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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 21-31, in the reply filed on May 29, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 32-38 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Objections
Claims 22-31 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In each of dependent claims 22-31, the recitation of “A system” in the preamble should be changed to --The system--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 27-29 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.
Regarding claim 27, the recitation of “a second plurality of heating formats” is unclear because a first plurality of heating formats has not been previously set forth in the claims. It is noted that claim 27 depends from claim 21, and not claim 23.
The remaining claims are also rejected because they depend from a rejected base claim.
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.
Claims 21, 22, 25, and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (CN 110368885 A).
The instant “system” claims are considered apparatus claims. See MPEP §§ 2114, 2115.
Regarding claim 21, Liu et al. discloses a system (see FIG. 1, translation) for converting waste carbon material into bio-crude and nutrients using hydrothermal liquefaction (i.e., using the apparatus, biomass waste material, such as microalgae, crop straw, tree branches and leaves, livestock and poultry manure, kitchen waste, and municipal solid waste, is continuously converted into bio-crude oils and bio-solids by hydrothermally liquefying the biomass; see page 2, lines 12-17, and page 3, lines 24-33), the system comprising:
a mixing and recirculation tank (i.e., a material stirring tank 2) configured to receive the waste carbon material (i.e., via a feed port 1) to undergo hydrothermal liquefaction;
a hydraulic pumping unit (i.e., a double hydraulic cylinder feeding system 5 in communication with the material stirring tank 2) configured to mix waste carbon material with water (i.e., biomass waste material and water received from a branch pipe 35) and to increase pressure of the mixture of waste carbon material and water;
a plug flow reactor configured to maintain the pressure of the mixture of the waste carbon material and water (i.e., the mixture is maintained at an elevated pressure from the position of a check valve 7 to the position of a back-pressure valve 15);
wherein the plug flow reactor forms a single pressure chamber continuum comprising:
a preheater (i.e., a preheating reactor 6) configured to increase temperature of the mixture of waste carbon material and water (i.e., received from a first main pipe 37) to obtain waste flow;
a hydrothermal reactor unit (i.e., a hydrothermal liquefaction reactor 10) configured to receive the waste flow from the preheater (i.e., via a transfer pipe 27), wherein the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 is configured to convert the waste flow into bio-crude and nutrients (i.e., by hydrothermally liquefying the biomass waste material into a bio-crude product that is further separated into an oil product, an aqueous phase liquid product, and a solid product; see page 4, lines 32-45, and page 6, lines 8-30); and
a back pressure valve positioned downstream of the hydrothermal reactor unit (i.e., the back-pressure valve 15 is positioned in a product output pipe 38 leading from an outlet of the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor 10).
Regarding claim 22, Lui et al. discloses that the plug flow reactor is configured to enable continuous flow of the mixture of waste carbon material and water to the preheater 6 and the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 (i.e., a continuous operation; see, e.g., page 3, lines 24-33).
Regarding claim 25, Liu et al. further discloses a processing electronic module configured to regulate and control flowrates, temperatures, and pressures in the system (i.e., a control element is connected to each of the temperature control heaters 29, 24; a plurality of temperature sensors 28, 26, 25, 33; a plurality of pressure transducers 9, 11, 32; the back pressure valve 15; and a frequency converter on each of a high pressure pump 30 and a feed pump motor 31; and the control element is configured to automatically regulate and control the temperatures, pressures, and flow rates in the system to maintain set processing conditions; see, e.g., page 5, lines 13-16; page 11, line 18, to page 12, line 3).
Regarding claim 31, Lue et al. further discloses that the preheater 6 comprises a heater (i.e., a first multi-stage temperature control heater 29) for increasing the temperature of the waste carbon material and water to a desired preheating temperature. For example, Liu et al. discloses that the preheater 6 was used to preheat the mixture of the waste carbon material and water to a temperature from 100 to 280 °C (see page 11, lines 36-38). Thus, the preheater 6 is configured to increase the temperature of the mixture of waste carbon material and water to a temperature between 250 and 350 °C. The specific temperature, however, is considered to a process limitation which does not impart further structural limitation to the apparatus 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.
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.
Claims 23 and 26-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN 110368885 A) in view of Berberoglu et al. (US 2015/0099275 A1).
Regarding claim 23, Liu et al. discloses that the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 comprises a heater (i.e., a second multi-stage temperature control heater 24) for increasing the temperature of the waste flow. Liu et al., however, fails to disclose that the heater 24 uses a plurality of heating formats.
Berberoglu et al. discloses a system for converting waste biomass material into biocrude and biosolids (see, e.g., FIG. 1, 2, 7, 12), wherein the system comprises a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system 12,42. Specifically, Berberoglu et al. discloses that the HTL system comprises a heater for increasing the temperature of the waste biomass material and water, wherein the heater uses a plurality of heating formats (i.e., a variety of thermal and/or electrical energy sources for providing heat to the HTL process, including: concentrated solar thermal energy focused by a solar thermal energy concentrating mechanism 14; thermal energy harvested from the combustion of one or more of the produced biocrude, biogas, and biochar; thermal energy from the combustion of biogas from landfills; thermal energy from the combustion of inexpensive natural gas; electrical energy provided by a generator which uses at least a portion of the thermal energy from combusted biogas; and electrical energy from photovoltaic panels; see, e.g., paragraphs [0010], [0013], [0014], [0036]-[0038], [0050]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the heater 24 in the system of Liu et al. to use a plurality of heating formats for increasing the temperature of the waste flow because hydrothermal liquefaction requires a high energy input to drive the conversion of biomass to biocrude, and the plurality of heating formats, including thermal and/or electrical energy derived from solar energy and/or the combustion of biocrude, biogas, biochar, and/or natural gas, would have enabled the heater to perform the heating of the waste flow in an economical manner, as taught by Berberoglu et al. (see paragraphs [0005], [0053]).
Regarding claim 26, Berberoglu et al. further discloses that the plurality of heating formats may include solar heat from solar concentrating parabolic throughs (i.e., concentrated solar thermal energy from solar thermal energy concentrating mechanisms, such as parabolic mirrors (not shown), see paragraphs [0030], [0033], [0050]; ref. claim 8); and waste heat from combustion of bio-crude produced from the hydrothermal liquefaction (i.e., thermal energy harvested from combustion of produced biocrude, see paragraph [0010]).
Regarding claim 27, Liu et al. discloses that the preheater 6 comprises a heater (i.e., a first multi-stage temperature control heater 29) for increasing the temperature of the mixture of waste carbon material and water. Liu et al., however, fails to disclose that the preheater 6 comprises a second plurality of heating formats.
The same comments with respect to Berberoglu et al. apply (see claim 23, above).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the preheater 6 in the system of Liu et al. to also comprise a plurality of heating formats for increasing the temperature of the mixture of waste carbon material and water because hydrothermal liquefaction requires a high energy input to drive the conversion of biomass to biocrude, and the plurality of heating formats, including thermal and/or electrical energy derived from solar energy and/or combustion of biocrude, biogas, biochar, and/or natural gas, would have enabled the heating to be performed in an economical manner, as taught by Berberoglu et al. (see paragraphs [0005], [0053]).
Regarding claim 28, Liu discloses that the plug flow reactor is tubular in structure (i.e., the preheating reactor 6 and the hydrothermal liquefaction reactor 10 are tubular; see FIG. 1).
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN 110368885 A) in view of Peterson et al. (Energy Environ. Sci., 2008, 1, 32-65).
Liu et al. fails to disclose that the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 comprises a conduit configured to partially recirculate waste heat into the hydrothermal reactor unit.
Peterson et al. discloses a system for converting biomass to biocrude and nutrients using hydrothermal liquefaction, wherein the system (see FIG. 1) comprises a plug flow reactor (i.e., a pipe reactor) forming a single pressure chamber continuum comprising: a preheater (i.e., an upstream section of the pipe reactor, positioned in a heat integration zone) for increasing the temperature of a feed stream comprising a mixture of biomass and water; a hydrothermal reactor unit (i.e., a hydrothermal processing section) for receiving the preheated feed stream and converting the biomass to bio-crude and nutrients (i.e., fertilizers); and a pressure let-down section downstream of the hydrothermal reactor unit. Specifically, Peterson et al. discloses that the hydrothermal reactor unit comprises a conduit configured to partially recirculate waste heat into the hydrothermal reactor unit (i.e., a downstream section of the pipe reactor, also positioned in the heat integration zone, transfers waste heat from the product stream to the feed stream, thereby preheating the feed stream and recirculating the waste heat of the product stream into the hydrothermal processing reactor).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the hydrothermal reactor unit in the system of Liu et al. to comprise a conduit for partially recirculating waste heat into the hydrothermal reactor unit because the conduit would have enabled the recovery of waste heat from the reaction products for the purpose of preheating the mixture of waste carbon material and water and recirculating the waste heat into the hydrothermal reactor unit, as taught by Peterson et al.
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN 110368885 A) in view of Berberoglu et al. (US 2015/0099275 A1), as applied to claim 28 above, and further in view of Iversen (US 2014/0099691 A1).
Liu et al. discloses that the hydraulic pumping unit 5 comprises two hydraulic cylinders which are isolated from each other, wherein each cylinder comprises piston (see FIG. 1; page 3, line 47, to page 4, line 5). Liu et al. fails to disclose that the hydraulic pumping unit comprises a double acting piston.
Iversen discloses an apparatus (see FIG. 11A) for converting waste carbon material (see paragraphs [0163]-[0164]) into bio-crude (i.e., liquid hydrocarbon product) and solids (i.e., char/ash) using hydrothermal liquefaction, wherein the apparatus comprises a pumping unit (i.e., a pressurization pump 2; see paragraph [0281]) for increasing the pressure of a mixture of the carbon material and water; and a plug flow reactor configured to maintain the pressure of the mixture of the waste carbon material and water, the plug flow reactor comprising: a preheater (i.e., a heat exchanger 3, 4, 5) configured to increase the temperature of the mixture to obtain a waste flow; a hydrothermal reactor unit (i.e., a reaction zone 6; see paragraph [0288]-[0290]) configured to receive the waste flow from the preheater and convert the waste flow into bio-crude and solids; and back pressure valve (i.e., a control valve 9 for establishing a back pressure; see paragraph [0201]) positioned downstream of the hydrothermal reactor unit.
Specifically, Iversen discloses that a preferred pumping unit 2 comprises “a hydraulically driven piston or plunger pump, which may be single or double acting” (see paragraph [0186]; also paragraph [0281]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute a hydraulic pumping unit which comprises a double acting piston for the hydraulic pumping unit 5 in the modified system of Liu et al. because a hydraulically driven, double-acting piston pump would have been considered another suitable type of pumping unit for increasing the pressure of the mixture being supplied to the reactor, as taught by Iversen.
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN 110368885 A) in view of Tran (Bioresource Technology 213 (2016) 327-332) and Peterson et al. (Energy Environ. Sci., 2008, 1, 32-65).
Liu et al. discloses that the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 was operated at a pressure of up to 250 bars (i.e., 25 MPa, as set by the back pressure valve 15; see page 5, lines 35-36) and a temperature of up to 500 °C (see page 6, lines 8-11). Liu et al. fails to disclose that a temperature capacity of the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 is 700 °C and a pressure capacity of the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 is 400 bars.
Tran, however, discloses that hydrothermal processing (HTP) typically employs hot compressed water at temperatures of 100–700 °C and pressures up to 40 MPa (or 400 bars) as the reaction medium (see page 328, third paragraph).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 in the system of Liu et al. to have a temperature capacity of 700 °C and a pressure capacity of 400 bars because hydrothermal processing for the production of biofuels was known to employ hot compressed water at temperatures up to 700 °C and pressures up to 400 bars, as taught by Tran, and the temperature and pressure capacities would have enabled the hydrothermal reactor unit to be operable under the full range of hydrothermal processing conditions.
Liu et al. also fails to disclose that the flow rate capacity of the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 is 100 kilograms per hour.
Peterson et al., however, discloses that high-pressure slurry pumps for full-scale feeding of pressurized slurries start to become available at flow rate capacities of around 100 kg h-1 (see page 58, under 4. The feeder).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further configure the hydrothermal reactor unit 10 in the system of Liu et al. to have a flow rate capacity of 100 kilograms per hour because high-pressure slurry pumps for full-scale feeding of pressurized slurries start to become available at flow rate capacities of around 100 kilograms per hour, as taught by Peterson et al., and the flow rate capacity would have allowed for the hydrothermal reactor unit to achieve full-scale production of bio-crude.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Johannsen et al. (WO 2022/194332 A1) and Debo (US 1,704,792 A) are cited to further illustrate the state of the art.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CLAIRE X WANG can be reached at (571)270-1051. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER A LEUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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