Heat utilization in ORC systems

A waste heat recovery method using a prime mover in prime mover fuel transfer receiving communication with at least one prime mover fuel source including an anaerobic digestion system, said method comprising;

• A. directing heat produced in said prime mover to an input of a waste heat recovery system;
• B. transferring thermal energy from said heat to an evaporator in the waste heat recovery system;
• C. generating heated working fluid in the evaporator;
• D. directing said heated working fluid from the evaporator through an expander and converting energy in the heated working fluid into mechanical energy as said heated working fluid flows through said expander;
• E. transferring at least a portion of the converted mechanical energy from the expander to a power receiving component;
• F. transferring said heated working fluid from the expander to a working fluid heat removal and condensing subsystem and, in the working fluid heat removal and condensing subsystem, generating cooled working fluid liquid and heated separate secondary heat transfer media;
• G. transferring said cooled working fluid liquid from the working fluid heat removal and condensing subsystem to the evaporator;
• H. circulating said separate secondary heat transfer media in a separate closed loop within the working fluid heat removal and condensing subsystem to transfer heat from the working fluid to said at least one prime mover fuel source including an anaerobic digestion system;
• I. directing thermal energy from said separate secondary heat transfer media in the separate closed loop to said at least one prime mover fuel source to generate prime mover fuel;
• J. directing prime mover fuel from the at least one prime mover fuel source to the prime mover;
• and
• K. using said prime mover fuel to provide power to the prime mover so as to create heat that is directed to the input of the waste heat recovery system.

A method of power generation using a closed-loop energy transfer system, the method comprising:

• A. with a prime mover, generating prime mover power and prime mover waste heat energy using stored energy contained in prime mover fuel;
• B. with an ORC system, converting the prime mover waste heat energy into ORC power and ORC waste heat energy;
• C. with a prime mover fuel generation system including an anaerobic digestion system, using the ORC waste heat energy to generate prime mover fuel containing stored energy;
• and
• D. supplying said prime mover fuel containing stored energy to the prime mover for consumption by the prime mover to generate further prime mover power and prime mover waste heat energy by utilizing the stored energy of the prime mover fuel.

A power production apparatus comprising:

• A. a prime mover having a first power generation system;
• B. a closed loop organic Rankine cycle system in heat transfer receiving communication with the prime mover;
• and
• C. a heat consuming prime mover fuel production system including an anaerobic digestion system in heat transfer receiving communication with the closed loop organic Rankine cycle system and in prime mover fuel sending communication with the prime mover configured such that i) the temperature of the heat consuming prime mover fuel production system is lower than the temperature of the closed loop organic Rankine cycle system to allow heat to be transferred from the closed loop organic Rankine cycle system to the heat consuming prime mover fuel production system, and ii) the fuel produced by the heat consuming prime mover fuel production system is communicated to the prime mover for consumption therein so as to generate power via the first power generation system and to produce heat that is communicated to the closed loop organic Rankine cycle system.