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 claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 27 Oct. 2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-3, 6-9, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pellegrin et al US 2017/0136406 (hereafter Pellegrin).
Regarding claim 1, Pellegrin teaches a pulsed absorption contactor (Figs 1, 10-20, and 22-25) system comprising:
a vessel (1320 in Fig 10A; vessels shown in Figs 1, 10-20, and 22-25) having an inlet end (top end) and an outlet end (bottom end), the vessel comprising:
at least one gas inlet (1331 in Fig 10; where Figs 1, 11-20, and 22-25 have a similar gas inlet) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input gas stream (1330) into the vessel (¶86);
at least one gas outlet (32 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output gas stream (30) and direct the output gas stream out of the vessel (¶32; where Figs 10-20 and 22-25 have a similar gas outlet);
at least one liquid inlet (1351) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input liquid stream (1350) into the vessel (¶89; where Figs 1, 11-20, and 22-25 have a similar liquid inlet); and
at least one liquid outlet (57 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output liquid stream (55) and direct the output liquid stream out of the vessel (¶71; where Figs 10-20 and 22-25 have a similar gas outlet); and
a pulse generator system configured to induce a fluctuation in at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a combination of the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (¶93; where Figs 11-20 and 22-25 have similar pulse generator systems).
Regarding claim 2, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a gas pulser arranged along the input gas stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input gas stream (¶170).
Regarding claim 3, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a liquid pulser arranged along the liquid input stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input liquid stream (¶170).
Regarding claim 6, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises at least one pulse generator configured to control at least one pulser to impart a pulse into at least one of the gas stream and the liquid steam (¶170).
Regarding claims 7-8, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches at least one packing element arranged within the vessel, wherein the at least one packing element comprises corrugated screen packing (¶16, ¶62)
Regarding claim 9, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a vibration generator (¶115) configured to impart vibrations into at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a mixture of gas and liquid from the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (¶113-117).
Regarding claim 12, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 9. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the vibration generator comprises at least one pulser arranged within an interior of the vessel (as shown in Fig 10, where the screens are within the vessel).
Regarding claim 13, Pellegrin teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Pellegrin furth teaches wherein the input gas stream comprises a target compound and the input liquid stream comprises a solvent selected to capture the target compound (¶7).
Claims 1-6, 9-11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kovachki et al. WO2015127518 published 3 Sep. 2025 (hereafter Kovachki).
Regarding claim 1, Kovachki teaches a pulsed absorption contactor (Fig 1) system comprising:
a vessel (8) having an inlet end (left end) and an outlet end (right end), the vessel comprising:
at least one gas inlet (inlet to plates 2) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input gas stream (1) into the vessel;
at least one gas outlet (upper section of 10 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output gas stream (1) and direct the output gas stream out of the vessel;
at least one liquid inlet (4) arranged at the inlet end of the vessel and configured to direct an input liquid stream (5) into the vessel; and
at least one liquid outlet (slurry outlet; lower section of 10 in Fig 1) arranged at the outlet end of the vessel and configured to receive an output liquid stream (9) and direct the output liquid stream out of the vessel; and
a pulse generator system configured to induce a fluctuation in at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a combination of the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (page 4, acoustic emission).
Regarding claim 2, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a gas pulser arranged along the input gas stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input gas stream (page 5, pulsed feed of gas flow).
Regarding claim 3, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a liquid pulser arranged along the liquid input stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input liquid stream (page 5, pulsed feed of absorbent).
Regarding claim 4, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises: a gas pulser arranged along the input gas stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input gas stream (page 5, pulsed feed of gas flow); and a liquid pulser arranged along the input liquid stream and configured to impart a pressure pulse into the input liquid stream (page 5, pulsed feed of absorbent).
Regarding claim 5, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pressure pulse imparted to the input gas stream is a harmonic of the pressure pulse imparted to the input liquid stream (pages 4-5, where Kovachki teaches all the structural limitations and would be fully capable of being operated in the harmonic fashion; see MPEP 2114, 2115, 2173.05(g), further where Kovachki teaches nodes and it would have been obvious to operate in a harmonic fashion to form the nodes).
Regarding claim 6, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises at least one pulse generator configured to control at least one pulser to impart a pulse into at least one of the gas stream and the liquid steam (pages 4-5).
Regarding claim 9, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the pulse generator system comprises a vibration generator (page 4, acoustic emission) configured to impart vibrations into at least one of the input gas stream, the input liquid stream, or a mixture of gas and liquid from the input gas stream and the input liquid stream (pages 4-5).
Regarding claim 10, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 9. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the vibration generator is an acoustic wave generator (page 4).
Regarding claim 11, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 9. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the vibration generator comprises at least one pulser arranged on an exterior of the vessel (page 5, outside the reaction zone).
Regarding claim 13, Kovachki teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Kovachki furth teaches wherein the input gas stream comprises a target compound and the input liquid stream comprises a solvent selected to capture the target compound (page 3).
Conclusion
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/STEPHEN HOBSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1776