Mist lift
[1] Independent of energy production, the technique can be used simply as a thermally powered pump used to raise ocean water from depths for unspecified uses.
Large volumes of warm surface seawater fall by gravity from a substantial height such as 100 metres (330 ft) to generate electricity from a hydro-electric turbine at the base of the structure.
Due to the partial vacuum within the structure, warm sea water from the surface boils, creating large volumes of rising steam.
[1][5] Details common in Ridgway designs Mist Lift utilizing thermal temperature differences does not require large pumps and heat exchangers as in other types of OTEC.
[9] In 2010, Makai Ocean Engineering was contracted to construct computer models to evaluate whether a Mist lift power generation plant would be competitive with the dominant OTEC approaches being pursued by researchers.
A: Vacuum pump which maintains low pressure in the structure. B: Inlet to allow warm water surface water to flow down to the turbine. C: Base of the structure 100M below surface where the turbine is located. D: Cold water pipe which extends to depth (usually 700 to 1000 meters depth). E: Location where cold water jets spray upwards into vessel.