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 .
This action is responsive to the 8/25/2023 communication(s). As per the claims filed 8/25/2023:
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim(s) 1, 8, 15 is/are independent claim(s).
Note Regarding Prior Art
Examiner cites particular columns, paragraphs, figures and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Note Regarding AIA Status
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vadim Goryachikh et al.(Compressor Computerized Performance Monitoring System CPMS; Published: 12/15/2021)(hereinafter: Goryachikh).
Claim 1:
As per independent claim 1, Goryachikh discloses a method to perform operations of a natural gas liquid (NGL) plant equipment, comprising:
obtaining real time process condition parameters of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Compressor Computerized Monitoring System (CPMS) is a monitoring and advisory tool that, based on online process conditions, calculates machine performance on real-time basis and analyze deviations from preset limits.]
calculating, using an equation of state (EOS) and based on the real time process condition parameters, a compressibility factor of inlet and outlet streams of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Compressor CPMS is based on calculation intelligent performance monitoring block (IPM) that provide real-time calculation of process actual thermodynamic properties for compressor inlet and outlet streams. Thermodynamic properties are used to calculate and analyze performance indicators and assess operation of the machine… Calculation block (IPM block) reflects all changes in stream composition, pressure and temperature and by means of applying gas components mixing rules, Peng Robinson Equation of State and correlations computes machine performance parameters. [page 6] Compressibility factor (Z) calculation:. Z is calculated by solving Peng-Robinson EOS for gas mixture. Peng-Robinson EOS is a cubic equation];
calculating, based on the calculated compressibility factor, a performance measure of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Compressor Computerized Monitoring System (CPMS) is a monitoring and advisory tool that, based on online process conditions, calculates machine performance on real-time basis and analyze deviations from preset limits …Thermodynamic properties are used to calculate and analyze performance indicators and assess operation of the machine]; and
facilitating, based on the calculated performance measure, the operations of the NGL plant equipment [[pages 4-5] Intelligent Perfomance Monitoing (IPM) block is a heart of CPMS. It consists of calculation and analysis algorithm that, based on input data, calculates and analyses machine performance and compares it with existing limits to identify deviations. Deviations identified by IPM block used by CPMS system to generate alarm and instructions to operator to take necessary actions.].
Claim 2:
As per claim 2, which depends on claim 1, Goryachikh discloses further comprising: presenting, in real time, the performance measure to a user to facilitate the operations of the NGL plant equipment [[Page 12] Compressor Computerized Performance Monitoring System (CPMS) Dashboard. IPM block calculate and analyse performance on real-time basis in DCS. Calculation and analysis results are displayed in Compressor CPMS Dashboard (400)].
Claim 3:
As per claim 3, which depends on claim 2, Goryachikh discloses wherein facilitating the operations of the NGL plant equipment comprises: detecting, based on the performance measure, a deviation from a target operating condition exceeding a pre-determined threshold [[page 4] Compressor Computerized Monitoring System (CPMS) is a monitoring and advisory tool that, based on online process conditions, calculates machine performance on real-time basis and analyse deviations from pre set limits] generating, in response to said detecting, an alert message; and presenting the alert message to the user [[page 4] Dynamic analysis results are displayed in DCS screen and during unsafe condition, system generates warning alarm and guide message that require action from operator to return system back to normal operating window.].
Claim 4:
As per claim 4, which depends on claim 3, Goryachikh discloses wherein the user initiate a corrective action to return the NGL plant equipment to the target operating condition [[page 4] Dynamic analysis results are displayed in DCS screen and during unsafe condition, system generates warning alarm and guide message that require action from operator to return system back to normal operating window].
Claim 5:
As per claim 5, which depends on claim 1, Goryachikh discloses wherein calculating the performance measure comprises: calculating, based on calculated compressibility factor, enthalpy and entropy of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Compressor CPMS is based on calculation intelligent performance monitoring block (IPM) that provide real-time calculation of process actual thermodynamic properties for compressor inlet and outlet streams. [page 6] Compressibility factor (Z) calculation:. Z is calculated by solving Peng-Robinson EOS for gas mixture. Peng-Robinson EOS is a cubic equation: Coefficients A and B are defined as:
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[page 6]Enthalpy calculation: To calculate enthalpy we define a reference enthalpy at a given temperature and pressure then calculate the change in enthalpy to the actual pressure and temperature in two steps – first an ideal step (no change in pressure), then a departure function to account for non-ideality at high pressure:
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[pages 10-11]Entropy calculation. Entropy is calculated similar to enthalpy – initially reference entropy at a given temperature and pressure is calculated then change in entropy to the actual pressure and temperature in two steps – first an ideal step (no change in pressure), then a departure function to account for non-ideality at high pressure. Additionally, entropy of mixing is calculated.
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].
Claim 6:
As per claim 6, which depends on claim 1, Goryachikh discloses wherein calculating the performance measure comprises: calculating, based on calculated compressibility factor, a polytropic efficiency and absorbed power of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Real-time calculation and analysis of compressor actual polytrophic efficiency and absorbed power Real-time calculation and analysis of process stream parameters i.e. actual volumetric flow, density].
Claim 7:
As per claim 7, which depends on claim 2, Goryachikh discloses wherein presenting the performance measure comprises: presenting, to the user in real time and on a distributed control system (DCS) screen, an operating point on a performance curve of the NGL plant equipment [[page 4] Dynamic analysis results are displayed in DCS screen and during unsafe condition, system generates warning alarm and guide message that require action from operator to return system back to normal operating window. [page 12] Compressor Computerized Performance Monitoring System (CPMS) Dashboard. IPM block calculate and analyse performance on real-time basis in DCS. Calculation and analysis results are displayed in Compressor CPMS Dashboard (400). CPMS dashboard consists of following sections: 1. Compressor performance curve (402) with real-time represenetation of actual operating point (412), surge (406,408), stonewall (410), speed (404) limits.].
Claim 8:
As per independent claim 8, it recites an intelligent performance monitoring (IPM) system to perform operations of a natural gas liquid (NGL) plant equipment, comprising: a computer processor; and memory storing instructions Goryachikh [[page 4] Compressor Computerized Monitoring System (CPMS) is a monitoring and advisory tool that, based on online process conditions, calculates machine performance on real-time basis and analyse deviations from pre set limits. Dynamic analysis results are displayed in DCS screen and during unsafe condition, system generates warning alarm and guide message that require action from operator to return system back to
normal operating window.] computer hardware is implicit to perform the calculations and visualizations. Additionally, Goryachikh when executed by the computer processor comprising functionality for performing the method of claim 1, therefore it is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 above.
Claim 9:
As per claim 9, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 2 above.
Claim 10:
As per claim 10, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3 above.
Claim 11:
As per claim 11, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 4 above.
Claim 12:
As per claim 12, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 5 above.
Claim 13:
As per claim 13, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 6 above.
Claim 14:
As per claim 14, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 7 above.
Claim 15:
As per independent claim 15, it recites a system comprising: a natural gas liquid (NGL) plant equipment of an NGL plant; a plurality of sensors disposed at an inlet and an outlet of the NGL plant equipment to measure real time process condition parameters of the NGL plant equipment; [[page 4] Compressor CPMS is based on calculation intelligent performance monitoing block (IPM) that provide
real-time calculation of process actual thermodynamic properties for compressor inlet and outlet streams. Thermodynamic properties are used to calculate and analyse performance indicators and assess operation of the machine. System is based on block that calculates actual thermodynamic properties of the process stream based
on imput data from field instrumentation. Calculation block (IPM block) reflects all changes in stream composition, pressure and temperature and by means of applying gas components mixing rules, Peng Robinson Equation of State and correlations computes machine performance parameters.] and an intelligent performance monitoring (IPM) system [[page 4] Compressor CPMS is based on calculation intelligent performance monitoing block (IPM) that provide real-time calculation of process actual thermodynamic properties for compressor inlet and outlet streams.] comprising functionality for Additionally, Goryachikh discloses the system for performing the method of claim 1, therefore it is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 above.
Claim 16:
As per claim 16, which depends on claim 15, Goryachikh discloses the IPM system further comprising functionality for: presenting, in real time and on a distributed control system (DCS) screen, the performance measure to a user to facilitate the operations of the NGL plant equipment, wherein the performance measure comprises an operating point on a performance curve of the NGL plant equipment [[page 12] Compressor Computerized Performance Monitoring System (CPMS) Dashboard. IPM block calculate and analyse performance on real-time basis in DCS. Calculation and analysis results are displayed in Compressor CPMS Dashboard (400). CPMS dashboard consists of following sections: 1. Compressor performance curve (402) with real-time represenetation of actual operating point (412), surge (406,408), stonewall (410), speed (404) limits [[page 4] Dynamic analysis results are displayed in DCS screen and during unsafe condition, system generates warning alarm and guide message that require action from operator to return system back to normal operating window.].
Claim 17:
As per claim 17, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3 above.
Claim 18:
As per claim 18, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 4 above.
Claim 19:
As per claim 19, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 5 above.
Claim 20:
As per claim 20, it is rejected under the same rationale as claim 6 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD CORTES whose telephone number is (571)270-1383. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott T Baderman can be reached on (571)272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOWARD CORTES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118
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