Composite flexible conduit for sucking large volumes of sea water from deep water bodies

Claim 1

In a power station which exploits the temperature differential between the bottom and the surface of a body of water to produce power, a substantially flexible conduit connected to the station at the surface of the body of water, wherein said conduit extends essentially vertical in the body of water, comprising: a sequential array of essentially vertical cylindrical sections of a resilient material though which water is conveyed from the bottom of the body of water, and annular stiffening hoop members, each of which has inner and outer annularly spaced walls, wherein adjacent cylindrical sections are secured to said inner walls thereof to thereby connect said sections to said hoop member, and wherein the weight of said hoop members gives the cylindrical configuration to said sections and provides weight for maintaining said conduit in the essentially vertical position, and a plurality of flexible cables arranged about said sections and hoop members parallel to the central axis of said conduit, wherein said cables are secured to said outer walls of said hoop members, and wherein said cables absorb stresses which would otherwise stress said cylindrical sections.