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 Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 7, applicant recites “a portion of the ammoniacal nitrogren to nitrites” where it appears applicant intended “a portion of the ammoniacal nitrog[[r]]en to nitrites.”
In lines 26-28, applicant recites “if said first ratio is greater than a pre-determined stoichiometric value, the method includes adjusting the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor” where it appears applicant intended “[[if]]when said first ratio is greater than a pre-determined stoichiometric value, the method includes adjusting the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 2, applicant recites “the filter material” where it appears applicant intended “the filtering material” as recited in claim 12.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 3, applicant recites “the filter material” where it appears applicant intended “the filtering material” as recited in claim 12.
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 1, applicant recites “the filter material” where it appears applicant intended “the filtering material” as recited in claim 12.
Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In line 3, applicant recites “the second ration” where it appears applicant intended “the second ratio[[n]]” as recited in claim 12.
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 12-23 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 12 recites the limitation "the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite "[[the]]a concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen."
Claim 22 recites the limitation "the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, the claim will be considered to recite "[[the]]a concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen."
Claims 13-21 and 23 are 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 12-13, 16 and 19-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rhu et al. (US 2018/0257966) in view of Yang et al. (CN 109607777, the passages below refer to the machine-generated English provided with the instant office action).
Per claim 12, Rhu et al. disclose a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (abstract, The anammox tank performs an anaerobic ammonium oxidizing process with regard to the waste water received from the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank.), the method comprising:
directing at least a portion of the water into a first aerated biological reactor (“Nitritation,” “Air”; Fig. 3) and subjecting the water to nitritation and filtration ([0016] a nitritation tank configured to perform a nitritation process with regard to waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank; [0018] According to another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank may be integrated as a single integrated reaction tank in which both removal of the organic matters and reaction of the nitritation are performed at a time.);
passing the water through the first aerated biological reactor where
bacteria converts a portion of the ammoniacal nitrog[[r]]en to nitrites ([0006] To remove nitrogen from the sewage and waste water, many steps of biological reactions are needed. First, as shown in the following formula, air is applied to reduced ammoniac nitrogen to thereby oxidize nitrogen.
NH.sub.4.sup.++1.5O.sub.2.fwdarw.NO.sub.2.sup.−+2H.sup.++H.sub.2O; [0014] To solve the foregoing problems, biological filtration may be taken into account. The biological filtration refers to a process of performing both filtration and biological oxidization, which has advantages of not only removing solids and dissolved organic matters from sewage and waste water efficiently for a short stay time, but also requiring a small site since there are no needs of a secondary sedimentation basin for separating solid and liquid.);
filtering the water passing through the first aerated biological reactor with filtering
material contained in the first aerated biological reactor ([0018] According to another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank may be integrated as a single integrated reaction tank in which both removal of the organic matters and reaction of the nitritation are performed at a time.);
wherein the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is rich in nitrites ([0016] a nitritation tank configured to perform a nitritation process with regard to waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank and supply an electron acceptor needed for removing the organic matter in the biological filtration tank by returning some of the waste water back to the biological filtration tank;) and inherently includes some ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrates since anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) occurs downstream of the first aerated biological reactor (“Anammox”; Fig. 3);
after treating the water in the first aerated biological reactor, directing the water
leaving the first aerated biological reactor into a second non-aerated biological reactor
and subjecting the water to deammonification (“Anammox”; Fig. 3), denitrification ([0010] A nitritation and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing method refers to a short-cut nitrogen removal method of converting only 50% of ammoniac nitrogen into nitrite nitrogen and then using residual ammoniac nitrogen as an electron acceptor to perform denitrification.) and filtration in the second non-aerated biological reactor ([0033] By the way, the nitritation tank and the anammox tank are provided with filter media, so that microorganism can grow outside the filter medium.);
in the second non-aerated biological reactor, contacting the water with a media
having anammox bacteria supported thereon ([0016] an anammox tank configured to perform an anaerobic ammonium oxidizing process with regard to the waste water received from the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank.);
wherein through an anammox reaction, the anammox bacteria in the second non-aerated biological reactor, via deammonification, converts ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrites in the water to molecular nitrogen ([0010] A nitritation and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing method refers to a short-cut nitrogen removal method of converting only 50% of ammoniac nitrogen into nitrite nitrogen and then using residual ammoniac nitrogen as an electron acceptor to perform denitrification. This method reduces oxygen by 62.5% and the organic matter by 100% as compared with those of a conventional method.
NH.sub.4.sup.++1.5O.sub.2.fwdarw.NO.sub.2.sup.−+2H.sup.++H.sub.2O
NO.sub.2.sup.−+NH.sub.4.sup.+.fwdarw.N.sub.2+H.sub.2O).
and, while not listed as one of the reactions, it would have been reasonable for the water to include at least some nitrates as nitrates are produced during nitrification due to nitrites being oxidized to nitrates.
Rhu et al. also disclose that it is desirable to adjust the ratio of nitrite in the water leaving the first aerated tank to ammoniacal nitrogen in the second non-aerated tank ([0016] In this case, the quantity of the waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank into the anammox tank is adjusted so that the amount of nitrite nitrogen is the same with the amount of ammoniac nitrogen in the anamox tank.) in order to, for example, ensure that the quantity of both is the same. Rhu et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the bacteria are ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in the first biological reactor and heterotrophic bacteria supported on the media in the second biological reactor; wherein the heterotrophic bacteria in the second non-aerated biological reactor via denitrification converts nitrates in the water in the second non-aerated biological reactor to nitrites;
calculating a first ratio of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content in the
water leaving the first aerated biological reactor; and
[[if]]when said first ratio is greater than a pre-determined stoichiometric value, the method includes adjusting the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor by mixing another portion of the water with the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor such that the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor includes a second ratio of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content that is approximately the stoichiometric ratio of the anammox reaction.
Yang et al., also directed to a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (page 3, This invention aims at combining biologic filtering pool of organism film method to realize the special advanced treatment technique for sewage of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation. anaerobic ammonia oxidation technology to biological filter has multiple advantages.; claim 2, the following reaction in the second stage biological filter pool under the anaerobic and no carbon source adding condition of anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria and the nitrite ammonia nitrogen into nitrogen: 1.32 no2 - + NH4 +.fwdarw.N2↑.), disclose wherein the bacteria are ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) (page 8, the filter material is enriched autotrophic nitrifying bacteria (aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria), nitrifying bacteria to utilize the dissolved oxygen in the water to continue ammonization reaction,) and heterotrophic bacteria supported on media, wherein the heterotrophic bacteria in a second non-aerated biological reactor via denitrification converts nitrates in the water in the second non-aerated biological reactor to nitrites (page 4, there are denitrifying bacteria includes inoculating the biological film of the first-grade biological filtering tank and comprising inoculating an anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria bio-film of the second-grade biological filtering tank, wherein in the first stage biological filter pool of partial denitrification reaction and in the second-grade biological filtering tank of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation reaction, after raw sewage depth processing is processing to low nitrogen content of treated water.; page 9, organic matter concentration, presence of organic growth of the anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria with bad influence for the technical plan of partial denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation reaction of biological filtering pool system, an aspect needing small and rational organic matter under denitrifying carbon source providing little the nitrate is reduced to nitrite by the heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, on the other hand, the growth rate of the denitrifying bacteria is much greater than anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, present condition of certain amount of organic matter, the difficult competitive nitrite and denitrifying bacteria in the anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria.) in order to, for example, ultimately reduce the amount of nitrogen in the water.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al. such that it includes wherein the bacteria are ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in the first biological reactor and heterotrophic bacteria supported on the media in the second biological reactor, wherein the heterotrophic bacteria in a second non-aerated biological reactor via denitrification converts nitrates in the water in the second non-aerated biological reactor to nitrites in order to, for example, ultimately reduce the amount of nitrogen in the water.
It is submitted that it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it comprises calculating a first ratio of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content in the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor in order to, for example, know if adjustment is needed or not; and to further modify the method such that [[if]]when said first ratio is greater than a pre-determined stoichiometric value, the method includes adjusting the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor by mixing another portion of the water with the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor such that the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor includes a second ratio of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content that is approximately the stoichiometric ratio of the anammox reaction in order to, for example ensure that adequate nitrite is available to facilitate breakdown of the ammoniacal nitrogen in the second biological reactor.
Per claim 13, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein said pre-determined stoichiometric value is between 1 and 2.5.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it comprises wherein said pre-determined stoichiometric value is between 1 and 2.5, depending on anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Further, absent a proper showing of criticality with respect to the recited stoichiometric value, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust the stoichiometric value through routine experimentation in order to achieve stoichiometric value that allows for a balance of microorganism culturing on the media and wastewater purification, depending on the anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Moreover, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
Per claim 16, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., disclose wherein said AOB in the first aerated biological reactor is supported on the filtering material (See Yang et al., page 8, the filter material is enriched autotrophic nitrifying bacteria (aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria), nitrifying bacteria to utilize the dissolved oxygen in the water to continue ammonization reaction).
Per claim 19, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein mixing said another portion of the water with the water directed into the second non-aerated aerated biological reactor makes available an additional carbon source that promotes the activity of the heterotrophic bacteria responsible for the denitrification that takes place in the second non-aerated biological reactor.
It is submitted that it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it includes wherein mixing said another portion of the water with the water directed into the second non-aerated aerated biological reactor makes available an additional carbon source that promotes the activity of the heterotrophic bacteria responsible for the denitrification that takes place in the second non-aerated biological reactor in order to, for example, provide an electron donor for denitrification in the second non-aerated biological reactor.
Per claim 20, Rhu et al. disclose wherein the nitritation and the filtration takes place simultaneously in the first aerated biological reactor ([0033] By the way, the nitritation tank and the anammox tank are provided with filter media, so that microorganism can grow outside the filter medium. When the microorganism is attached to and grows in the filter medium, the apparatus's operating performance is prevented from being gradually deteriorated since the microorganism does not decrease even though the apparatus operates for a long term, and there are no needs of providing an additional solid and liquid separation device to the posterior stage of the waste-water processing apparatus.).
Per claim 21, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose the method including mixing said another portion of water with the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor such that the second ratio[[n]] of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content is approximately 1.3.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al. such that it includes mixing said another portion of water with the water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor such that the second ratio[[n]] of nitrite content to ammoniacal nitrogen content is approximately 1.3, depending anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Further, absent a proper showing of criticality with respect to the recited ratio, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust the ratio through routine experimentation in order to achieve a ratio that allows for a balance of microorganism culturing on the media and wastewater purification, depending on the anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Moreover, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
Per claim 22, Rhu et al. disclose a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing [[the]]a concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (abstract, The anammox tank performs an anaerobic ammonium oxidizing process with regard to the waste water received from the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank.), the method
comprising:
splitting the water into first and second streams (Fig. 3; here Rhu et al. show that 0.1-1.0Q flow bypasses the nitritation reactor and is fed to the anammox reactor);
directing the first stream of water into a first aerated biological reactor (“Nitritation,” “Air”; Fig. 3) and subjecting the water to nitritation and filtration ([0016] a nitritation tank configured to perform a nitritation process with regard to waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank; [0018] According to another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank may be integrated as a single integrated reaction tank in which both removal of the organic matters and reaction of the nitritation are performed at a time.);
passing the first stream of water through the first aerated biological reactor where
bacteria converts a portion of the ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrites ([0006] To remove nitrogen from the sewage and waste water, many steps of biological reactions are needed. First, as shown in the following formula, air is applied to reduced ammoniac nitrogen to thereby oxidize nitrogen.
NH.sub.4.sup.++1.5O.sub.2.fwdarw.NO.sub.2.sup.−+2H.sup.++H.sub.2O; [0014] To solve the foregoing problems, biological filtration may be taken into account. The biological filtration refers to a process of performing both filtration and biological oxidization, which has advantages of not only removing solids and dissolved organic matters from sewage and waste water efficiently for a short stay time, but also requiring a small site since there are no needs of a secondary sedimentation basin for separating solid and liquid.);
filtering the water passing through the first aerated biological reactor with filtering
material contained in the first aerated biological reactor ([0018] According to another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank may be integrated as a single integrated reaction tank in which both removal of the organic matters and reaction of the nitritation are performed at a time.);
wherein the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is rich in nitrites ([0016] a nitritation tank configured to perform a nitritation process with regard to waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank and supply an electron acceptor needed for removing the organic matter in the biological filtration tank by returning some of the waste water back to the biological filtration tank;) and inherently includes some ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrates since anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) occurs downstream of the first aerated biological reactor (“Anammox”; Fig. 3);
mixing the first stream of water leaving the first aerated biological reactor with the
second stream of water to form a third stream of water (Fig. 3);
directing the third stream of water into a second non-aerated biological reactor (Fig. 3) and subjecting the third stream of water to deammonification (“Anammox”; Fig. 3), denitrification ([0010] A nitritation and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing method refers to a short-cut nitrogen removal method of converting only 50% of ammoniac nitrogen into nitrite nitrogen and then using residual ammoniac nitrogen as an electron acceptor to perform denitrification.) and filtration in the second non-aerated biological reactor ([0033] By the way, the nitritation tank and the anammox tank are provided with filter media, so that microorganism can grow outside the filter medium.);
in the second non-aerated biological reactor, contacting the third stream of water
with a media having anammox bacteria supported thereon ([0016] an anammox tank configured to perform an anaerobic ammonium oxidizing process with regard to the waste water received from the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank.);
wherein through an anammox reaction, the anammox bacteria in the second non-aerated biological reactor, via deammonification, converts ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrites in the third stream to molecular nitrogen ([0010] A nitritation and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing method refers to a short-cut nitrogen removal method of converting only 50% of ammoniac nitrogen into nitrite nitrogen and then using residual ammoniac nitrogen as an electron acceptor to perform denitrification. This method reduces oxygen by 62.5% and the organic matter by 100% as compared with those of a conventional method.
NH.sub.4.sup.++1.5O.sub.2.fwdarw.NO.sub.2.sup.−+2H.sup.++H.sub.2O
NO.sub.2.sup.−+NH.sub.4.sup.+.fwdarw.N.sub.2+H.sub.2O).
and, while not listed as one of the reactions, it would have been obvious for the water to include at least some nitrates as nitrates are produced during nitrification due to nitrites being oxidized to nitrates.
Rhu et al. do not disclose ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) converting the first portion in the first biological reactor, and heterotrophic bacteria supported on the media in the second biological reactor, wherein the heterotrophic bacteria in the second non-aerated biological reactor, via denitrification, converts nitrates in the third stream of water to nitrites; and wherein the method includes mixing a sufficient amount of the second stream of water with the first stream of water leaving the first aerated biological reactor such that the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the third stream of water is approximately the stoichiometric ratio of the anammox reaction.
Yang et al., also directed to a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (page 3, This invention aims at combining biologic filtering pool of organism film method to realize the special advanced treatment technique for sewage of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation. anaerobic ammonia oxidation technology to biological filter has multiple advantages.; claim 2, the following reaction in the second stage biological filter pool under the anaerobic and no carbon source adding condition of anaerobic ammonia oxidation bacteria and the nitrite ammonia nitrogen into nitrogen: 1.32 no2 - + NH4 +.fwdarw.N2↑.), disclose wherein the bacteria are ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) (page 8, the filter material is enriched autotrophic nitrifying bacteria (aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria), nitrifying bacteria to utilize the dissolved oxygen in the water to continue ammonization reaction,) and heterotrophic bacteria supported on media, wherein the heterotrophic bacteria in a second non-aerated biological reactor via denitrification converts nitrates in a third stream in the second non-aerated biological reactor to nitrites (page 4, there are denitrifying bacteria includes inoculating the biological film of the first-grade biological filtering tank and comprising inoculating an anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria bio-film of the second-grade biological filtering tank, wherein in the first stage biological filter pool of partial denitrification reaction and in the second-grade biological filtering tank of the anaerobic ammonia oxidation reaction, after raw sewage depth processing is processing to low nitrogen content of treated water.; page 9, organic matter concentration, presence of organic growth of the anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria with bad influence for the technical plan of partial denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation reaction of biological filtering pool system, an aspect needing small and rational organic matter under denitrifying carbon source providing little the nitrate is reduced to nitrite by the heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, on the other hand, the growth rate of the denitrifying bacteria is much greater than anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, present condition of certain amount of organic matter, the difficult competitive nitrite and denitrifying bacteria in the anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria.) in order to, for example, ultimately reduce the amount of nitrogen in the third stream.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al. such that it includes wherein the bacteria are ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in the first biological reactor and heterotrophic bacteria supported on the media in the second biological reactor in order to, for example, ultimately reduce the amount of nitrogen in the third stream.
It is submitted that it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it comprises wherein the method includes mixing a sufficient amount of the second stream of water with the first stream of water leaving the first aerated biological reactor such that the ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the third stream of water is approximately the stoichiometric ratio of the anammox reaction in order to, for example, ensure that adequate nitrite is available to facilitate breakdown of the ammoniacal nitrogen in the second biological reactor.
Per claim 23, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein a ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the third stream of water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor is approximately 1.3.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design choice to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al. such that it includes wherein a ratio of the nitrite content to the ammoniacal nitrogen content in the third stream of water directed into the second non-aerated biological reactor is approximately 1.3., depending anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Further, absent a proper showing of criticality with respect to the recited ratio, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to adjust the ratio through routine experimentation in order to achieve a ratio that allows for a balance of microorganism culturing on the media and wastewater purification, depending on the anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Moreover, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rhu et al. (‘966) in view of Yang et al. (‘777) as applied above and further in view of Schwabegger (EP 0773908, the passages below refer to the machine-generated English provided with the instant office action).
Per claim 14, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein said nitrite content of the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is measured at the outlet of the first aerated biological reactor. Schwabegger, also directed to a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (page 5, In this cleaning phase of the waste water 3, referred to as the nitrification phase, water pollution is to be reduced by means of the aerobic bacterial strains by converting the ammonium (NH .sub.4 N) into nitrite or nitrate.), discloses wherein nitrite content of water leaving a functional equivalent of a first aerated biological reactor (defined by central wall 44 and the reservoir wall receiving inlet 2; page 6, A basin section, for example divided by a tube, was set up as a denitrification chamber 5, into which an inlet 2 opens. A stirrer 9 and a ventilation line 33 for supplying compressed air or oxygen 34, for example via a pump 35 or from compressed air tanks, were installed in the activated sludge as aeration system 8 in the activated sludge, which has an output of less than 1 kW / h.) is measured at an outlet (16) of the first aerated biological reactor (page 5, It should also be borne in mind that when determining the amount of ammonium or Nitrite, for example via probes 20 in the area of the outlet 16,) in order to, for example, determine the amount of nitrite entering a downstream denitrification zone.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it includes wherein said nitrite content of the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is measured at the outlet of the first aerated biological reactor in order to, for example, determine the amount of nitrite entering a downstream denitrification zone.
Per claim 15, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein said ammoniacal nitrogen content of the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is measured at the outlet of the first aerated biological reactor.
Schwabegger discloses wherein ammoniacal nitrogen content of water leaving a functional equivalent of a first aerated biological reactor (defined by central wall 44 and the reservoir wall receiving inlet 2; page 6, A basin section, for example divided by a tube, was set up as a denitrification chamber 5, into which an inlet 2 opens. A stirrer 9 and a ventilation line 33 for supplying compressed air or oxygen 34, for example via a pump 35 or from compressed air tanks, were installed in the activated sludge as aeration system 8 in the activated sludge, which has an output of less than 1 kW / h.) is measured at an outlet (16) of the first aerated biological reactor (page 5, It should also be borne in mind that when determining the amount of ammonium or Nitrite, for example via probes 20 in the area of the outlet 16,) in order to, for example, determine the amount of ammoniacal nitrogen entering a downstream denitrification zone.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., such that it includes wherein said ammoniacal nitrogen content of the water leaving the first aerated biological reactor is measured at the outlet of the first aerated biological reactor in order to, for example, determine the amount of ammoniacal nitrogen entering a downstream denitrification zone.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rhu et al. (‘966) in view of Yang et al. (‘777) as applied above and further in view of Yoshikawa et al. (US 2018/0179092).
Per claim 17, Rhu et al. disclose said first aerated biological rector includes a second stage comprising said filtering material ([0016] a nitritation tank configured to perform a nitritation process with regard to waste water flowing from the biological filtration tank; [0018] According to another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, the biological filtration tank and the nitritation tank may be integrated as a single integrated reaction tank in which both removal of the organic matters and reaction of the nitritation are performed at a time.). Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein said first aerated biological reactor includes first and second stages with the first stage including moving media having AOB thereon and the second stage containing said filtering material.
Yoshikawa et al., also directed to a method of biologically treating water containing nitrogenous pollutants and reducing the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4+) in the water (abstract, Provided is a wastewater treatment apparatus and a wastewater treatment method, in which denitrification process by anaerobic ammonium oxidation method can be stably performed at low cost. The wastewater treatment apparatus includes an ammonium oxidation tank and a heating tank in which the microbial sludge withdrawn from the ammonium oxidation tank is subjected to heat treatment.), disclose wherein a first aerated biological reactor (100) includes a first stage with the first stage including moving media having AOB thereon ([0043] The ammonium oxidation tank 100 is a treatment tank in which ammonium nitrogen contained in the supernatant water W4 (wastewater) is oxidized by the microbial sludge or microorganism.; [0045] The microbial sludge or microorganism used in the ammonium oxidation tank 100 may be used in any state such as a state entrapped and immobilized on a carrier, a state attached and immobilized on the carrier, a state of fixed biofilm on the carrier, a state in which granules are formed by self granulation, or a state of floating sludge floating in water. Further, the immobilized microbial sludge may be used in any form of fixed bed, fluidized bed or moving bed.) in order to, for example, facilitate transforming the ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrite.
Accordingly, it would have been readily obvious for the skilled artisan to modify the method of Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al. such that it includes wherein said first aerated biological reactor includes first and second stages with the first stage including moving media having AOB thereon and the second stage containing said filtering material in order to, for example, facilitate transforming the ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrite.
Per claim 18, Rhu et al., as modified by Yang et al., do not disclose wherein the filtering material in the first aerated biological reactor is a fixed bed of particles of a particle size between 2 and 6 mm and a bulk density between 15 and 100 kg/m³.
It is submitted that it would have been a routine matter of design to provide the filtering material in the first aerated biological reactor is a fixed bed of particles of a particle size between 2 and 6 mm and a bulk density between 15 and 100 kg/m³, depending on anticipated contaminant loading in the first reactor and the results desired. Further, absent a proper showing of criticality with respect to the recited bed type, particle size and bulk density, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to provide the recited filtering material through routine experimentation in order to achieve the goal of transforming ammoniacal nitrogen to nitrite that allows for a balance of AOB culturing on the media and wastewater purification, depending on the anticipated contaminant loading and the results desired. Moreover, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP 2144.05.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRED PRINCE whose telephone number is (571)272-1165. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 0900-1730.
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/FRED PRINCE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1779