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 .
Examiner Comment
The applicant is thanked for providing line numbers to the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim(s) 33, 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
In regard to claim 33, the recitation, “wherein the feed gas inlet and the feed gas outlet of the feed gas core and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet of the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core are configured so that the feed gas passes through the feed gas passage of the feed gas core in a first direction and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passes through the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage of the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core in a second direction that opposes the first direction.” (line 19-24) is new matter as there is insufficient support for opposite flow in the feed gas core relative to the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core. The drawings are diagrammatic and there is no evidence whatsoever that the cores have opposite flows merely because the drawings have arrows pointing to the left or to the right. Everything about the drawings indicate that the arrow directions through the cores are merely a result displaying the various components and are not support for opposite flows. For example, the mixed compressor system shows that the compressed mixed refrigerant from the cooler (38) proceeds from the right of the figure to the left of the figure to reach the precooling and further, the figure shows that the LNG proceeds to the right - However, this is not support for a relationship between the flow direction of the mixed refrigerant and the flow direction of the LNG. Likewise, there is no support that the flow in core (78) must be opposite the flow in core (114). The specification never indicates that the flows in these cores are opposite of each other and never states that the cores must have a single direction. Rather the drawings are merely diagrammatic and the drawings alone do not support that such coincidental directions in the drawings necessarily require opposite flow directions.
In regard to claim 34, the recitation, “wherein the cold feed gas inlet and the cold feed gas outlet of the cold feed gas core and the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet and the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet of the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core are configured so that the feed gas passes through the cold feed gas passage of the cold feed gas core in a third direction and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passes through the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage of the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core in a fourth direction that opposes the third direction.” (line 26-32) is new matter as there is insufficient support for opposite flow in the cold feed gas core relative to the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core. The drawings are diagrammatic and there is no evidence whatsoever that the cores have opposite flows merely because the drawings have arrows pointing to the left or to the right. Everything about the drawings indicate that the arrow directions through the cores are merely a result displaying the various components and are not support for opposite flows. For example, the mixed compressor system shows that the compressed mixed refrigerant from the cooler (38) proceeds from the right of the figure to the left of the figure to reach the precooling and further, the figure shows that the LNG proceeds to the right - However, this is not support for a relationship between the flow direction of the mixed refrigerant and the flow direction of the LNG. Likewise, there is no support that the flow in core (78) must be opposite the flow in core (114). The specification never indicates that the flows in these cores are opposite of each other and never states that the cores must have a single direction. Rather the drawings are merely diagrammatic and the drawings alone do not support that such coincidental directions in the drawings necessarily require opposite flow directions.
Claim Interpretation
All of the claims have been evaluated under the three-prong test set forth in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, and it is considered that none of the claim recitations should be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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, 2, 7, 10, 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the obvious modification of Ducote (US 2014/0260415) in view of Jager (US 2009/0314030), Chiu (US 4548629), and further in view of Low (US 5651270).
In regard to claim(s) 1, 2, 10, 31, Ducote teaches a system (see Fig. 9) for cooling a feed gas comprising:
c. a liquefaction heat exchanger (170) including a liquefying passage (162), a primary refrigeration passage (104, 108), a high pressure vapor cooling passage (166), a high pressure liquid cooling passage (138 fed with liquid from VD3 via 40, 44, VD2, 48, 140 to VD5), a cold separator liquid cooling passage (156), and a cold separator vapor cooling passage (168), where the cold separator vapor cooling passage (168) has a cold separator vapor cooling passage outlet (outlet of 168) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (104, 108);
d. a mixed refrigerant compression system (para. 50-53, compressors and coolers) including:
2i) a mixed refrigerant compressor (16) having a mixed refrigerant compressor inlet (inlet thereof) in downstream fluid communication with a primary refrigeration passage outlet (outlet of 108, 104) of the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104);
ii) a mixed refrigerant cooler (20) having a mixed refrigerant cooler inlet (inlet thereof) in downstream fluid communication with a mixed refrigerant compressor outlet (outlet of 16) of the mixed refrigerant compressor (16), said mixed refrigerant cooler (20) having a mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (outlet of 20);
iii) a high pressure accumulator (VD3) having a high pressure accumulator inlet (inlet of VD3) and a high pressure accumulator vapor outlet (vapor outlet of VD3) in upstream fluid communication with a high pressure vapor cooling passage inlet (inlet of 166) of the high pressure vapor cooling passage (166) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170) and a high pressure accumulator liquid outlet (liquid outlet of VD3) in upstream fluid communication with a high pressure liquid cooling passage inlet (inlet of 138 via 36, 40, 44, 48) of the high pressure liquid cooling passage (138) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170);
e. a cold vapor separator (VD4) having a cold vapor separator inlet (inlet thereof) in downstream fluid communication with a high pressure vapor cooing passage outlet (outlet of 166) of the high pressure vapor cooling passage (166) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170), a cold vapor separator vapor outlet (vapor outlet from VD4) in upstream fluid communication with a cold separator vapor cooling passage inlet (inlet of passage 168 from VD4) of the cold separator vapor cooling passage (168) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170) and a cold vapor separator liquid outlet (liquid outlet of VD4) in upstream communication with a cold separator liquid cooling passage inlet (inlet of 156) of the cold separator liquid cooling passage (156) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170);
f. a cold temperature separator (VD7) having a cold temperature separator inlet (inlet of VD7) in downstream fluid communication with a cold separator vapor cooling passage outlet (outlet of 168) of the cold separator vapor cooling passage (168), said cold temperature separator (VD7) having a cold temperature separator vapor outlet (vapor outlet of VD7) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170) a cold temperature separator liquid outlet (liquid outlet of VD7) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170);
g. a mid temperature separator (VD6) having a mid temperature separator inlet (inlet of VD6) in downstream fluid communication with a cold separator liquid cooling passage outlet (outlet of 156) of the cold separator liquid cooling passage (VD4), said mid temperature separator (VD6) having a mid temperature separator vapor outlet (vapor outlet of VD6) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170) and a mid temperature separator liquid outlet (liquid outlet of VD6) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170);
h. a warm temperature separator (VD5) having a warm temperature separator inlet (inlet of VD5) in downstream fluid communication with a high pressure liquid cooling passage outlet (outlet of 138) of the high pressure liquid cooling passage (138), said warm temperature separator (VD5) having a warm temperature separator vapor outlet (vapor outlet of VD5) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170) and a warm temperature separator liquid outlet (liquid outlet of VD5) in upstream fluid communication with the primary refrigeration passage (108, 104) of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170).
Ducote does not appear to explicitly teach the pre-cool heat exchanger as claimed in claims 1, 2, and 10, the precool compressor system, and that the liquefying passage (162) in downstream fluid communication with a feed gas outlet of the pre-cool heat exchanger, that the high pressure accumulator inlet (inlet of VD3) is in downstream fluid communication with a liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet of the pre-cool heat exchanger; and that the mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (outlet of 20) is in upstream fluid communication with a liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet of the pre-cool heat exchanger.
However, employing propane pre-cooling of a mixed refrigerant and the feed gas is routine and well known as taught by Jager. Jager teaches (see whole disclosure, including Fig.1-2)
a. a pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112) including a shell (shell of first 112; see para. 45 - note that Jager teaches that these precool heat exchangers are known to be shell and tube heat exchangers) having a pre-cool refrigerant inlet (inlet of propane into first 112) adapted to receive the pre-cool refrigerant (propane, para. 15, 19) and a pre-cool refrigerant outlet (propane outlet of first 112) with a pre-cool refrigerant passage (passage for propane) extending therebetween so that the pre-cool refrigerant (propane) passes through the pre-cool refrigerant passage (passage for propane) of the pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112),
ii) a feed gas core (tube for feed gas in first 112) positioned within the shell (shell of first 112), said feed gas core (tube for feed gas in first 112) including a feed gas inlet (feed gas inlet to tube in first 112) adapted to receive the feed gas (feed gas) and a feed gas outlet (outlet of tube for feed gas in first 112) with a feed gas passage (passage for feed gas in first 112) extending therebetween so that the feed gas (feed gas) passes through the feed gas passage (passage for feed gas in first 112) of the feed gas core (tube for feed gas in first 112) and the feed gas (feed gas) is cooled (para. 42), and
iii) a liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) also positioned within the shell (shell of first 112) so that the feed gas core (tube for feed gas in first 112) and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) share the shell (shell of first 112), said liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) having a liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet (inlet to tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) adapted to receive the liquefaction mixed refrigerant (mixed refrigerant) and a liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet (outlet of tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) with a liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage (passage for mixed refrigerant in first 112) extending therebetween so that the liquefaction mixed refrigerant (mixed refrigerant) passes through the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage (passage for mixed refrigerant in first 112) of the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (tube for mixed refrigerant in first 112) and is cooled (para. 45);
b. a pre-cool compressor system (100a, see 114, 118 and associated equipment) including:
i) a pre-cool compressor (114) having a pre-cool compressor inlet (inlet to 114) in downstream fluid communication with the pre-cool refrigerant outlet (propane outlet of first 112) of the pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112);
ii) a pre-cool condenser (118) having a pre-cool condenser inlet (inlet of 118) in downstream fluid communication with an outlet (outlet of 114) of the pre-cool compressor (114), said pre-cool condenser (118) also having a pre-cool condenser outlet (outlet of 118);
a first precool refrigerant expansion device (para. 43; expander before the first 112) having an inlet (inlet to expander of first 112) configured to receive the precool refrigerant (propane) and an outlet (outlet from expander of first 112) configured to direct the precool refrigerant (propane) to the pre-cool refrigerant inlet (propane inlet of first 112) of the pre-cool heat exchanger whereby a first two-phase stream (two phase propane from expander of first 112) is provided to the pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of first 112);
Also, Jager teaches that the pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112) is a warm precooler heat exchanger (as it is relatively warmer than the following identified cold precool heat exchanger) and Jager teaches a cold precool heat exchanger (last 112; note that any of the other downstream 112 could be relied upon as well). Further, note that Jager teaches that both of the warm and the cold pre-cool heat exchangers are known to be shell and tube heat exchangers (para. 45) and therefore, Jager explicitly teaches
a cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112) that is separate and distinct from the single warm pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of first 112), the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112) having a cold pre-cool refrigerant inlet (shell inlet of last 112 from first 112), a cold pre-cool heat exchanger outlet (shell outlet of last 112 to 114), and a cold pre-cool refrigerant passage (passage in last 112 for propane) extending therebetween;
a cold feed gas core (feed gas tube of last 112, receiving fluid from 20a) positioned within the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112), said cold feed gas core (feed gas tube of last 112) having a cold feed gas inlet (receiving from 20a) and a cold feed gas outlet (to 30) and a cold feed gas passage therebetween (passage in cold feed gas tube of last 112), and
a cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (mixed refrigerant tube of last 112 receiving fluid 212 from first 112) also positioned within the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112) so that the cold feed gas core (feed gas tube of last 112) and the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (mixed refrigerant tube of last 112) share the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112), said cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (mixed refrigerant tube of last 112) having a cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet (receiving fluid 212 from first 112) and a cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet (mixed refrigerant tube outlet to 214) with a cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage therebetween (passage in cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant tube in last 112).
Note that the warm pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112) and the cold pre-cool heat exchanger (last 112) of Jager teach all of the inlets and outlets of the warm pre-cool heat exchanger and the cold pre-cool heat exchanger as claimed.
Note that Jager teaches that the precooling of the mixed refrigerant is downstream of the aftercooler (126) and upstream of a high pressure accumulator (152).
Further, Chiu teaches that it is well known and routine to employ a pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator (see 116) and teaches iii) the pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator (116) having a pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator inlet (inlet of 116) in downstream fluid communication with a pre-cool condenser outlet (outlet of 112, 114) and a pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator outlet (outlet of 116) in upstream fluid communication with a pre-cool refrigerant inlet (inlet of 28, 88, 86, 84) of a pre-cool heat exchanger (28, 88, 86, 84) and teaches providing precooling to the mixed refrigerant (in 84, 86, 88) downstream of aftercooling (with 80, 82) and upstream of mixed refrigerant phase separation (see 92).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ducote with the warm pre-cool heat exchanger, the cold pre-cool heat exchanger, and the pre-cool compressor system of Jager, as identified and described above, for the purpose of providing consistent propane temperature level refrigeration for pre-cooling the feed gas and the mixed refrigerant as is well known and for the purpose of providing an economical heat exchanger structure suitable for the employment of evaporating propane to efficiently and to effectively pre-cool the feed gas and mixed refrigerant so as provide the efficient precooling of the mixed refrigerant after the after cooling and before the separation of the mixed refrigerant at the high pressure accumulator and to further provide a pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator located as claimed and identified above in Chiu for the purpose of providing flexible storage and control of the pre-cooling refrigerant so as to manage flow amounts as desired depending on the operation at hand.
Note that the modification of Ducote, as explained, results in a system that performs all of the recited functional language, including that the warm pre-cool heat exchanger (Jager-first 112) is upstream of the cold pre-cool heat exchanger (Jager-last 112) and both are upstream of the liquefaction heat exchanger (170-Ducote) providing pre-cooling to the feed gas and the mixed refrigerant; and the pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator (see Chiu) is upstream the warm pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112-Jager) and the high pressure accumulator inlet (inlet to VD3-Ducote) of the high pressure accumulator (VD3-Ducote) is configured to receive the liquefaction mixed refrigerant from the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet (mixed refrigerant outlet of last 112) of the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (mixed refrigerant tube of last 112-Jager) so that the high pressure accumulator inlet (inlet of VD3-Ducote) is in downstream fluid communication with the liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet (mixed refrigerant outlet of first 112-Jager) of the warm pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112-Jager) through the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (mixed refrigerant tube of last 112-Jager).
Ducote, as modified, teaches most of the claim limitations, including: a first pre-cool refrigerant expansion device (Jager-para. 43, see expander to first 112) having an inlet (inlet of expansion device of first 112) configured to receive the pre-cool refrigerant from the pre-cooling refrigerant accumulator outlet (Chiu - outlet of 116; or Roberts - outlet of 144A) and an outlet (outlet of expansion device of first 112) configured to direct the pre-cool refrigerant to the pre-cool refrigerant inlet (Chiu - inlet of 28, 88, 86, 84; or Roberts - precool refrigerant inlet of 104) of the pre-cool heat exchanger (Chiu - 28, 88, 86, 84; or Roberts - 104) whereby the first two-phase stream (liquid and gas of pre-cooling refrigerant) is provided to the pre-cool heat exchanger (Chiu - 28, 88, 86, 84; or Roberts - 104) shell (per teachings of Jager);
a second pre-cool refrigerant expansion device (last expander to last 112) having an inlet (inlet of last expander to last 112) configured to receive the pre-cool refrigerant (propane) from the pre-cool refrigerant outlet (outlet of first 112) of the warm pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112) and an outlet (outlet of last expander to last 112) configured to direct the pre-cool refrigerant (propane) to the cold pre-cool refrigerant inlet (inlet of the last 112) of the cold pre-cool heat exchanger (last 112) whereby the second two phase stream (propane gas and liquid to last 112) is provided to the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of last 112).
Ducote, as modified, does not appear to explicitly teach a first liquid level sensor and a second liquid level sensor, as claimed. However, liquid level sensors are ordinary and routine as taught by Low.
Low teaches a first liquid level sensor (64, 60) configured to control a first pre-cool refrigerant expansion device (34) so that a liquid level of a pre-cool refrigerant (propane) within a warm pre-cool heat exchanger shell (shell of 40) is maintained whereby a feed gas (feed gas) flowing through a feed gas core (42) and a liquefaction refrigerant (methane refrigerant) flowing through a liquefaction mixed refrigerant core (46) are cooled by the pre-cool refrigerant (propane).
a second liquid level sensor (90, 94)) configured to control a second pre-cool refrigerant expansion device (72) so that a liquid level of the pre-cool refrigerant (propane) within a second pre-cool heat exchanger shell (70) is maintained whereby the feed gas (feed gas) flowing through the feed gas core (72) positioned within the cold-pre-cool heat exchanger shell (70) and the liquefaction refrigerant (methane refrigerant) flowing through the liquefaction refrigerant core (86) positioned with the cold pre-cool heat exchanger shell (70) are cooled by the pre-cool refrigerant (propane).
Therefore it would have been obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Ducote with the first liquid level sensor and the second liquid level sensor of Low for the purpose of providing autonomous and stable control of the liquid level within each of the shell of the warm pre-cool heat exchanger and the shell of the cold pre-coo heat exchanger and to ensure that the liquid level does not flood the shell or dry out and so that the pre-cooling is performed effectively and efficiently.
In regard to claim 7, Ducote, as modified, teaches that the mixed refrigerant compression system (para. 50-53, compressors and coolers) further includes a mixed refrigerant second compressor or compression stage (26) having a second compressor stage inlet (inlet to 26) in downstream fluid communication with the mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (outlet of 20) of the mixed refrigerant cooler (20) so that fluid from the mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (outlet of 20) is directed to the second compressor stage inlet (inlet to 26), a second mixed refrigerant cooler (30) having a second mixed refrigerant cooler inlet (inlet of 30) in downstream fluid communication with a second compressor stage outlet (outlet of 26) of the mixed refrigerant second compressor or compression stage (26) so that fluid from the second compressor stage outlet (outlet of 26) is directed to the second mixed refrigerant cooler inlet (inlet of 30), said second mixed refrigerant cooler (30) having a second mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (outlet of 30) in upstream fluid communication with the liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet (mixed refrigerant inlet of first 112-Jager) of the pre-cool heat exchanger (first 112) so that fluid from the second mixed refrigerant cooler outlet (mixed refrigerant outlet of 30) is directed to the liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet (mixed refrigerant inlet of first 112-Jager) so as to provide the benefit of heat rejection and the energy and efficiency benefit of precooling the mixed refrigerant with propane.
In regard to claim 31, it is rehearsed that Ducote, as modified, teaches the limitations of claim 31, through the employment of the liquid level sensors of Low applied to the shell of Jager as already outlined above.
Claims 33, 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the obvious modification of Ducote (US 2014/0260415) in view of Jager (US 2009/0314030), either of Chiu (US 4548629) or Roberts (US 6119479), in view of Low (US 5651270) and further in view of Davies (US 2015/0253069).
Ducote, as modified, does not explicitly teach that the feed gas inlet and the feed gas outlet of the feed gas core and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet of the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core are configured so that the feed gas passes through the feed gas passage of the feed gas core in a first direction and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passes through the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage of the liquefaction mixed refrigerant core in a second direction that opposes the first direction; and
that the cold feed gas inlet and the cold feed gas outlet of the cold feed gas core and the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant inlet and the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant outlet of the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core are configured so that the feed gas passes through the cold feed gas passage of the cold feed gas core in a third direction and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant passes through the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant passage of the cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core in a fourth direction that opposes the third direction.
However, providing heat exchangers with opposite flow directions is ordinary and routine for the purpose of providing suitably spaced inlets and outlets as taught by Davies. Davies teaches (Fig. 2A) a heat exchanger shell (shell of 210) having a liquid level therein and having a first core (211) and a second core (other 211 on right of figure); the fluid flowing through the cores are flowing in opposite directions (see the left most core 211 has flow from left to right and the right most core 211 has flow from right to left). Therefore it would have been obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the flow through each of the feed gas core, cold feed gas core, liquefaction mixed refrigerant core, and cold liquefaction mixed refrigerant core of Ducote, as modified, with inlets and outlets to be configured so that the feed gas and the liquefaction mixed refrigerant are passed in opposite directions of one another for the purpose of providing well spaced inlets and outlets and permitting easy maintenance and other work on the heat exchanger and to permit easier passing of refrigerant from an opposite side of the facility as the feed gas.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/5/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive in view of the new grounds of rejection above.
Applicant's arguments (page 17-18) are an allegation that the prior art does not teach positioning the high pressure accumulator of Ducote downstream of the pre-cool heat exchanger.
In response, the allegation is fully unpersuasive in view of Jager and Chiu. Jager explicitly teaches precooling the mixed refrigerant (at 112) downstream of the aftercooler (126) and upstream of a high pressure accumulator (152) additionally or alternatively Chiu also teaches precooling the mixed refrigerant (at 84, 86, 88) downstream of the aftercooler (80, 82) and upstream of a high pressure accumulator (92). Further, it is obvious to provide the precooling of the mixed refrigerant downstream of the aftercooling and upstream of the high pressure accumulator for the purpose of providing lower temperature precooling after the warmer temperature aftercooling and so as to efficiently obtain both aftercooling from environmental temperature streams and precooling from the precooling cycle. Therefore the allegation is unpersuasive.
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 JOHN F PETTITT whose telephone number is (571)272-0771. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 9-5p. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR): http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. The examiner’s supervisor, Frantz Jules can be reached on 571-272-6681. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOHN F PETTITT, III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763
JFPIII
March 10, 2026