DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: The examiner suggests amending “grid” 9see line 8) to “grids”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: The examiner suggests amending “the grid” (see line 2) to “the one or more layer of grids”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: The examiner suggests amending “the grids” (see line 6) to “the one or more layer of grids”. 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 4-5, 11 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 4 recites the limitation "the lowermost layer of grid" and "the first perforated distribution plate" in line 2, since “a perforated distribution plate” and “one or more layers of grids” are cited in claimed 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the grid" in line 1, since “one or more layers of grids” is cited in claimed 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the grids" in line 7, since “one or more layers of grids” is cited in claimed 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al. (CN 110551520 A, machine translation provided) in view of Codet et al. (US 2,902,432).
Regarding claim 1, Zhu discloses a fluidized bed reactor comprising a raw material delivery system, a pre-rising system, since the lower injected by line (51) of pre-lifting medium accelerating upward flow of action and lifting gas is injected via line (52), a reaction system, a gas-solid separation system (precipitator, 6), and an internal circulation pipeline, wherein: the reaction system comprises a riser (2) and a turbulent bed reactor (3), since the first catalytic cracking reactor, the second catalytic cracking reactor and third catalytic cracking reactor are each independently selected from the group consisting of lift pipe reactor and down pipe reactor, a fluidized bed reactor, lift pipe and the descending pipe composite reactor; in the lift pipe and fluidized bed, composite reactor, descending pipe and fluidized bed, composite reactor of at least one of the fluidized bed reactor is selected from fixed fluidized bed reactor, bobble fluidized bed reactor, bubbling bed reactor, turbulent bed reactor, the fast bed reactor, a conveying bed reactor and a dense phase fluidized bed in at least one (see page 4, 3rd paragraph); the raw material delivery system, the pre-rising system, the riser (2), the turbulent bed reactor (3), and the gas-solid separation system (6) are consecutively connected in this order from bottom to top, wherein the bottom of the gas-solid separation system is provided with an outlet connected to an inlet of the internal circulation pipeline, and an outlet of the internal circulation pipeline is connected to the raw material delivery system and/or the reaction system; and the gas-solid separation system is provided with a product gas outlet (see Abstract; figure 1; and summary of the invention).
Zhu et al. fails to disclose that the riser is a conical riser, and that the cross-sectional diameter of the conical riser gradually increases from an inlet to an outlet.
Codet et al. discloses an apparatus for catalytically converting hydrocarbons to lower boiling product (see column 1, lines 15-17); reactor (10) is tapered having a smaller diameter at the bottom than at the top; reactor (10) having a hydrocarbon gas oil introduced into conduit (11) through conduit (13); and any other conventional apparatus for transferring a finely divided solid from one vessel to another may be employed (see figure 1 and column 4, line 50 through column 11, line 13).
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to have a conical riser, and that the cross-sectional diameter of the conical riser gradually increases from an inlet to an outlet, since applicant has not disclosed that having a conical riser, and that the cross-sectional diameter of the conical riser gradually increases from an inlet to an outlet solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the invention would perform well with a conical riser, and that the cross-sectional diameter of the conical riser gradually increases from an inlet to an outlet.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings of Zhu et al. and Codet et al. fails to discloses a reactor wherein the angle between the wall generatrix of the conical riser and the central vertical line of the conical riser is between 00 and 100, and wherein the ratio of the outlet diameter to the inlet diameter of the conical riser is less than or equal to 3 and greater than 1.
However, Codet et al. discloses that any other conventional apparatus for transferring a finely divided solid from one vessel to another may be employed (see figure 1 and column 4, line 50 through column 11, line 13).
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to having the angle between the wall generatrix of the conical riser and the central vertical line of the conical riser is between 00 and 100, and wherein the ratio of the outlet diameter to the inlet diameter of the conical riser is less than or equal to 3 and greater than 1, since applicant has not disclosed that having the angle between the wall generatrix of the conical riser and the central vertical line of the conical riser is between 00 and 100, and wherein the ratio of the outlet diameter to the inlet diameter of the conical riser is less than or equal to 3 and greater than 1 solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the invention would perform well with the angle between the wall generatrix of the conical riser and the central vertical line of the conical riser is between 00 and 100, and wherein the ratio of the outlet diameter to the inlet diameter of the conical riser is less than or equal to 3 and greater than 1.
Regarding claim 10, Zhu et al. discloses a reactor wherein the internal circulation line is a first catalyst circulation line having an inlet connected with the gas-solid separation system and an outlet connected with the raw material delivery system (see Abstract; figure 1; and summary of the invention).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6-9, 12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 3, Marri et al. (US 10,184,088 B2) discloses a counter-current flow reactor operating in bubbling or turbulent fluidization regimes is integrated with a fluid catalytic cracking riser reactor (see Abstract and column 4, lines 38-67); and the countercurrent flow reactor may be equipped with baffles or structured internals such as modular grids (see column 9, lines 45-54).
The mentioned prior art references failed to disclose a reactor wherein: the bottom of the turbulent bed reactor is provided with a first perforated distribution plate; the turbulent bed reactor is further provided with one or more layers of grids located above the first perforated distribution plate and arranged in layers along the vertical direction; and a catalyst bed is formed in the inner space of the turbulent bed reactor, and at least the uppermost layer of grid is located inside the catalyst bed.
Regarding claim 6, Zhu et al. discloses a reactor wherein the gas-solid separation system comprises a casing, and a cyclone separator are provided inside the casing (see Abstract; figure 1; and summary of the invention).
The prior art references fail to disclose or suggest a reactor wherein the gas-solid separation system comprises a casing, wherein a gas collection hood, a dilute phase pipe, a low-wear gas-solid separation device and a cyclone separator are provided inside the casing, wherein an inlet of the gas collection hood is connected to an outlet of the turbulent bed reactor, and wherein the gas collection hood, the dilute phase pipe, the low-wear gas-solid separation device and the cyclone separator are consecutively connected in this order.
Claims 7-9 depend on claim 6.
Regarding claim 12, Zhu et al. fails to disclose or suggest a reactor wherein the fluidized bed reactor further comprises a product gas separation system comprising a compression condensing unit, a first separation unit and a second separation unit, wherein: an inlet of the compression condensing unit is connected to the product gas outlet of the fluidized bed reactor, and a gas phase outlet of the compression condensing unit is connected to an inlet of the first separation unit, and a liquid phase outlet of the compression condensing unit is connected to an inlet of the second separation unit; the first separation unit is provided with a hydrogen outlet and a light hydrocarbon outlet, and the second separation unit is provided with a propylene outlet, a propane outlet and a fuel hydrocarbon outlet, wherein the light hydrocarbon outlet of the first separation unit is connected to an inlet of the second separation unit; and the propane outlet of the second separation unit is connected to at least one of the gas- solid separation system, the pre-rising system, and the raw material delivery system in the fluidized bed reactor.
Claim 11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 11, Zhu et al. discloses that in the third catalytic cracking reactor (3) the third reaction gas and second spent catalyst, through an annular gap between the container wall and atop cap of the third catalytic cracking reactor (3) to exit and to separate, the spent catalyst flows into the stripper (7) (see Abstract; figure 1; and summary of the invention).
Zhu et al. fails to disclose or suggest a reactor wherein the internal circulation pipeline comprises a first catalyst circulation pipeline having an inlet connected with the gas-solid separation system and an outlet connected to the turbulent bed reactor, and a second catalyst circulation pipeline having an inlet connected to the turbulent bed reactor and an outlet connected to an inlet of the raw material delivery system, wherein: when the turbulent bed reactor is provided with a first perforated distribution plate and the grids, and the internal circulation line comprises the first catalyst circulation line and the second catalyst circulation line, the outlet of the first catalyst circulation line is connected to the reaction system above the uppermost layer of grid, and the inlet of the second catalyst circulation line is connected to the reaction system between the lowermost layer of grid and the first perforated distribution plate.
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
Regarding claim 13, Lui et al. (CN 102649912 B, machine translation provided) discloses a gas-solid airlift loop regenerator comprising a first regeneration system (601), a second regeneration system (601) and a first stripper (200) consecutively connected in this order, wherein: (a) the first regeneration system includes a first casing and a main air distributor, wherein the main air distributor is arranged at the bottom of the first casing (see Abstract; figure 1; and the disclosure).
Lui et al. (CN 102649912 B, machine translation provided) fails to disclose or suggest a regenerator wherein: the first regeneration system includes a first casing and a main air distributor, a first ring pipe distributor and a first draft tube arranged inside the first casing, wherein the main air distributor is arranged at the bottom of the first casing, the first draft tube is arranged above the main air distributor, and the first ring pipe distributor is arranged between the first casing and the first draft tube in the horizontal direction, and wherein the top of the first casing is provided with a fuel feed nozzle extending from the outside to the inside of the first casing and located above the first draft tube; the second regeneration system includes a second casing, a second ring pipe distributor, and a combined cyclone separator located inside the second casing, wherein the second ring pipe distributor is arranged at the bottom of the second casing and below the combined cyclone separator, and wherein the top of the second casing is provided with a gas outlet; the first stripper is used to remove an oxygen-containing flue gas, and is provided with a gas outlet, an inlet and a solid outlet, wherein the inlet of the first stripper is connected to the bottom of the second casing; and a regenerant circulation line is connected between the second regeneration system and the first regeneration system.
Claims 14-17 depend on claim 13.
Regarding claim 18, Zhu et al. discloses a coupled fluidized bed reactor-regenerator apparatus for catalytic dehydrogenation of propane, comprising: (1) a recirculation inclined pipe (17); (2) a regeneration inclined pipe; (3) the fluidized bed reactor according to claim 1; and a regenerator (9) (see Abstract; figure 1; and summary of the invention).
Lui et al. (CN 102649912 B, machine translation provided) discloses (4) a gas-solid airlift loop regenerator, the gas-solid airlift loop regenerator comprising a first regeneration system (601), a second regeneration system (601) and a first stripper (200) consecutively connected in this order, wherein: (a) the first regeneration system includes a first casing and a main air distributor, wherein the main air distributor is arranged at the bottom of the first casing (see Abstract; figure 1; and the disclosure).
The prior art references fail to disclose or suggest an apparatus wherein: (a) the first regeneration system includes a first casing and a main air distributor, a first ring pipe distributor and a first draft tube arranged inside the first casing, wherein the main air distributor is arranged at the bottom of the first casing, the first draft tube is arranged above the main air distributor, and the first ring pipe distributor is arranged between the first casing and the first draft tube in the horizontal direction, and wherein the top of the first casing is provided with a fuel feed nozzle extending from the outside to the inside of the first casing and located above the first draft tube; (b) the second regeneration system includes a second casing, a second ring pipe distributor, and a combined cyclone separator located inside the second casing, wherein the second ring pipe distributor is arranged at the bottom of the second casing and below the combined cyclone separator, and wherein the top of the second casing is provided with a gas outlet; (c) the first stripper is used to remove an oxygen-containing flue gas, and is provided with a gas outlet, an inlet and a solid outlet, wherein the inlet of the first stripper is connected to the bottom of the second casing; and (d) a regenerant circulation line is connected between the second regeneration system and the first regeneration system; wherein: an inlet of the recirculation inclined pipe is connected to the turbulent bed reactor in the fluidized bed reactor, and an outlet of the recirculation inclined pipe is connected to an inlet of the first regeneration system in the gas-solid airlift loop regenerator; an inlet of the regeneration inclined pipe is connected to the solid outlet of the first stripper, and an outlet of the regeneration inclined pipe is connected to the pre-rising system in the fluidized bed reactor; when the gas-solid airlift loop regenerator includes the catalyst activator, the solid outlet of the catalyst activator is connected to the inlet of the regeneration inclined pipe, and the gas outlet of the catalyst activator is connected to the gas-solid separation system in the fluidized bed reactor; when the fluidized bed reactor includes the product gas separation system, the fuel hydrocarbon outlet of the second separation unit in the product gas separation system is connected to the fuel feed nozzle of the first regeneration system; and when the gas-solid airlift loop regenerator includes the catalyst activator and the fluidized bed reactor includes the product gas separation system, the raw material inlet of the catalyst activator is connected to the propane outlet of the second separation unit.
Claims 19-20 depend on claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA E YOUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wang Claire 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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NATASHA E. YOUNG
Examiner
Art Unit 1774
/NATASHA E YOUNG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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