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 § 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.
Claims 13-14 are 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 13 recites the limitation "the agitation pump" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite "[[the]]an agitation pump."
Claim 14 is rejected as depending from a rejected claim.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (US 2013/0065290) in view of Peultier (US 2012/0142087).
Mate et al. disclose an organic waste digestion and decomposition system ([0071] In a preferred embodiment, the process of biomethanation comprises two or more methane digesters (2)) comprising: a digestion chamber (2) configured to digest an organic waste mixture disposed therein to produce a liquid digestate ([0071] The organic solid waste is digested to produce biogas, which generates percolate and solid digestate. The solid digestate is further utilized for feed and manure preparation. A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).), the digestion chamber including: a recirculation spray head (13) configured to spray a first portion of the liquid digestate into the digestion chamber ([0071] A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).); and a functional equivalent of a drain pan (the bottom of digester 2; Fig. 1) configured to enable the liquid digestate to exit the digestion chamber (via outlet port 17); a drain tank (5) configured to receive the liquid digestate from the digestion chamber (Fig. 1; [0071] The lechates produced from individual percolation unit are collected through a manifold into the said liquid state methane digester (5).), the drain tank including: a first pump (14) configured to pump a second portion of the liquid digestate from the drain tank back to the digestion chamber ([0072] The spray recirculation system (13) maintains the desired temperature conditions inside the solid state methane digester (2) which in turn is controlled by solid handling pump (14).). Mate et al. do not explicitly disclose a discharge tank in fluid communication with the drain tank, the discharge tank configured to receive the liquid digestate from the drain tank and enable the liquid digestate to be discharged from the organic waste digestion and decomposition system.
Peultier, also directed an organic waste digestion and decomposition system (abstract, A reactor for the anaerobic digestion of biomass, includes: a gas-tight tank that is accessible by a sealed door designed for the intake of the biomass,), disclose a discharge tank (20) in fluid communication with a drain tank, the discharge tank configured to receive liquid from a drain tank (12; [0062] Pipes 31, 32, 33 make it possible to carry the liquid of each of the tanks 12.sub.1, 12.sub.2, 12.sub.3 toward a storage tank 20, common.) and inherently enable the liquid to be discharged from the organic waste digestion and decomposition system (since the liquid is in tank 20, not in the digester) in order to, for example, store the liquid until desired to dispose the liquid or provide further treatment.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al. such that it includes a discharge tank in fluid communication with the drain tank, the discharge tank configured to receive the liquid digestate from the drain tank and enable the liquid digestate to be discharged from the organic waste digestion and decomposition system in order to, for example, store the liquid digestate until desired to dispose the liquid digestate or provide further treatment.
Per claim 3, Mate et al. disclose wherein the drain tank is coupled to the drain pan via a drain channel (which includes drain pipes 4 and the line running from the digester to the drain tank) such that the liquid digestate in the digestion chamber is able to drain into the drain tank via the drain channel (Fig. 1; The solid state methane digester (2) comprising a reaction chamber (3) for conversion of biomass into biogas, a vertical perforated unit probably tube (4), spray recirculation system (13), leachate outlet port (17) is in fluid communication with the liquid state methane digester (5), digested material outlet port (18) which is in communication with the culture preparation tank (10) and a fixed gas collecting chamber.).
Per claim 4, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not explicitly disclose a second pump configured to discharge the liquid digestate from the drain tank to the discharge tank.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to provide a second pump configured to discharge the liquid digestate from the drain tank to the discharge tank in order to control the timing, duration, volume and frequency of liquid digestate removal from the drain tank to the discharge tank.
Per claim 5, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not explicitly disclose wherein the discharge tank includes a third pump configured to pump the first portion of the liquid digestate to the recirculation spray head.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to provide wherein the discharge tank includes a third pump configured to pump the first portion of the liquid digestate to the recirculation spray head in order to control the timing, duration, volume and frequency of liquid digestate returned from the drain tank to the digester. Further, it has been held the duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). See MPEP 2144.
Per claim 6, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not explicitly disclose wherein the discharge tank further includes a fourth pump configured to agitate the liquid digestate in the discharge tank.
It is submitted that it would have been well within the purview for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, such that it includes wherein the discharge tank further includes a fourth pump configured to agitate the liquid digestate in the discharge tank in order to, for example, keep suspended any solids in the liquid digestate to prevent sedimentation in the discharge tank.
Per claim 9, Mate et al. disclose wherein the first portion of the liquid digestate is equal to the second portion of the liquid digestate since the only destination for the pumped digestate is the sprinkler head/system and the first pump is configured to pump the second portion of the liquid digestate to the recirculation spray head ([0071] A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Peultier (‘087) as applied above and further in view of Pardo (US 2018/0022626).
Per claim 2, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not disclose wherein the digestion chamber further includes a water injector configured to supply water to the organic waste mixture in the digestion chamber.
Pardo, also directed to an organic waste digestion and decomposition system (abstract, Disclosed is a method for treating pulp, particularly a method for treating sludge from wastewater treatment plants, for producing energy and/or organic materials that have undergone hygienization, including at least the following steps: a step of aerated or non-aerated thermal hydrolysis of the pulp, a digestion step, a dehydration step and a step of recirculating part of the dehydrated pulp into the step of thermal hydrolysis.), disclose wherein the digestion chamber further includes a water injector configured to supply water to the organic waste mixture in the digestion chamber ([0090] This analyzer will trigger an injection of base at (41) and also of dilution water at (43) by means of a slow PID (proportional integral derivative) loop in order to have optimum conditions in the digester.; [0092] The measurement of concentration (25) controls the dilution (43) so as to not to have too high a concentration in the digester, which would pose problems with stirring and thus with having a uniformly mixed reactor, a condition which is important for having good yields.) in order to, for example, provide optimum conditions within the digester.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, such that it comprises wherein the digestion chamber further includes a water injector configured to supply water to the organic waste mixture in the digestion chamber in order to, for example, provide optimum conditions within the digester.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Peultier (‘087) as applied above and further in view of Smith (US 2012/0132586).
Per claim 7, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not disclose further including a first sensor configured to determine a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or the discharge tank.
Smith, also directed to an organic waste digestion and decomposition system (Abstract, Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed.), disclose further including a first sensor (396, [0230] As a result, digestate is transferred from the digestate receptacle 306 to the digester 500 at a slow rate, but when the transfer of biomaterial from the first biomaterial receptacle 302 to the digestate receptacle 306 is complete, the normal process of circulating digestate through the digester 500 automatically resumes, allowing the speed of the pump 555 to vary based on the digestate level measured by the level sensor 396 disposed within the digestate receptacle 306.) configured to determine a level of liquid digestate in a drain/discharge tank (306; [0133] The digestate, which is a liquid suspension of solid matter…; [0218] Referring again to FIG. 1, when it is necessary to add digestate to the biological reactor 360, the logic controller 802 opens liquid valves 321b, 321c and closes liquid valve 321a so that digestate can flow from the digestate receptacle 306, through the liquid valves 321b, 321c and the liquid flow meter 322, and into the biological reactor 360.) in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, such that it includes a first sensor configured to determine a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or the discharge tank in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Per claim 8, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not disclose further including a controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the first, second, or third pumps based on the level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or discharge tank determined by the first sensor.
Smith discloses the system further including a controller (802) configured to selectively operate a pump (555) based on the level of the liquid digestate in the drain/discharge tank (306) determined by the first sensor ([0226] The logic controller 802 also starts pump 555 and automatically adjusts its speed based on a PID control algorithm that maintains the digestate level in the digestate receptacle 306 at a predetermined operating level setpoint (e.g., a 20% level) based on feedback from the level sensor 396. When the level of digestate in the digestate receptacle 306 reaches or exceeds a predetermined high level, the logic controller 802 causes the pump 555 to slow down. Conversely, when the level of digestate in the digestate receptacle 306 falls below a predetermined low level, the logic controller 802 causes the digester pump 555 to speed up to maintain the predetermined operating level setpoint.) in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, such that it includes a first sensor configured to determine a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or the discharge tank a controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the first, second, or third pumps based on the level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or discharge tank determined by the first sensor in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Claims 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Hansen et al. (US 7,615,155).
Per claim 10, Mate et al. disclose a digestion and decomposition system for digesting organic waste ([0071] In a preferred embodiment, the process of biomethanation comprises two or more methane digesters (2)) comprising: a digestion chamber (2) configured to enable decomposition of the organic waste to produce a liquid digestate ([0071] The organic solid waste is digested to produce biogas, which generates percolate and solid digestate. The solid digestate is further utilized for feed and manure preparation. A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).), and a recirculation spray head (13) configured to spray the liquid digestate from above the organic waste in the digestion chamber ([0071] A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).); a drain tank (5) in fluid communication with the digestion chamber (Fig. 1; [0071] The lechates produced from individual percolation unit are collected through a manifold into the said liquid state methane digester (5).), the drain tank configured to receive the liquid digestate draining out of the digestion chamber (Fig. 1); and a recirculation spray pump (14) configured to pump the liquid digestate to the recirculation spray head ([0071] A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).; [0072] The spray recirculation system (13) maintains the desired temperature conditions inside the solid state methane digester (2) which in turn is controlled by solid handling pump (14).). Mate et al. do not explicitly disclose the digestion chamber including: a mixing auger configured to churn the organic waste in a fluid to produce the liquid digestate.
Hansen et al., also directed to a digestion and decomposition system for digesting organic waste (Abstract, Methods for steady state operation of an upflow anaerobic digester using organic matter that contains a portion of solid, non-digestible matter include (1) providing an upflow anaerobic digester, (2) providing a bacterial culture in the upflow anaerobic digester for the breakdown of organic matter, (3) introducing an influent into the upflow anaerobic digester, wherein the influent comprises a biodegradable component, a liquid component, and an amount of solid non-digestible matter,), disclose a digestion chamber including: a mixing auger (32) configured to churn the organic waste in a fluid (col. 7, lines 32-35, An auger 32 is positioned within aperture 20 of septum 14. Auger 32 can be any device that can be positioned within aperture 20 and can move solids in a desired direction between or within lower and upper chambers 16 and 18.) to produce a liquid digestate (the fluids which leave via outlet 24) in order to, for example, move solids within the digester as desired and facilitate the breakdown of the wastes.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al. such that it comprises the digestion chamber including: a mixing auger configured to churn the organic waste in a fluid to produce the liquid digestate in order to, for example, move wastes within the digester as desired and facilitate the breakdown of the wastes.
Claim 11-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Hansen et al. (‘155) as applied above and further in view of Peultier (‘087) and Lee et al. (KR 102023513, passages cited below refer to the machine-generated English translation submitted with the instant office action).
Per claim 11, Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., do not disclose the system further comprising a discharge pump configured to discharge the liquid digestate from the digestion and decomposition system.
Peultier, also directed to a digestion and decomposition system for digesting organic waste (abstract, A reactor for the anaerobic digestion of biomass, includes: a gas-tight tank that is accessible by a sealed door designed for the intake of the biomass, discloses providing discharge lines (31, 32, 33) to discharge liquid from the system to a discharge tank (20; [0062] Pipes 31, 32, 33 make it possible to carry the liquid of each of the tanks 12.sub.1, 12.sub.2, 12.sub.3 toward a storage tank 20, common.) and shows a pump (50) within a drain tank (2) to move liquid (Fig. 1) in order to, for example, store the liquid for a period of time.
Lee et al., also directed to a digestion and decomposition system for digesting organic waste (abstract, Therefore, the present invention is capable of unattended operation of the anaerobic digester while automatically discharging the floating foreign matter such as scum floating on the anaerobic digester and the digestion filtrate of which the anaerobic digestion is completed according to the level, thereby reducing power and labor costs.; page 3, The scum collection unit 10 removes floating foreign substances such as oil, FS, and fiber, which are inevitably generated on the upper part of the anaerobic digester, which operates on organic waste such as food waste, and scum generated during the digester operation.), disclose a discharge pump (30) configured to discharge liquid digestate from the digestion and decomposition system (page 4, The scum conveying unit 30 is a scum conveying means which is installed at the rear end of the scum collecting unit 10 and provides the scum collecting unit 10 with suction and discharging force of foreign matter and digested filtrate. It consists of suction pump which collects and discharges.) in order to, for example, store the liquid digestate for a period of time and reduce digester operating costs (page 5, In particular, the digested filtrate in which anaerobic digestion is completed because the substrate introduced into the anaerobic digestion tank 100 is decomposed by anaerobic microorganisms is not used, and the scum collection unit 10, the scum control unit 20, and the scum transfer unit ( Through the 30) through the anaerobic digestion tank 100 level automatically discharged to the digestion filtrate storage tank 200 it is possible to reduce the construction cost and operating costs of the anaerobic digestion tank.).
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al, such that it comprises a discharge pump configured to discharge the liquid digestate from the digestion and decomposition system in order to, for example, store the liquid digestate for a period of time and reduce digester operating costs.
Per claim 12, Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Peultier and Lee et al., do not disclose the system comprising a discharge tank in fluid communication with the drain tank via a drain pump configured to pump the liquid digestate in the drain tank to the discharge tank.
However, Lee et al. disclose a drain pump (30) configured to pump liquid digestate to a discharge tank (200) in order to, for example, store the liquid digestate for a period of time and reduce digester operating costs.
Peultier, also directed an organic waste digestion and decomposition system (abstract, A reactor for the anaerobic digestion of biomass, includes: a gas-tight tank that is accessible by a sealed door designed for the intake of the biomass,), discloses a discharge tank (20) in fluid communication with a drain tank (12; Fig. 3) and a drain pump (50) configured to pump the liquid (20; [0062] Pipes 31, 32, 33 make it possible to carry the liquid of each of the tanks 12.sub.1, 12.sub.2, 12.sub.3 toward a storage tank 20, common.)) in order to, for example, move liquid from the digester to an intermediate stage and discharge a portion of the water in the drain tank to the discharge tank in order to, for example, store the liquid until desired to dispose the liquid or provide further treatment.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Peultier and Lee et al,. such that it includes a discharge tank in fluid communication with the drain tank via a drain pump configured to pump the liquid digestate in the drain tank to the discharge tank in order to, for example, store the liquid until desired to dispose the liquid or provide further treatment.
Per claim 13, Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Peultier and Lee et al., do not disclose wherein [[the]]an agitation pump is disposed in the drain tank, the recirculation spray pump is disposed in the drain tank, and a discharge pump is disposed in the discharge tank; and wherein the discharge pump is configured to discharge the liquid digestate to a sewer or disposal container.
It is submitted that it would have been well within the purview of thew skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Lee et al. and Peultier, such that it includes wherein [[the]]an agitation pump is disposed in the drain tank, the recirculation spray pump is disposed in the drain tank, and a discharge pump is disposed in the discharge tank; and wherein the discharge pump is configured to discharge the liquid digestate to a sewer or disposal container in order to, for example, reduce the operational footprint of the system by placing the pumps in the respective tanks, keep any solids in the digestate suspended and to remove the digestate from the system site. Clearly, the skilled artisan would have been motivated to pump the digestate to a sewer for final treatment or to disposal to make room for additional digestate storage.
Per claim 15, Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Lee et al. and Peultier, do not disclose the discharge tank further includes a discharge tank agitation pump configured to prevent a solid in the liquid digestate in the discharge tank from settling.
It is submitted that it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Lee et al. and Peultier, such that it includes the discharge tank further includes a discharge tank agitation pump configured to prevent a solid in the liquid digestate in the discharge tank from settling in order to, for example, avoid a layer of sludge forming on the floor of the discharge tank.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Hansen et al. (‘155), Peltier (‘087) and Lee et al. (‘513) as applied above and further in view of Smith (‘586).
Per claim 14, Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Peultier and Lee et al., do not disclose further including a first sensor configured to determine a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank or the discharge tank.
Smith, also directed to an organic waste digestion and decomposition system (Abstract, Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed.), disclose further including a first sensor (396, [0230] As a result, digestate is transferred from the digestate receptacle 306 to the digester 500 at a slow rate, but when the transfer of biomaterial from the first biomaterial receptacle 302 to the digestate receptacle 306 is complete, the normal process of circulating digestate through the digester 500 automatically resumes, allowing the speed of the pump 555 to vary based on the digestate level measured by the level sensor 396 disposed within the digestate receptacle 306.) configured to determine a level of liquid digestate in a drain/discharge tank (306; [0133] The digestate, which is a liquid suspension of solid matter…; [0218] Referring again to FIG. 1, when it is necessary to add digestate to the biological reactor 360, the logic controller 802 opens liquid valves 321b, 321c and closes liquid valve 321a so that digestate can flow from the digestate receptacle 306, through the liquid valves 321b, 321c and the liquid flow meter 322, and into the biological reactor 360.) in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank; and
a controller (802) configured to selectively operate at least one of the agitation pump, the recirculation spray pump (555; [0159] The digester 500 is also coupled via the piping 353d to a digester pump station 550 having a pump 555, which is configured to remove and/or recirculate the digestate contained within the digester 500.), or the discharge pump based on the determined level of the liquid digestate in the at least one of the drain tank or the discharge tank ([0226] The logic controller 802 also starts pump 555 and automatically adjusts its speed based on a PID control algorithm that maintains the digestate level in the digestate receptacle 306 at a predetermined operating level setpoint (e.g., a 20% level) based on feedback from the level sensor 396. When the level of digestate in the digestate receptacle 306 reaches or exceeds a predetermined high level, the logic controller 802 causes the pump 555 to slow down. Conversely, when the level of digestate in the digestate receptacle 306 falls below a predetermined low level, the logic controller 802 causes the digester pump 555 to speed up to maintain the predetermined operating level setpoint.) in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the system of Mate et al., as modified by Hansen et al., Peultier and Lee et al., such that it includes a sensor configured to determine a level of the liquid digestate in at least one of the drain tank or the discharge tank; and a controller configured to selectively operate at least one of the agitation pump, the recirculation spray pump, or the discharge pump based on the determined level of the liquid digestate in the at least one of the drain tank or the discharge tank in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Peultier (‘087) taken together with Dosek (CZ 29544, the passages cited below refer to the machine-generated English translation provided with the instant office action).
Per claim 16, Mate et al. disclose a method for decomposing organic waste ([0071] In a preferred embodiment, the process of biomethanation comprises two or more methane digesters (2)) comprising:
mixing the organic waste via a mixer in a digestion chamber ([0070] The number of digesters varies depending on the retention time of the biomass used. The first and the second or the one and the other phase are carried out in presence of microorganisms. The reactors are provided with facilities for temperature control and stirring mechanism as required.), the digestion chamber including a functional equivalent of drain pan (the floor of the digester; Fig. 1) in fluid communication with a drain tank (2);
decomposing the organic waste via microbes ([0002] Particularly, the present invention relates to a dual anaerobic fermentation process for biogas generation using microbial consortia.;) and water ([0074] The said process also reduces water consumption by about 50 percent as to that required by conventional method of biomethanation.) in the digestion chamber to produce a liquid digestate ([0071] The organic solid waste is digested to produce biogas, which generates percolate and solid digestate. The solid digestate is further utilized for feed and manure preparation. A sprinkler and/or spray recirculation system (13) is introduced into the said solid state digester (2) which sprinkles digested slurry on top of the reaction mixture from the said liquid state methane digester (5) and collects percolate and/or lechates in a manifold created at the base of the solid state methane digester (2).);
enabling the liquid digestate to flow from the digestion chamber to the drain tank (via outlet 17; [0071] The lechates produced from individual percolation unit are collected through a manifold into the said liquid state methane digester (5).; Fig. 1);
collecting the liquid digestate in the drain tank (Fig. 1);
pumping (via pump 14) the liquid digestate from the drain tank back to the digestion chamber (Fig. 1; [0072] The spray recirculation system (13) maintains the desired temperature conditions inside the solid state methane digester (2) which in turn is controlled by solid handling pump (14).). Mate et al. do not explicitly disclose pumping the liquid digestate from the drain tank to a discharge tank; agitating the liquid digestate in the discharge tank via an agitation pump of the discharge tank to maintain suspension of solids in the liquid digestate in the discharge tank; and discharging the liquid digestate from the discharge tank.
Peultier, also directed a method for decomposing organic waste (abstract, A reactor for the anaerobic digestion of biomass, includes: a gas-tight tank that is accessible by a sealed door designed for the intake of the biomass,), disclose pumping liquid from a drain tank (12) to a discharge tank (20; [0062] Pipes 31, 32, 33 make it possible to carry the liquid of each of the tanks 12.sub.1, 12.sub.2, 12.sub.3 toward a storage tank 20, common.) in order to, for example, store the liquid until desired to dispose the liquid or provide further treatment. While Peultier does not explicitly disclose discharging the liquid from the discharge tank, it would have been well within the purview of the skilled artisan to discharge liquid from the tank to dispose of the liquid or expose the liquid to further treatment.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Mate et al. such that it includes a discharge tank in fluid communication with the drain tank, the discharge tank configured to receive the liquid digestate from the drain tank and enable the liquid digestate to be discharged from the organic waste digestion and decomposition system in order to, for example, store the liquid digestate until desired to dispose the liquid digestate or provide further treatment.
Dosek, also directed to a method for decomposing organic waste (page 1, The invention relates to an assembly for the treatment and recycling of residual waste after anaerobic fermentation of biomass, both solid and liquid fractions, ie the treatment of waste generated in biogas production, the device minimizing the amount of waste from anaerobic fermentation.) discloses agitating a liquid digestate in a discharge tank via an agitation pump of the discharge tank to maintain suspension of solids in the liquid digestate in the discharge tank (page 3, The continuously produced digestate fermentation residue is homogenized in a digestate storage tank, which is stirred with a low speed paddle stirrer.) in order to, for example, homogenize the digestate.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Mate et al. such that it comprises agitating the liquid digestate in the discharge tank via an agitation pump of the discharge tank to maintain suspension of solids in the liquid digestate in the discharge tank in order to, for example, homogenize the digestate.
Per claim 17, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier and Dosek, do not disclose further comprising discharging the liquid digestate from the discharge tank to a disposal container or sewer.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of process design to modify the method such that it includes discharging the liquid digestate from the discharge tank to a disposal container or sewer in order to, for example, to remove the digestate from the processing site. Clearly, the skilled artisan would have been motivated pump the digestate to a sewer for additional treatment or to disposal to make room for additional digestate storage in the discharge tank.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Peultier (‘087) and Dosek (‘544) as applied above and further in view of Chae et al. (KR 20120077398, the passages cited below refer to the machine-generated English translation provided with the instant office action).
Per claim 18, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier and Dosek, do not disclose the method further comprising crushing solids in the organic waste via the mixer in the digestion chamber.
Chae et al., also directed to a method for decomposing organic waste (abstract, A low power-based stirring apparatus for water treatment and a high efficient anaerobic digesting bath using the same are provided to delay the cleaning timing of the digesting bath and to suppress the generation of supper scum in the digesting bath.), disclose the method comprising crushing solids in the organic waste via a mixer in the digestion chamber (page 7, In particular, the agglomerated suspended solids contained in the waste water inside the digester 200 are cut and pulverized in the stirring process, thereby further increasing the extinguishing efficiency.) in order to, for example, improve the efficiency of the digester.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier and Dosek, such that it comprises crushing solids in the organic waste via the mixer in the digestion chamber in order to, for example, improve the efficiency of the digester.
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mate et al. (‘290) in view of Peultier (‘087) and Dosek (‘544) as applied above and further in view of Smith (‘586).
Per claim 19, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier, do not disclose the method further comprising determining a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank with a first sensor or determining a level of the liquid digestate in the discharge tank with a second sensor.
Smith, also directed to a method for decomposing organic waste (Abstract, Systems and methods for performing anaerobic digestion of biomaterials using a clarifier, a batch reactor, and/or a digester are disclosed.), disclose further including determining a level of liquid digestate via a first sensor (396, [0230] As a result, digestate is transferred from the digestate receptacle 306 to the digester 500 at a slow rate, but when the transfer of biomaterial from the first biomaterial receptacle 302 to the digestate receptacle 306 is complete, the normal process of circulating digestate through the digester 500 automatically resumes, allowing the speed of the pump 555 to vary based on the digestate level measured by the level sensor 396 disposed within the digestate receptacle 306.) in a drain/discharge tank (306; [0133] The digestate, which is a liquid suspension of solid matter…; [0218] Referring again to FIG. 1, when it is necessary to add digestate to the biological reactor 360, the logic controller 802 opens liquid valves 321b, 321c and closes liquid valve 321a so that digestate can flow from the digestate receptacle 306, through the liquid valves 321b, 321c and the liquid flow meter 322, and into the biological reactor 360.) in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the tank.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Mate et al., as modified by Peultier and Dosek, such that it includes the method further comprising determining a level of the liquid digestate in the drain tank with a first sensor or determining a level of the liquid digestate in the discharge tank with a second sensor in order to, for example, vary the speed of a pump based on levels within the drain tank or the discharge tank.
Per claim 20, Mate et al., as modified by Peultier and Dosek, disclose the method further comprising discharging the liquid digestate from the discharge tank based on the determined level of the liquid digestate in the discharge tank (see Smith, [0230] As a result, digestate is transferred from the digestate receptacle 306 to the digester 500 at a slow rate, but when the transfer of biomaterial from the first biomaterial receptacle 302 to the digestate receptacle 306 is complete, the normal process of circulating digestate through the digester 500 automatically resumes, allowing the speed of the pump 555 to vary based on the digestate level measured by the level sensor 396 disposed within the digestate receptacle 306.).
Conclusion
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/FRED PRINCE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779