DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 3-5 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Koide (JP-2010006651 A).
Regarding Claim 3, Koide reference discloses a hydrogen supply system that supplies hydrogen, comprising:
a dehydrogenation reaction unit that subjects a raw material including a hydride to a dehydrogenation reaction to obtain a hydrogen-containing gas (Figure 1, numeral 6 – hydrogenation -reaction unit, Page 2, Paragraph [0005] – producing hydrogen from a hydride of an aromatic hydrocarbon using a dehydrogenation reaction); and
a heating mechanism that heats the dehydrogenation reaction unit by using a heat medium (Figure 1, numeral 1- heating medium),
wherein the dehydrogenation reaction unit includes,
a first flow passage in which a dehydrogenation catalyst that performs the dehydrogenation reaction is disposed and through which the raw material circulates (Figure 1, numerals 2 – hydride tank, 62 - reaction tube – first flow passage), and
a second flow passage which is provided in parallel with the first flow passage, and through which the heat medium circulates (Figure 1, numeral 61 -shell side – heat medium – second flow passage), and the heating mechanism includes,
a heat medium supply unit that supplies the heat medium to the second flow passage of the dehydrogenation reaction unit, and a heating unit that heats the dehydrogenation catalyst through the heat medium (Figure 1 and Page 3).
Regarding Claim 4, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 3, wherein the heating unit is provided inside the second flow passage (Figure 1, numeral 61).
Regarding Claim 5, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 3, wherein the second flow passage is divided into a plurality of sections by a partition member provided inside the second flow passage in a first direction in which the second flow passage extends (Figure 1, numeral 63- baffle plate).
Regarding Claim 8, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 5, wherein the partition member includes an opening that permits circulation of the heat medium in the first direction on one end side in a second direction that intersects the first direction (Figure 1, numeral 63- baffle plate).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (JP-2019204585A) in view of Yang et al. (CN-207405244U).
Regarding Claim 1, Kondo reference discloses a hydrogen supply system that supplies hydrogen, comprising:
a dehydrogenation reaction unit that subjects a raw material including a hydride to a dehydrogenation reaction to obtain a hydrogen-containing gas (Figure 1, numeral 3 – dehydrogenation apparatus, 4 – methylcyclohexane);
a heating mechanism that heats the dehydrogenation reaction unit by using electric power (Figure 1, numeral 5 – heating device); and
an electric power supply unit that supplies at least one of electric power based on renewable energy (Paragraphs [0012]-[0027] – horizontal windmill with the truck which mounts a unit type electric power generation apparatus as renewable energy). Kondo reference also discloses that the catalyst can be heated by electric power from a commercial power source in addition to the power supplied from the automatic power generator. However, Kondo reference does not disclose that the electric power supply unit that supplies the electric power based on thermal power generation equipped with carbon dioxide capture and storage to the heating mechanism. Yang et al. reference discloses a fuel reaction system, comprising: electrolysis hydrogen-made device, connected with the power supply device, for peaking power balance amount is power, electrolysis hydrogen fuel reaction device for preparing fuel by using hydrogen and carbon dioxide, one input end of the fuel reaction device is connected with the electrolysis hydrogen-made device of hydrogen output pipeline, the other input end is connected with the carbon dioxide supplying source, a fuel output port connected to the fuel collecting device or fuel use device wherein the system can directly consume plant of peak regulation quantity, relieves the network balance and peak-to-valley difference problem, prolongs the service life of the plant equipment, realizes phase for storing electric energy and realizes stable and effectively uses the energy stored (Abstract) wherein the carbon dioxide supplying source is smoke pipeline connected with the power plant boiler or steel boiler through carbon dioxide capture purification system (Figure 1, numerals 1 – coal-fired gas fired electrical power generation plant, 3 – carbon dioxide capture, 14 – renewable resource power generation device). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use both renewable energy and the electric power from a thermal power generation plant as taught by Yang et al., since Yang et al. states at Abstract that such a modification would directly consume plant of peak regulation quantity, relieves the network balance and peak-to-valley difference problem, prolongs the service life of the plant equipment, realizes phase for storing electric energy and realizes stable and effectively uses the energy stored.
Regarding Claim 2, Kondo and Yang et al. references disclose the hydrogen supply system according to claim 1, wherein the electric power supply unit includes an electrical storage unit that stores at least one of electric power based on the renewable energy, and electric power based on the thermal power generation equipped with carbon dioxide capture and storage (Yang et al. – Figure 1, numeral 8 – storage facility and Abstract – power supply device, storing electric energy).
Regarding Claim 10, Kondo reference discloses a hydrogen supply system that supplies hydrogen, comprising:
a dehydrogenation reaction unit that subjects a raw material including a hydride to a dehydrogenation reaction to obtain a hydrogen-containing gas (Figure 1, numeral 3 – dehydrogenation apparatus, 4 – methylcyclohexane);
a heating mechanism that heats the dehydrogenation reaction unit by using electric power (Figure 1, numeral 5 – heating device); and
an electric power supply unit that supplies electric power based on renewable energy (Paragraphs [0012]-[0027] – horizontal windmill with the truck which mounts a unit type electric power generation apparatus as renewable energy). Kondo reference also discloses that the catalyst can be heated by electric power from a commercial power source in addition to the power supplied from the automatic power generator). However, Kondo reference does not disclose that the electric power supply unit that supplies electric power from grid power to the heating mechanism. Yang et al. reference discloses a system comprises network and plant peaking control platform, the power grid and power plant peaking control platform comprises an electric network scheduling centre and a power plant integrated control centre, the electric network dispatching centre area real-time wind power photovoltaic power generation and peak load demand condition. the centralized control centre sends instruction, peak load power grid peak shaving, power plant integrated control centre by the control switch circuit connected between the generator and the inverter to control the inverter converts the direct current of the generator into alternating current and used as the electrolytic hydrogen making device of power (Figure 1). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the electric power supply from the grid power as taught by Yang et al., since Yang et al. states at Abstract that such a modification would directly consume plant of peak regulation quantity, relieves the network balance and peak-to-valley difference problem, prolongs the service life of the plant equipment, realizes phase for storing electric energy and realizes stable and effectively uses the energy stored.
Claim(s) 6-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koide (JP-2010006651 A) in view of Feng et al. (CN-208742510U).
Regarding Claim 6, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 5 except for the heating mechanism includes a plurality of the heating units, each being disposed for each of the plurality of sections at the inside of the second flow passage. Feng et al. reference discloses a dehydrogenation reaction unit having reaction tube filled with catalyst and heating medium on the shell side of the reaction unit wherein the dehydrogenation reactor having plurality of heating units for control each heating chamber separately (Page 3 and Figures 1 and 2, numerals 6 – reactor, 8 – heating medium, 12 – heating chamber). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the dehydrogenation reaction unit with the plurality of the heating chambers as taught by Feng et al., since Feng et al. states at Abstract that such a modification would improve the catalyst utilization rate, reduce reactor equipment investment, have high conversion rate, operation elasticity area is wide, it can satisfy the high speed feeding requirement.
Regarding Claim 7, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 5, except for the heating mechanism includes a plurality of temperature detection units, each detecting a temperature of each of the plurality of sections. Feng et al. reference discloses a dehydrogenation reaction unit having reaction tube filled with catalyst and heating medium on the shell side of the reaction unit wherein the dehydrogenation reactor having plurality of heating units for control each heating chamber separately; thus, the dehydrogenation reaction unit would inherently have plurality of temperature detection units to provide the temperature measurement to the control unit for heating each heating chamber separately (Page 3 and Figures 1 and 2, numerals 6 – reactor, 8 – heating medium, 12 – heating chamber). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the dehydrogenation reaction unit with the plurality of the temperature detecting devices as taught by Feng et al., since Feng et al. states at Abstract that such a modification would improve the catalyst utilization rate, reduce reactor equipment investment, have high conversion rate, operation elasticity area is wide, it can satisfy the high speed feeding requirement.
Regarding Claim 9, Koide reference discloses the hydrogen supply system according to claim 5, except for the partition member closes a space between the sections different from each other, and the heating mechanism includes a plurality of the heat medium supply units, each supplying the heat medium to each of the plurality of sections. Feng et al. reference discloses a dehydrogenation reaction unit having reaction tube filled with catalyst and heating medium on the shell side of the reaction unit wherein the dehydrogenation reactor having plurality of heating units for control each heating chamber separately and clapboard for dividing each heating chamber from each other (Page 3 and Figures 1 and 2, numerals 6 – reactor, 8 – heating medium, 12 – heating chamber and 11 - clapboard). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the dehydrogenation reaction unit with clapboard for separating each heating chamber from each other as taught by Feng et al., since Feng et al. states at Abstract that such a modification would improve the catalyst utilization rate, reduce reactor equipment investment, have high conversion rate, operation elasticity area is wide, it can satisfy the high speed feeding requirement.
Conclusion
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/HUY TRAM NGUYEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 1774