Lockheed Martin Corporation

Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc.

Joseph Van Ryzin

Patrick D Grandelli

Robert James Howard

John Walter Rapp

Stephen Lee Bailey

John E Halkyard

Natalie B Levings

A floating support that can be joined with a floating platform while the floating platform is at a deployment location is disclosed. The support provides functionality to the floating platform in order to change, augment, upgrade, or diversify the platform's overall capability. In some embodiments, the present invention eases the serviceability of the platform by enabling a first support that has diminished capability to be readily replaced by a second support having superior capability&#x2014;without removing the floating platform from its deployment location. In some embodiments, the present invention enables platform operation that is analogous to 'plug and play' electronics systems. Further, in some embodiments, hydrodynamic performance of the floating platform can be changed with the addition or removal of one or more floating supports.

Floating platform with detachable support modules

A substance is added to cold ocean water in a cold water pipe of an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) system. The substance raises the freezing point of the ocean water in a cold water heat exchanger of the OTEC system, thereby forming an ice slurry. The substance is added at the depth of the apparatus. The ice slurry is transported from the point of addition in the cold water pipe to the cold water heat exchanger at the surface.

Clathrate ice thermal transport for ocean thermal energy conversion

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Kailua, HI, United States of America

Joseph Van Ryzin