substantially equal to their internal refrigerant pressure. 27. The method as defined in claim 26 including the step of segregating chemical products of electrolysis into two separated passageways through said electrolysis chamber and said condenser. 28. The method as defined in claim 27 including the steps of interconnecting said condenser with said electrolysis chamber with separate hoses having a plurality of spaced-apart high pressure junctions and a plurality of increased diameter spaced-apart buoyancy members whereby to strengthen said hoses. 29. The method as defined in claim 26 including the step of forming separate evaporator chambers from flexible, deformable material and positioning the refrigerant chamber substantially at the center of said evaporator. 30. The method as defined in claim 29 including the step of surrounding the refrigerant chamber with a bag having an open bottom for permitting escape of water pumped down into said evaporator. 31. The method as defined in claim 26 including the step of forming said condenser from flexible, deformable material and positioning a refrigerant sub-compartment substantially concentrically within the condenser. 32. The method as defined in claim 31 including the step of providing said condenser with an exterior wall formed from deformable material for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 33. The method as defined in claim 30 including the step of forming said condenser from flexible, deformable material and positioning a refrigerant sub-compartment substantially concentrically within the condenser. 34. The method as defined in claim 33 including the step of providing said condenser with an exterior wall formed from deformable material for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 35. The method as defined in claim 26 including the step of generating energy in response to passage of liquid refrigerant returning from said condenser to said evaporator. 36. The method as defined in claim 35 including the step of recycling water residue mixed with refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser with a third turbine driven by said first and second turbine means to promote thermal heat exchange efficiency. 37. A method for generating energy comprising the steps of: pumping cold water from the bottom of a large body of water through a deformable condenser disposed at an intermediate depth above the bottom of said body of water for cooling a refrigerant disposed in a separate sub-compartment therewithin; boiling refrigerant in a submerged deformable evaporator by pumping relatively warm surface water downwardly therethrough; generating energy from refrigerant pressure by passing refrigerant gas through a turbine coupled between the evaporator and the condenser; and, returning liquid refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator whereby to recycle said refrigerant. 38. The method as defined in claim 37 including the steps of locating said condenser and said evaporator at a depth wherein hydrostatic pressure is substantially equal to their internal refrigerant pressure. 39. The method as defined in claim 38 including the step of segregating chemical products of electrolysis into two separated passageways through said electrolysis chamber and said condenser to prevent mineral recombination. 40. The method as defined in claim 39 including the steps of interconnecting said condenser with said electrolysis chamber with separate hoses having a plurality of spaced-apart high pressure junctions and a plurality of increased diameter spaced-apart buoyancy members whereby to strengthen said hoses. 41. The method as defined in claim 38 including the step of forming separate evaporator chambers from flexible, deformable material and positioning the refrigerant chamber substantially at the center of said evaporator. 42. The method as defined in claim 41 including the step of forming separate evaporator chambers from flexible, deformable material and positioning the refrigerant chamber substantially at the center of said evaporator. 43. The method as defined in claim 38 including the step of forming said condenser from flexible, deformable material and positioning a refrigerant sub-compartment substantially concentrically within the condenser. 44. The method as defined in claim 43 including the step of providing said condenser with an exterior wall formed from deformable material for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 45. The method as defined in claim 42 including the step of forming said condenser from flexible, deformable material and positioning a refrigerant sub-compartment substantially concentrically within the condenser. 46. The method as defined in claim 45 including the step of providing said condenser with an exterior wall formed from deformable material for forming an insulative sub-compartment about said condenser. 47. The method as defined in claim 38 including the step of generating energy in response to passage of liquid refrigerant returning from said condenser to said evaporator. 48. The method as defined in claim 47 including the step of recycling heat spreading residue mixed with refrigerant between said evaporator and said condenser with a tertiary turbine driven by said first and second turbine means to promote thermal heat exchange efficiency.