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 1-16) in the reply filed on 23 June 2026 is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: reference sign 402, mentioned in the Specification, paragraphs [0071].
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 232.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuhl et al. (US 2017/0057818).
Regarding claim 1, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses a system comprising:
a plasma chamber (9, 9’, 25) (see paras. [0014]; [0026]; [0051]; Figs. 1-3) configured to:
receive a first gas stream from a plasma chamber inlet (see para. [0026]; Figs. 1-3);
apply heat to the first gas stream to form a heated first synthesis gas stream (see para. [0026]; Figs. 1-3); and
output the heated first synthesis gas stream to an ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3);
the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) configured to:
receive the heated first synthesis gas stream from the plasma chamber (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3);
receive a second gas stream from an ancillary reaction chamber inlet (16, 32) (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3); and
output a heated second synthesis gas stream to an integrated reformer (3, 37), wherein the heated second synthesis gas stream comprises a reaction product of the heated first synthesis gas stream and the second gas stream (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3); and
the integrated reformer (3, 37) configured to:
receive the heated second synthesis gas stream from a first integrated reformer inlet (17, 38) (see paras. [0032]-[0033]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3);
receive a third gas stream from a second integrated reformer inlet (20, 39) (see paras. [0032]; [0033] [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3) ; and
output syngas from the integrated reformer (see paras. [0032]; [0033]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 2, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the plasma chamber is further configured to use an exothermic reaction to apply heat to the first gas stream (see paras. [0026]-[0030]).
Regarding claim 3, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the plasma chamber is further configured to use heat to perform an endothermic reaction for the first gas stream (see paras. [0026]-[0030]).
Regarding claim 4, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the plasma chamber is configured to perform one or more of a partial oxidation reaction, a dry methane reforming reaction, a steam methane reforming reaction, or a hydrocarbon cracking reaction (see paras. [0026]-[0030]).
Regarding claim 5, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is further configured to use heat from the heated first synthesis gas stream to initiate an exothermic reaction to generate the heated second synthesis gas stream (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 6, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is further configured to perform one or more of a partial oxidation reaction, a dry methane reforming reaction, or a steam methane reforming reaction (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 7, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the integrated reformer (3, 37) is further configured to use heat from the heated second synthesis gas stream to perform an endothermic reaction to generate the syngas (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0037]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 8, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the integrated reformer (3, 37) is further configured to perform one or more of a steam methane reforming reaction, a dry methane reforming reaction, a water gas shift reaction, a catalytic reaction, or a non-catalytic reaction (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0037]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 9, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is configured to receive one or more additional heated first synthesis gas streams from one or more additional plasma chambers (9, 25) (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0038]; Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 10, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein integrated reformer (3, 37) is configured to receive one or more additional heated second synthesis gas streams from one or more additional ancillary reaction chambers (9, 25) (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0038]; Figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 11, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the system, wherein the one or more additional heated second synthesis gas streams are received at one or more additional integrated reformer inlets (22) (see paras. [0034]; [0052]-[0054]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 12, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses a device comprising:
a plasma chamber (9, 9’, 25) in fluid communication with an ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) (see paras. [0014]; [0026];[0031]-[0033]; [0035]; Figs. 1-3);
an integrated reformer (3, 37) in fluid communication with the ancillary reaction chamber (see paras. [0032]-[0033]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3),
wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is configured to use heat from a heated first synthesis gas stream received from the plasma chamber to initiate an exothermic-reaction with a second gas stream to output a heated second synthesis gas stream to the integrated reformer (3, 37) (see paras. [0041]-[0045]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 13, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the device, wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is further configured to perform one or more of a partial oxidation reaction, a dry methane reforming reaction, or a steam methane reforming reaction (see paras. [0032]; [0035]; [0041]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 14, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the device, wherein the integrated reformer (3, 37) is further configured to use heat from the heated second synthesis gas stream to perform an endothermic reaction to generate syngas (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0037]; Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 15, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the device, wherein the ancillary reaction chamber (14, 30) is further configured to receive one or more additional heated first synthesis gas streams from one or more additional plasma chambers (9, 25) (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0038]; Figs. 1-2)..
Regarding claim 16, the reference Kuhl et al. discloses the device, wherein the integrated reformer (3, 37) is further configured to receive one or more additional heated second synthesis gas streams from one or more additional ancillary reaction chambers (9,25) (see paras. [0031]-[0033]; [0035]; [0038]; Figs. 1-2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lessanework T Seifu whose telephone number is (571)270-3153. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9:00 am - 6:30 pm; F 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Claire 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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/LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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