"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:07:53 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

This is what I was thinking, but since my thermodynamics training is
insufficient, I'd like to enlist your help.
Besides your technical expertise (sorry I can't say the same for your
political judgement) you're down there where the water is warm.
What we need is a heat extraction process that will at least add
locomotion power to a boat.

Actually you need a temperature "difference" to extract mechanical
power. Most of the sea water power schemes that I've seen rely on
using the temp difference between warm water on top and cool water
from the depths. That might work for a stationary power plant but
would create way too much drag for a useful boat.


Thermocouples will work in heat alone. Proposals to help fuel economy by
placing thermocouples along the exhaust pipe to turn waste heat into
electrical energy.