DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 24 and 29-31 are objected to because of the following informalities:
change claim 1 line 2 accordingly: “each turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools having”
change claim 1 line 12 accordingly: “the turbine of one of the one of more turbo-compressor spools”
change claim 1 line 16 accordingly: “a first turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools”
change claim 4 lines 2-3 accordingly: “the first turbo-compressor spool
change claim 5 line 2 accordingly: “each of the one or more turbo-compressor spools”
change claim 7 line 5 accordingly: “spool
change claim 7 line 8 accordingly: “spool
change claim 7 lines 9-10 accordingly: “spool
change claim 7 line 15 accordingly: “turbine of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools”
change claim 7 line 18 accordingly: “turbine of the one spool
change claim 8 line 1 accordingly: “the gas turbine engine [[of]]”
change claim 10 line 1 accordingly: “the gas turbine engine [[of]]”
change claim 10 lines 2-3 accordingly: “spool a compressor”
change claim 13 line 3 accordingly: “each turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools has”
change claim 13 line 7 accordingly: “of the one or more turbo-compressor spools”
change claim 13 line 9 accordingly: “each spool
change claim 13 lines 13-14 accordingly: “air from [[a]] the turbine of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools”
claim 15 should be clarified regarding:
does “a first spool” refer to first turbo-compressor spool of claim 13?
does “a second spool” refer to a second turbo-compressor spool?
“the one or more spools” appears to lack antecedent basis
change claim 24 line 1 accordingly: “the one or more ultra-capacitors”
change claim 29 lines 1-2 accordingly: “the one or more ultra-capacitors”
change claim 30 lines 1-2 accordingly: “the one or more ultra-capacitors”
change claim 31 lines 1-2 accordingly: “the one or more ultra-capacitors”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13-16, 21, 23-25, 27 and 29-31 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the air from … a first turbo-compressor spool" in lines 15-16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There is only antecedent basis for air from one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the increase in airflow" in line 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the turbine" in lines 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It has not been established yet that all of the one or more turbo-compressor spools have a turbine.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the increase in airflow" in line 19. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the air from … the first turbo-compressor spool" in lines 16-17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There is only antecedent basis for air from one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools (see lines 13-14).
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the increase in airflow" in line 22. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims dependent thereon are rejected for the same reasons.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 13, 21, 25, 29 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pub. No.: US 2019/0055890 A1 (Ethier) in view of US Patent 7,325,401 B1 (Kesseli ‘401) and Pub. No. US 2009/0228149 A1 (Alston).
Regarding claim 1, Ethier discloses (see fig. 3) a gas turbine engine 101, comprising: one or more turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104 each turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools having a compressor 102, a turbine 103, and a first rotatable shaft 104 rotatably coupling the compressor and the turbine; a combustor 105 for receiving a high-pressure airflow from the compressor 102 of each of the turbo-compressor spools and delivering a heated airflow to (see fig. 3) the turbine 102 of each of the turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104; a free turbine spool 110,111,112 comprising a free power turbine 110 and a second rotatable shaft 111, the second rotatable shaft rotatably coupling the free power turbine to a variable speed alternator 112 (the speed varies with the speed of free power turbine 110; alternator is interpreted as “an electric generator for producing alternating current”, Merriam-Webster online), wherein the variable speed alternator generates electrical power (AC power is supplied to rectifier 201); an area (the inlet area of the free power turbine 110; see par. 118, bottom) upstream of the free power turbine 110, wherein the area supplies air (air from compressor 102 is combusted with fuel in combustor 105 and the resulting combustion gas is supplied to free turbine 110 via turbine 103; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein the “gas 507 exiting from low pressure turbine 517 … enters free power turbine 521” is stated in par. 71) from the turbine 103 of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104 to the free power turbine 110; a torque spike (see “sudden load change” in par. 138; the torque spike can cause the gas turbine engine to stall when the engine is undersized, see par. 105); wherein the area provides an increase in the air from the turbine of a first turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104 of the one or more compressor spools to the free power turbine 110 response to (sudden load changes that cause a torque spike cause the gas turbine to “spool-up” resulting in more air1 and fuel being supplied to the gas turbine; see pars. 118 and 142; one of ordinary skill understands that additional fuel being added to a gas turbine to increase power output also corresponds to an increase in air; such increases in air and fuel are combusted and supplied to the turbines 103,110 of the engine 101) the torque spike; a fuel supply 107 delivering an increased (see par. 130) fuel flow 107 in relation to the increase in airflow (see par. 130; the engine “spooling up”, or in other words increasing in speed, provides more air to the combustor 105 in relation to the instant increase in fuel flow such that the air and fuel can be combusted at 123 shown in fig. 1), wherein a power of the free power turbine increases (see par. 118, middle and bottom); a rectifier 201 (converter 201 is rectifier; see par. [0117]) accepting a frequency output from the variable speed alternator 112, wherein the rectifier converts AC power to DC power (rectifier 201 is an AC to DC converter; see par. 119, top) and delivers the DC power to a DC common bus 203 (Applicant DC bus is interpreted to be the DC link between active rectifier 63 and inverter 64 in Applicant fig. 6; likewise Ethier teaches a DC link 203 between rectifier 201 and inverter 301 wherein converter 301 is an inverter, see par. 117, and thus DC link 203 is a DC common bus wherein the DC common bus 203 provides power to both ultra-capacitors 205 and inverter 301 and as discussed in par. 119, middle, and par. 120, middle, respectively); one or more ultra-capacitors (energy storage 205 may be ultra-capacitor; par. 119, middle; see also par. 117 describing embodiment of fig. 3 using ultra-capacitor with inverter) connected to the DC common bus; and an inverter 301 connecting DC common bus to an AC electrical load 206, wherein the one or more ultra-capacitors provide a transient power boost (ultra-capacitors inject power into DC bus 203, in order to boost the power provided by alternator 112, to immediately compensate for a lack of power from alternator 112 during transient operation of the gas turbine; see pars. 119 and 130) to the inverter (this is interpreted regarding applicant fig. 6 wherein the power boost is provided to the DC link at a location between rectifier 63 and inverter 64; similarly the power boost from ultracapacitors 205 Ethier is provided at the DC link 203 at a location between rectifier 201 and inverter 301). Ethier does not explicitly disclose the Ethier area includes a variable area nozzle; an actuator for controlling an opening of the variable area nozzle in response to the Ethier torque spike; an active rectifier; a variable frequency output from the variable speed alternator; and wherein an impedance of the inverter is variable.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) a free power turbine 100 and further teaches an area includes a variable area (changing the area changes the flow angle as discussed in col. 8, ll. 10-15; also see fig. 9, top, pointing out that the instant nozzle is variable area type) nozzle 102 (upstream (see bold arrows showing direction of gas flow) of the free power turbine); and an actuator 98 for controlling an opening (see col. 9, ll. 1-2: “the variable position nozzle … may be opened incrementally”) of the variable area nozzle in response to a torque spike (Kesseli '401 nozzle is capable of performing this; for example the nozzle is opened when the power is not sufficient (see col. 8, l. 67 to col. 9, l. 2); for example, if more power is needed from the free turbine, than more combusted gases flow through a more open nozzle enroute to the turbine so that the free turbine can provide additional power; a torque spike corresponds to a scenario wherein more power is needed in applicant par. 6; one of ordinary skill understands a torque spike to be a scenario where there is a high torque on the gas turbine engine due to a sudden load demand and Kesseli ‘401 points out a capability of quickly responding power demands at col. 9, ll. 50-55; this is similar to applicant par. 76 wherein responding to a spike is a rapid response; as general information it is noted that fig. 19 also teaches variable area nozzle 271 controlled by actuator 278) (the variable area nozzle provides an increase in airflow, see col. 8, ll. 20-21: “the actuator 98 positions the nozzle 102 to effect more or less gas flow through the turbine”, thus the variable area nozzle is capable of providing such an increase, wherein the instant gas flow is combusted fuel and air when Kesseli ‘401 is applied to Ethier because the combusted fuel and air pass through the variable area nozzle taught by Kesseli ‘401 enroute to free turbine 110 of Ethier, see location 125 in fig. 1 of Ethier; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein combusted fuel and air, from combustor 515, enter variable area nozzle 524 at 507)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier with the Ethier area includes a variable area nozzle; an actuator for controlling an opening of the variable area nozzle in response to the Ethier torque spike as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate achieving the maximum possible electrical power (i.e., maximum efficiency) (see Kesseli ‘401 col. 8, ll. 17-19) and lower fuel consumption (one of ordinary skill in the art is knowledgeable of this; see pertinent prior art infra).
Alston teaches power conversion structures converting power from a generator driven by an engine (see “Generator” in fig. 9 that is driven by engine discussed in par. 40) and further teaches (see fig. 9) an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator (see pars 40, bottom, and 72; claim 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 with an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator as taught by Alston in order facilitating providing reliable electrical power equipment (Alston par. [0003]) making use of an active rectifier thereby improving efficiency of rectification compared to passive rectifiers.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) an impedance of an inverter 91 is variable (the impedance of the inverter 91 is varied in order to adjust the speed of the free turbine 100; see col. 7, ll. 55-60, and see fig. 11 at S04).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with an impedance of the inverter is variable as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate operating the free power turbine of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston at an optimum speed (see Kesseli ‘401, ll. 58-61).
Regarding claim 13 the preamble recitation “for overcoming effects of turbo lag” is read as intended use by the examiner and is given little patentable weight. (see MPEP 2111.02(II)). If the body of a claim fully and intrinsically sets forth all of the limitations of the claimed invention, and the preamble merely states, for example, the purpose or intended use of the invention, rather than any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention’s limitations, then the preamble is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). Ethier discloses in fig. 3 ultracapacitors 205 that discharge current during transient operations (see pars. 108 and 113) thereby reducing turbo lag (this is consistent with applicant par. 88).
Further regarding claim 13, Ethier discloses (see fig. 3) a system and a block loaded gas turbine engine (101; the gas turbine experiences sudden load changes as discussed in pars. 108 and 113; a sudden increase in load is consistent with meaning of block loading at applicant par. 26, top), wherein the gas turbine engine comprises: one or more turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104, wherein each turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools has a compressor 102, a turbine 103, and a first rotatable shaft 104 rotatably coupling the compressor and the turbine; a combustor 105 for receiving a high-pressure airflow from the compressor 102 of a first turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104 of the turbo-compressor spools and delivering a heated airflow to the turbine 103 of each turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104, wherein the heated airflow rotatably drives the first rotatable shaft and the compressor of each of the turbo-compressor spools; a free turbine spool 110,110,112 comprising a free power turbine 110 and a second rotatable shaft 111, the second rotatable shaft rotatably coupling the free power turbine 110 to a variable speed alternator 112 (speed varies with free turbine speed), wherein the variable speed alternator generates electrical power (alternator 112 supplies AC to rectifier 201); wherein the free power turbine 110 is fitted with an area (the inlet area of the free power turbine 110; see par. 118, bottom) upstream of the free power turbine for supplying air (air from compressor 102 is combusted with fuel in combustor 105 and the resulting combustion gas is supplied to free turbine 110 via turbine 103; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein the “gas 507 exiting from low pressure turbine 517 … enters free power turbine 521” is stated in par. 71) from the turbine 103 of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104 to the free power turbine 110; a torque spike (see “sudden load change” in par. 138; the torque spike can cause the gas turbine engine to stall when the engine is undersized, see par. 105), wherein the area provides an increase in the air from the turbine 103 of the first turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104 to the free power turbine 110 in response (sudden load changes that cause a torque spike cause the gas turbine to “spool-up” resulting in more air2 and fuel being supplied to the gas turbine; see pars. 118 and 142; one of ordinary skill understands that additional fuel being added to a gas turbine to increase power output also corresponds to an increase in air; such increases in air and fuel are combusted and supplied to the turbines of the engine) to the torque spike; a rectifier 201, wherein the rectifier 201 (converter 201 is rectifier; see par. [0117]) accepts a frequency output from the variable speed alternator, converts AC power to DC power (see par. 119, top), and delivers the DC power to a DC common bus 203 (Applicant DC bus is interpreted to be the DC link between active rectifier 63 and active inverter 64 in Applicant fig. 6; likewise Ethier teaches a DC link 203, that is a DC bus, between rectifier 201 and inverter 301 wherein converter 301 is an inverter, see par. 117, wherein the DC common bus 203 provides power to both ultra-capacitors 205 and inverter 301 as discussed in par. 119, middle, and par. 120, middle, respectively); a fuel system 113 delivering an increased (see par. 130) fuel supply 107 in response to (“in response to” is interpreted in accordance with applicant par. 76 to be a combined fuel and air increase) an increase in airflow (see par. 130; the engine “spooling up”, or in other words increasing in speed, provides more air to the combustor 105 in relation to the instant increase in fuel flow such that the air and fuel can be combusted at 123 shown in fig. 1), wherein a power of the free power turbine increases (see par. 118, middle and bottom); one or more ultra-capacitors (energy storage 205 may be ultra-capacitor; par. 119, middle; see also par. 117 describing embodiment of fig. 3 using ultra-capacitor with inverter) connected to the DC common bus; and an inverter 301 connecting DC common bus to an AC electrical load 206, wherein the one or more ultra-capacitors provide a transient power boost (ultra-capacitors inject power into DC bus 203, in order to boost the power provided by alternator 112, to immediately compensate for a lack of power from alternator 112 during transient operation of the gas turbine; see pars. 119 and 130) to the inverter (this is interpreted regarding applicant fig. 6 wherein the power boost is provided to the DC link at a location between rectifier 63 and inverter 64; similarly the power boost from ultracapacitors 205 Ethier is provided at the DC link 203 at a location between rectifier 201 and inverter 301). Ethier does not explicitly disclose the Ethier area includes a variable area nozzle; an actuator for controlling an opening of the variable area nozzle in response to the Ethier torque spike; an active rectifier accepts a variable frequency output from the variable speed alternator; and an impedance of the inverter is variable.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) a free power turbine 100 and further teaches a variable area (changing the area changes the flow angle as discussed in col. 8, ll. 10-15; also see fig. 9, top, pointing out that the instant nozzle is variable area type) nozzle 102 (upstream (see bold arrows showing direction of gas flow) of the free power turbine; and an actuator 98 for controlling an opening (see col. 9, ll. 1-2: “the variable position nozzle … may be opened incrementally”) of the variable area nozzle) in response to a torque spike (Kesseli '401 nozzle is capable of performing this; for example the nozzle is opened when the power is not sufficient (see col. 8, l. 67 to col. 9, l. 2); for example, if more power is needed from the free turbine, than more combusted gases flow through a more open nozzle enroute to the turbine so that the free turbine can provide additional power; a torque spike corresponds to a scenario wherein more power is needed in applicant par. 6; one of ordinary skill understands a torque spike to be a scenario where there is a high torque on the gas turbine engine due to a sudden load demand and Kesseli ‘401 points out a capability of quickly responding power demands at col. 9, ll. 50-55; this is similar to applicant par. 76 wherein responding to a spike is a rapid response; it is noted that fig. 19 also teaches variable area nozzle 271 controlled by actuator 278), wherein the variable area nozzle provides an increase in airflow aspirated by the engine (see col. 8, ll. 20-21: “the actuator 98 positions the nozzle 102 to effect more or less gas flow through the turbine”, thus the variable area nozzle is capable of providing such an increase, wherein the instant gas flow is combusted fuel and air when Kesseli ‘401 is applied to Ethier because the combusted fuel and air pass through the variable area nozzle taught by Kesseli ‘401 enroute to free turbine 110 of Ethier, see location 125 in fig. 1 of Ethier; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein combusted fuel and air, from combustor 515, enter variable area nozzle 524 at 507).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier with the Ethier area includes a variable area nozzle and an actuator for controlling an opening of the variable area nozzle in response to the torque spike as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate achieving the maximum possible electrical power (i.e., maximum efficiency) (see Kesseli ‘401 col. 8, ll. 17-19) and lower fuel consumption (one of ordinary skill in the art is knowledgeable of this; see pertinent prior art infra).
Alston teaches power conversion structures converting power from a generator driven by an engine (see “Generator” in fig. 9 that is driven by engine discussed in par. 40) and further teaches (see fig. 9) an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator (see pars 40, bottom, and 72; claim 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 with an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator as taught by Alston in order facilitating providing reliable electrical power equipment (Alston par. [0003]) making use of an active rectifier thereby improving efficiency of rectification compared to passive rectifiers.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) an impedance of an inverter 91 is variable (the impedance of the inverter 91 is varied in order to adjust the speed of the free turbine 100; see col. 7, ll. 55-60, and see fig. 11 at S04).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with an impedance of the inverter is variable as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate operating the free power turbine of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston at an optimum speed (see Kesseli ‘401, ll. 58-61).
Regarding claims 21 and 25, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier further discloses the ultra-capacitors inject current onto the DC common bus (ultra-capacitors inject power into DC bus 203 to immediately compensate for a lack of power from alternator 112 during transient operation of the gas turbine; see pars. 119 and 130) to reduce voltage fluctuations on the DC common bus (intended use: because the ultracapacitors 205 inject DC power into the common DC bus 203 to accommodate for a lack of power from the alternator 112 voltage fluctuations that would otherwise occur in a scenario without power injection can be reduced).
Regarding claims 29 and 31, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier further discloses the one or more ultra-capacitators are discharged when a block loading event occurs. When a block loading event occurs, or in other words a sudden increase in load or electricity demand from the gas turbine and alternator of Ethier combined with Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ‘519, a response is wherein the ultracapacitors taught by Ethier provide stored energy in the form of DC to the DC common bus of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ’51. The supplied electric current supplements the electrical current provided by the alternator of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ’51, in an effort to meet the sudden increase in load demand during which time the gas turbine spools up to meet the increasing load (see Ethier par. [0119], middle and bottom).
Claims 2, 4, 5 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston, as applied to claims 1, 7 and 13 above, and further in view of Pub. No.: US 2013/0139519 A1 (Kesseli ‘519).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose a recuperator or heat exchanger.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5) a gas turbine engine (par. [0042], top) and further teaches a recuperator 44 or heat exchanger 44.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with a recuperator or heat exchanger as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate recovering waste heat in order to pre-heat air for combustion thereby improving energy efficiency of the gas turbine of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 5).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose an intercooler between the compressor of the first turbo-compressor spool and the compressor of a second turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5; the labeling of spools and shafts also shown in figs. 1 and 3) an intercooler (see par. 39, top) between a compressor 45 of first turbo-compressor spool 9 of one or more spools (9, 10) and a compressor 22 of a second turbo-compressor spool 10 of the one or more spools.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with an intercooler between the compressor of the first turbo-compressor spool and the compressor of a second turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate increasing the density of air between compression stages thereby improving compression and engine efficiency (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 5) wherein a second turbo-compressor spool results in less weight of the individual spools thereby reducing the effects of turbo lag.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose the turbine of each of the one or more turbo-compressor spools comprises a ceramic material.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5) a turbine (high pressure turbine 42) of a turbo-compressor spool 10 comprises a ceramic material (see par. 57).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with each turbine comprises a ceramic material as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate using a light weight material in the turbines thereby reducing turbo lag and reducing amount of cooling air needed (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 57).
Claims 7, 24 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, US Patent 2,912,824 (Van Nest) and Alston.
Regarding claim 7, Ethier discloses (see fig. 3) a method of operating a gas turbine engine 101, the method comprising: receiving, by a combustor 105, a high-pressure air flow from a compressor 102 of a first turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104 of one or more turbo-compressor spools, wherein the first turbo-compressor spool comprises the compressor 102, a turbine 103, and a first rotatable shaft 104 rotatably coupling the compressor and the turbine; delivering, by the combustor, a heated airflow to the turbine of the first turbo-compressor spool, wherein the heated airflow rotatably drives the first rotatable shaft and the compressor of the first turbo-compressor spool; generating, by a variable speed alternator 112 (the speed varies with the speed of free power turbine 110), electrical power (AC power is supplied to rectifier 201), wherein the variable speed alternator is rotatably coupled to a free turbine spool (110, 11, 112) comprising a free power turbine 110 and a second rotatable shaft 111, wherein the free power turbine is fitted with an area (the inlet area to the free power turbine 110; see par. 118, bottom) upstream of the free power turbine, and wherein the area supplies air (air from compressor 102 is combusted with fuel in combustor 105 and the resulting combustion gas is supplied to free turbine 110 via turbine 103; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein the “gas 507 exiting from low pressure turbine 517 then passes through variable area nozzle 524 and enters free power turbine 521” is stated in par. 71) from the turbine 103 of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools to the free power turbine 110; a torque spike (see “sudden load change” in par. 138; the torque spike can cause the gas turbine engine to stall when the engine is undersized, see par. 105), wherein the air from a turbine of one of one or more the turbo-compressor spools to the free power turbine increases (sudden load changes that cause a torque spike cause the gas turbine to “spool-up” resulting in more air3 and fuel being supplied to the gas turbine; see pars. 118 and 142; one of ordinary skill understands that additional fuel being added to a gas turbine to increase power output also corresponds to an increase in air; such increases in air and fuel are combusted and supplied to the turbines of the engine) in response to the torque spike, wherein a fuel flow 107 increases (see par. 130) in response to the increase in airflow (see par. 130; the engine “spooling up”, or in other words increasing in speed, provides more air to the combustor 105 in relation to the instant increase in fuel flow such that the air and fuel can be combusted at 123 shown in fig. 1), and wherein a power of the free power turbine increases (see par. 118, middle and bottom: “This gas [i.e. combusted fuel and air] enters the second turbine (110) and imparts more power to the second turbine, which generates mechanical shaft power”) in response to the fuel flow; accepting, by an rectifier 201 (converter 201 is rectifier; see par. [0117]), a frequency output from the variable speed alternator; converting, by the rectifier, the electrical power from AC power to DC power (rectifier 201 is an AC to DC converter; see par. 119, top); delivering, by the rectifier, the DC power to a DC common bus 203 (Applicant DC bus is interpreted to be the DC link between active rectifier 63 and active inverter 64 in Applicant fig. 6; likewise Ethier teaches a DC link 203, that is a DC bus, between rectifier 201 and inverter 301 wherein converter 301 is an inverter, see par. 117, wherein the DC common bus 203 provides power to both ultra-capacitors 205 and inverter 301 as discussed in par. 119, middle, and par. 120, middle, respectively), wherein one or more ultra-capacitors (energy storage 205 may be ultra-capacitor; par. 119, middle; see also par. 117 describing embodiment of fig. 3 using ultra-capacitor with inverter) are connected to the DC common bus; and converting, with an inverter 301 connecting the DC common bus 203 to an AC electrical load 206, the DC power to AC power, wherein the one or more ultra-capacitors provide a transient power boost (ultra-capacitors inject power into DC bus 203, in order to boost the power provided by alternator 112, to immediately compensate for a lack of power from alternator 112 during transient operation of the gas turbine; see pars. 119 and 130) to the inverter (this is interpreted regarding applicant fig. 6 wherein the power boost is provided to the DC link at a location between rectifier 63 and inverter 64; similarly the power boost from ultracapacitors 205 Ethier is provided at the DC link 203 at a location between rectifier 201 and inverter 301). Ethier does not explicitly disclose wherein the area includes a variable area nozzle; controlling, by an actuator, an opening of the variable area nozzle in response to the torque spike; an active rectifier; a variable frequency output from the variable speed alternator; and an impedance of the inverter is variable.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) a free power turbine 100 and further teaches a variable area (changing the area changes the flow angle as discussed in col. 8, ll. 10-15; also see fig. 9, top, pointing out that the instant nozzle is variable area type) nozzle 102; controlling, by an actuator 98, an opening (see col. 9, ll. 1-2: “the variable position nozzle … may be opened incrementally”) of the variable area nozzle 102. It is noted the actuator is capable of controlling the nozzle in response to a torque spike as noted here although a direct teaching by Ven Nest is provided infra because this is a method claim; regarding the actuator being capable see col. 8, ll. 20-21: “the actuator 98 positions the nozzle 102 to effect more or less gas flow through the turbine”, thus the variable area nozzle of provides such an increase, wherein the instant gas flow is combusted fuel and air when Kesseli ‘401 is applied to Ethier because the combusted fuel and air pass through the variable area nozzle taught by Kesseli ‘401 enroute to free turbine 110 of Ethier, see location 125 in fig. 1 of Ethier; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein combusted fuel and air, from combustor 515, enter variable area nozzle 524 at 507). It is noted as general information that fig. 19 also teaches variable area nozzle 271 controlled by actuator 278
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier with wherein the area includes a variable area nozzle; controlling, by an actuator, an opening of the variable area nozzle as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate achieving the maximum possible electrical power (i.e., maximum efficiency) (see Kesseli ‘401 col. 8, ll. 17-19) and lower fuel consumption (one of ordinary skill in the art is knowledgeable of this; see pertinent prior art infra).
Van Nest teaches (see figure) a gas turbine (see col. 2, l. 40) and further teaches controlling an opening of a variable area nozzle 5 in response to a torque spike (the variable nozzle “quickly” responds to rapid changes in power requirements of the gas turbine; see col. 1, ll. 45-50 and ll. 65-70; this is similar to applicant “fast” acting variable area nozzle in par. 78).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 with controlling the variable area nozzle in response to a torque spike as taught by Van Nest in order to facilitate providing quick and flexible control of power output in response to the block loading scenarios of Ethier (i.e., torque spikes of gas turbine 101 of Ethier wherein the gas turbine experiences sudden load changes as discussed in pars. 108 and 112) (see Van Nest col. 2, ll. 45-50).
Alston teaches power conversion structures converting power from a generator driven by an engine (see “Generator” in fig. 9 that is driven by engine discussed in par. 40) and further teaches (see fig. 9) an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator (see pars 40, bottom, and 72; claim 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Van Nest with an active rectifier accepting a variable frequency output from a variable speed alternator as taught by Alston in order facilitating providing reliable electrical power equipment (Alston par. [0003]) making use of an active rectifier thereby improving efficiency of rectification compared to passive rectifiers.
Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) an impedance of an inverter 91 is variable (the impedance of the inverter 91 is varied in order to adjust the speed of the free turbine 100; see col. 7, ll. 55-60, and see fig. 11 at S04).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston with an impedance of the inverter is variable as taught by Kesseli ‘401 in order to facilitate operating the free power turbine of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston at an optimum speed (see Kesseli ‘401, ll. 58-61).
Regarding claim 24, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier further discloses the one or more ultra-capacitors inject current onto the DC common bus (ultra-capacitors inject power into DC bus 203 to immediately compensate for a lack of power from alternator 112 during transient operation of the gas turbine; see pars. 119 and 130) to reduce voltage fluctuations on the DC common bus (intended use: because the ultracapacitors 205 inject DC power into the common DC bus 203 to accommodate for a lack of power from the alternator 112 voltage fluctuations that would otherwise occur in a scenario without power injection can be reduced).
Regarding claim 30, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier further discloses the one or more ultra-capacitators are discharged when a block loading event occurs. When a block loading event occurs, or in other words a sudden increase in load or electricity demand from the gas turbine and alternator of Ethier combined with Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ‘519, a response is wherein the ultracapacitors taught by Ethier provide stored energy in the form of DC to the DC common bus of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ’51. The supplied electric current supplements the electrical current provided by the alternator of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 in view Kesseli ’51, in an effort to meet the sudden increase in load demand during which time the gas turbine spools up to meet the increasing load (see Ethier par. [0119], middle and bottom).
Claims 8, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston, as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Kesseli ‘519.
Regarding claim 8, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose a heat exchanger.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5) a gas turbine engine (par. [0042], top) and further teaches a heat exchanger 44.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston with a heat exchanger as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate recovering waste heat in order to pre-heat air for combustion thereby improving energy efficiency of the gas turbine of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 5).
Regarding claim 10, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose an intercooler between the compressor of first turbo-compressor spool and the compressor of a second turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5; the labeling of spools and shafts also shown in figs. 1 and 3) an intercooler (see par. 39, top) between a compressor 45 of a first turbo-compressor spool 9 and a compressor 22 of a second turbo-compressor spool 10 of one or more spools 9,10.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston with an intercooler between the compressor of the first turbo-compressor spool and the compressor of a second turbo-compressor spool of the one or more turbo-compressor spools as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate increasing the density of air between compression stages thereby improving compression and engine efficiency (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 5) wherein a second turbo-compressor spool results in less weight of the individual spools thereby reducing the effects of turbo lag.
Regarding claim 11, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose the turbine comprises a ceramic material.
Kesseli ‘519 teaches (see fig. 5) a turbine (high pressure turbine 42) comprises a ceramic material (see par. 57).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston with each turbine comprises a ceramic material as taught by Kesseli ‘519 in order to facilitate using a light weight material in the turbines thereby reducing turbo lag and reducing amount of cooling air needed (see Kesseli ‘519 par. 57).
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Pub. No. US 2013/0313826 A1 (Gupta).
Regarding claims 23, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose the DC common bus is connected to a DC electrical load.
Gupta teaches (see fig. 2) a turbine (see par. 53) driven alternator 101 and further teaches DC common bus 112 is connected to a DC electrical load 114.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston with the DC common bus is connected to a DC electrical load as taught by Gupta in order to facilitate preventing damage to power components (see Gupta par. 6).
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston, as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Gupta.
Regarding claim 27, Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston teach the current invention as claimed and discussed above. Ethier does not explicitly disclose the DC common bus is connected to a DC electrical load.
Gupta teaches (see fig. 2) a turbine (see par. 53) driven alternator 101 and further teaches DC common bus 112 is connected to a DC electrical load 114.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to provide Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401, Van Nest and Alston with the DC common bus is connected to a DC electrical load as taught by Gupta in order to facilitate preventing damage to power components (see Gupta par. 6).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/01/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not teach at least “a variable area nozzle that is controlled by an actuator in response to a torque spike, where the variable area nozzle provides an increase in the air from the turbine of a first turbo-compressor spool to the free power turbine in response to the torque spike”. More specifically applicant argues that Kesseli ‘401 actuator 98 (see fig. 12) is for positioning a nozzle based on a change in pressure or solar insolation. In response an actuator is “a mechanical device for moving or controlling something” (Merriam-Webster online). Actuator 98 is a mechanical device that receives signals from a computer controller 90. As best understood applicant is discussing controller 90 regarding solar radiation rather than actuator 98. A person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) would make any suitable arrangements to operate the actuator of Ethier in view of Kesseli ‘401 and Alston. For example the POSITA could operate the instant actuator using an Ethier controller 401 to operate the actuator in correspondence with mixing of air and fuel in par. 118. Alternatively, a variable turbine nozzle actuator may be manually controlled (see abstract of US 4,173,121 discussing manual control of variable area turbine inlet nozzle 56 in fig. 1).
Regarding “variable area nozzle that is controlled by an actuator in response to a torque spike, where the variable area nozzle provides an increase in the air from the turbine of a first turbo-compressor spool to the free power turbine in response to the torque spike”, Ethier discloses an area (the inlet area of the free power turbine 110; see par. 118, bottom) upstream of the free power turbine 110, wherein the area supplies air (air from compressor 102 is combusted with fuel in combustor 105 and the resulting combustion gas is supplied to free turbine 110 via turbine 103; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein the “gas 507 exiting from low pressure turbine 517 … enters free power turbine 521” is stated in par. 71) from the turbine 103 of one of the one or more turbo-compressor spools 102,103,104 to the free power turbine 110. Ethier further discloses a torque spike (see “sudden load change” in par. 138; the torque spike can cause the gas turbine engine to stall when the engine is undersized, see par. 105), wherein the instant area provides an increase in the air from the turbine of a first turbo-compressor spool 102,103,104 of the one or more compressor spools 102,103,104 to the free power turbine 110 in response to (sudden load changes that cause a torque spike cause the gas turbine to “spool-up” resulting in more air4 and fuel being supplied to the gas turbine; see pars. 118 and 142; one of ordinary skill understands that additional fuel being added to a gas turbine to increase power output also corresponds to an increase in air; such increases in air and fuel are combusted and supplied to the turbines 103,110 of the engine 101) the torque spike. Further Kesseli ‘401 teaches (see the embodiment of figs. 11 and 12) a free power turbine 100 and further teaches an area includes a variable area (changing the area changes the flow angle as discussed in col. 8, ll. 10-15; also see fig. 9, top, pointing out that the instant nozzle is variable area type) nozzle 102 located upstream (see bold arrows showing direction of gas flow) of the free power turbine, and an actuator 98 for controlling an opening (see col. 9, ll. 1-2: “the variable position nozzle … may be opened incrementally”) of the variable area nozzle 98 in response to a torque spike (Kesseli '401 nozzle is capable of performing this; for example the nozzle is opened when the power is not sufficient, see col. 8, l. 67 to col. 9, l. 2; for example, if more power is needed from the free turbine, than more combusted gases flow through a more open nozzle enroute to the turbine so that the free turbine can provide additional power; a torque spike corresponds to a scenario wherein more power is needed in applicant par. 6; one of ordinary skill understands a torque spike to be a scenario where there is a high torque on the gas turbine engine due to a sudden load demand and Kesseli ‘401 points out a capability of quickly responding power demands at col. 9, ll. 50-55; this is similar to applicant par. 76 wherein responding to a spike is a rapid response; the variable area nozzle provides an increase in airflow, see Kesseli ‘401 col. 8, ll. 20-21: “the actuator 98 positions the nozzle 102 to effect more or less gas flow through the turbine”, thus the Kesseli ‘401 variable area nozzle is capable of providing such an increase, wherein the instant gas flow is combusted fuel and air when Kesseli ‘401 is applied to Ethier because the combusted fuel and air pass through the variable area nozzle taught by Kesseli ‘401 enroute to free turbine 110 of Ethier, see location 125 in fig. 1 of Ethier; this is similar to applicant fig. 5 wherein combusted fuel and air, from combustor 515, enter variable area nozzle 524 at 507).
Therefore the cited prior art teaches the instant limitation.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
use of a variable area turbine nozzle lowers fuel consumption: US 20090211260 (par. 8).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARC J AMAR whose telephone number is (571)272-9948. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00.
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/MARC AMAR/Examiner, Art Unit 3741
/PHUTTHIWAT WONGWIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3741
1 This is evidenced by Van Nest at col. 16, ll. 30-35: “the air flow to the combustion system is a function of the speed of compressor”. Thus the spooling up of the Ethier gas turbine engine increases the speed of the compressors resulting in increased air in response to the torque spike that caused the instant spooling up.
2 This is evidenced by Van Nest at col. 16, ll. 30-35: “the air flow to the combustion system is a function of the speed of compressor”. Thus the spooling up of the Ethier gas turbine engine increases the speed of the compressors resulting in increased air in response to the torque spike that caused the instant spooling up.
3 This is evidenced by Van Nest at col. 16, ll. 30-35: “the air flow to the combustion system is a function of the speed of compressor”. Thus the spooling up of the Ethier gas turbine engine increases the speed of the compressors resulting in increased air in response to the torque spike that caused the instant spooling up.
4 This is evidenced by Van Nest at col. 16, ll. 30-35: “the air flow to the combustion system is a function of the speed of compressor”. Thus the spooling up of the Ethier gas turbine engine increases the speed of the compressors resulting in increased air in response to the torque spike that caused the instant spooling up.
Prosecution Insights