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Research Research Infrastructure

Korea's leading ship and offshore plant research institute, KRISO

Seawater Energy Plant Research Center

Seawater Energy Plant Research Center

글자 크게 글자 작게 인쇄

Seawater Energy Plant Research Center Creating innovative growth engine through the development of maritime recycled energy and resources technology

Purposes and Mission Purpose of Establishment: Stable securing of resources essential to survival and leading the creation of new maritime industry through the sustainable development and utilization of seawater resources (including deep seawater)
Key functions
  • Development of technology for basic and composite utilization of seawater energy
  • Development of technology for seawater resource plant and convergence system

Original mission

01 Development of technology for basic and composite utilization of seawater energy
  • Stable securing of resources essential to survival (drinking water, energy and food) and creation of new maritime industry through the sustainable development and utilization of seawater resources
  • Development of seawater energy plant technology, including ocean thermal energy conversion and air conditioning system
02 Development of technology for seawater resource plant and convergence system
  • Creation of new industry and extension of maritime economic territory by using new offshore plant and seawater plant
  • Advancing design technology by using seawater desalination and concentration-extraction plants and developing and improving essential apparatuses
  • Revitalizing maritime industry and counteracting climate change through seawater plant performance evaluation and technical support

Brief history

  • 2018

    08.01. Reorganized as Seawater Energy Research Center under KRISO

  • 2016

    06. Research project “Development of Pilot Plant for 1MW Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion” initiated

  • 2015

    06.01. Research project “Development New Industrial Technology for the Application of Deep Seawater” initiated

  • 2014

    01.01. Reorganized as the Seawater Plant Research Center under KRISO

  • 2011

    09.15. Research project “Development of Deep Seawater Industrial Resources Technology” initiated

  • 2010
    • 07. Research project “Development of Deep Seawater Energy Utilization Technology” initiated
    • 01.06. Reorganized as Deep Seawater Research Center under the Maritime Structure and Plant Research Division of the Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute
  • 2008

    02. Designated as deep seawater quality testing and management institution according to the Dee Sea Water Act

  • 2006

    06.26. Establishment of Deep Seawater Research Group under the Maritime System Research Division of the Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute

  • 2005
    • 12.22. Construction of the Deep Seawater Research Center and water intake and drain facility completed
    • 05.30. Construction of the Deep Seawater Research Center Building completed
  • 2001

    03. Research project “Multi-Purpose Development of Deep Seawater” initiated

Key research facilities and equipment

Item, Detailed Content
Item Detailed Content
Overall Status Site area: 7,709 m2 (2,331,97 py)
  • Gross area: 2,935.03 m2 (887.84 py)
  • Buildings: 7 buildings; 5 temporary buildings; deep seawater intake facility (2,000 ton/day)
  • Key buildings: R&D building, public relations building, official residence, dormitory, etc.
Key facilities and equipment
  • Seawater energy laboratory building
  • Seawater desalination laboratory building
  • Composite farming laboratory building
  • Deep seawater intake facility
  • 20kW OTEC plant
  • 60RT SWAC system
  • Deep seawater intake facility
  • Integrated mineral control process system
  • 20kW ocean thermal energy conversion plant
  • 60RT seawater air conditioning system

* OTEC(Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion)
* SWAC(Seawater Air-Conditioning)

  • Front view of Seawater Energy Research Center
  • Aerial view of super-sized OTEC-desalination convergence plant

Major Research Facilities and Equipment

Research equipment
Research equipment Note
Deep seawater intake facility Function

Deep seawater intake for the research on OTEC, SWAC, seawater desalination and concentration-extraction

Specifications
  • Intake volume: Max. 2,000 ton/day
  • Intake pipe: Two pipes at 300 m depth (3.25 km point) and 500 m depth (4.3 km point)
20kW OTEC plan Function

Testing of OTEC based on the temperature difference between surface seawater and deep seawater

Specifications

20 kW output (20~24℃ temperature difference)

Others

A downscaled model of the 1 MW OTEC pilot plant, used for the performance test of essential OTEC element devices
60RT SWAC Function

Testing of SWAC performance depending on various seawater heat sources (deep seawater, surface seawater and underground seawater)

Specifications

60 RT (a capacity for air-conditioning about 1,500 m2)

Others

Used for the performance test of seawater thermal energy-based high-efficiency SWAC system and element devices as well as education and public relations
Integrated mineral control process system Function

Manufacturing of treated deep seawater (mineral desalinated water, mineral concentrated water, etc.) and performance testing

Specifications
  • Hardness over 20,000; 20 L/cycle
  • Total power consumption per 20 L: 2.89kWh

VISION

Creating innovative growth engine through the development of maritime recycled energy and resources technology

Mid-term and long-term goals

Development of advanced maritime energy and resources convergence technology and commercialization leading technology

Three major strategies
Nine essentially promoted technologies

01 Development of source and convergence utilization technologies for maritime energy resources
  • Essential source technology for sustainable seawater energy utilization
  • Seawater freshwater concentration extraction technology for high value-added industry
  • Convergence technology securing drinking water, food and energy
02 Establishment of seawater intake-based seawater plant and convergence pilot system
  • Pilot plant technology for advancement and optimization
  • Technology for testing performance of essential apparatuses and plant for seawater energy and resources utilization
  • Technology for evaluating performance of seawater energy and resources plant
03 Entry into global market and increase of supply
  • Support of industry-university-institute cooperative education and human resources fostering
  • Establishment of system for technology exchange and cooperation among deep seawater enterprises
  • Establishment of system for increasing supply through commercialization of convergence plant