Abstract: An earthquake-resistant off-shore gravity structure which can stand on the sea bed under its own weight and the weight of any ballast carried by the structure has coupled to its undersurface a separately formed substantially flat concrete foundation grid which underlies at least a major part of the area of the undersurface of the structure, which is of a thickness substantially less than the height of the base and which has a downwardly extending projection for penetrating the sea bed. The coupling between the structure and the foundation grid is such that vertical loads on the structure are transferred through the foundation grid to the sea bed and is such that, for horizontal forces on the structure less than a predetermined maximum value, relative movement between the foundation grid and the structure is substantially prevented and, for a horizontal force equal to or in excess of said maximum value, limited relative movement between the foundation grid and the structure is permitted.

Abstract: A system for generating energy by converting thermal energy into another form of energy by the exchange of water from great depth with surface water, said system comprising a floating installation having a downwardly directed cold water pipe as well as a number of thermal energy converting aggregates, said installation having the form of a pontoon, carrying a platform by means of columns, a number of box-shaped units containing the thermal energy converting aggregates being placed on top of the said pontoon, each unit having a channel with pump and heat exchanger, said channels having their inlets either in connection with the cold water supply or with the environmental water, the connection with the cold water being at the underside of the units and the connection with the environmental water at the upper side of the units, each channel having its outlet at the side of the pontoon.

Abstract: A flexible and pivotable connection for the top of a cold water conduit 8 to a floating device 1-3 provided with means for the conversion of energy based on the temperature difference between surface water and deep sea water supplied by the conduit. The connection supports the top of the conduit by means of flexible cables to a central core 7 guided and fixed in a sleeve 5, 6 of the floating device. The flexible cables 10, 11 partly extend horizontally from the lower end of the core to a top ring 9 of the conduit, and partly from the lower end of the core downwardly towards a lower annular portion 12 of the conduit.

Abstract: A flexible conduit for carrying cold ocean water at great depths to the surface comprises a plurality of spaced, heavy annular rings 1 of concrete or the like between which are mounted tubes 2 of flexible material which form the walls of the conduit. The tubes may bear the tension load of the rings directly, or they may be suspended from loosely mounted rods 6 or cables 11.