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 .
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.
Claim 12 is 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 12 recites the limitation "the heater" in Claim 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There are first and second heat transfer vessels. It is unclear “the heater” is referred to. Examiner examines as if the Claim 12 recites “the first heat transfer vessel”.
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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hellmer et al. (US Patent No. 4,302,434).
Regarding Claim 11, Hellmer et al. reference discloses a system comprising:
a first heat transfer vessel configured to heat a feed stream to a preheat temperature, the feed stream comprising hydrogen sulfide (Figure, numeral 1 – gas feed line, 3 and 4 – heat transfer vessels);
a catalytic reactor downstream of the first heat transfer vessel, the catalytic reactor configured to receive at least a portion of the feed stream from the first heat transfer vessel, the catalytic reactor comprising a catalyst, the catalytic reactor configured to contact the portion of the feed stream with the catalyst, the catalyst configured to, in response to contact with the portion of the feed stream, convert at least a portion of the hydrogen sulfide in the portion of the feed stream into hydrogen and sulfur to form a mixed product stream, the catalytic reactor configured to discharge the mixed product stream, the mixed product stream comprising the hydrogen, the sulfur, and a remaining, unconverted portion of the hydrogen sulfide, wherein the preheat temperature is a temperature that is sufficiently high to maintain a desired reaction temperature within the catalytic reactor (Figure, numeral 7 and Column 1, Lines 33-35); and
a second heat transfer vessel downstream of the catalytic reactor, the second heat transfer vessel configured to receive the mixed product stream, the second heat transfer vessel configured to cool the mixed product stream to a specified temperature at which recombination of the hydrogen and the sulfur into hydrogen sulfide is prevented (Figure, numerals 7a, 3, 11, and 12 – heat exchangers and Column 1, Lines 39-68).
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.
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) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hellmer et al. (US Patent No. 4,302,434) in view of Deckman et al. (US 2013/0327216 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Hellmer et al. reference discloses the system of claim 11 except for a separation unit upstream of the first heat transfer vessel, the separation unit configured to receive an acid gas stream comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, the separation unit comprising a plurality of pressure swing adsorption beds configured to separate at least a portion of the carbon dioxide from the acid gas stream to produce a carbon dioxide stream and the feed stream, the separation unit configured to discharge the carbon dioxide stream and the feed stream, the carbon dioxide stream comprising the carbon dioxide that has separated from the acid gas stream, the feed stream comprising a remaining portion of the acid gas stream. Deckman reference discloses a swing adsorption process and apparatus for removing contaminants from a gaseous feed stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide (Abstract and Figure 1, numerals 110, 120, 130 – PSA). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to remove carbon dioxide from gas feed as taught by Deckman et al., since Deckman et al. states at Paragraph [0013] and Abstract that such a modification would prevent fluid flow in other re-pressurization steps and other depressurization steps in each cycle and remove contaminants from a gaseous feed stream.
Claim(s) 18- 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hellmer et al. (US Patent No. 4,302,434) in view of Molibari et al. (CN-103687801A).
Regarding Claim 18, Hellmer et al. reference discloses the system of claim 11 except for the second heat transfer vessel is configured to mix the mixed product stream with water or liquefied sulfur to cool the mixed product stream to the specified temperature. Molibari et al. reference discloses a process for the concurrent production of hydrogen and sulphur from a H2S-containing gas stream, with zero emissions (Abstract) wherein the gaseous effluent quench of the reaction chamber in order to avoid the H2 and S2 form H2S and the quenched gaseous effluent of the reaction chamber is accomplished by mixing with water at the last part of the reaction chamber. can through via nozzles injecting water directly into the reaction chamber to complete the mixing (Paragraphs [0045] and [0047]. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use water to cold down the hydrogen and sulfur effluent stream as taught by Molibari et al., since Molibari et al. states at Paragraph [0045] that such a modification would avoid the H2 and S2 form H2S (reverse reaction).
Regarding Claim 19, Hellmer et al. reference discloses the system of claim 18, wherein the second heat transfer vessel is configured to condense at least a portion of the sulfur of the mixed product stream, wherein the second heat transfer vessel is configured to separate a sulfur stream comprising at least a portion of the sulfur that has condensed, wherein the second heat transfer vessel is configured to separate a hydrogen stream comprising the hydrogen from the mixed product stream (Hellmer - Figure, numerals 9 and 9a – sulfur and 19 – hydrogen).
Regarding Claim 20, Hellmer et al. and Molibari et al. references disclose the system of claim 19, comprising a water treatment unit downstream of the second heat transfer vessel, wherein the sulfur stream comprises the water, wherein the water treatment unit is configured to separate the water from the sulfur stream, wherein the water treatment unit is configured to recycle the separated water to the second heat transfer vessel (Molibari et al. – Paragraph [0046] – sulfur condenser – generating low-pressure steam or waste heat boiler to generate high pressure steam).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding Claim 13, Hellmer et al. (US Patent No. 4,302,434) reference discloses the system of claim 11, wherein: the second heat transfer vessel is configured to transfer heat from the mixed product stream to a heat transfer medium, thereby heating the heat transfer medium and cooling the mixed product stream to the specified temperature (Figure, numerals 3 – second heat transfer vessel and 1 – H2S feed gas as heat transfer medium); the first heat transfer vessel is configured to receive the heated heat transfer medium from the second heat transfer vessel (Figure, numeral 4 and heated H2S feed gas); the first heat transfer vessel is configured to transfer heat from the heat transfer medium to the feed stream, thereby cooling the heat transfer medium and heating the feed stream to the preheat temperature. However, Hellmer et al. does not disclose that and that the heat transfer medium is a solid heat transfer medium and the second heat transfer vessel is configured to receive the cooled heat transfer medium from the first heat transfer vessel. Abughazaleh (CN-103403485 B) reference discloses a system and method of exchanging heat in the gasification system wherein the heat transfer medium has one or more particles and comprising water, degassed feed water, or a combination thereof is introduced to the first region and indirectly transferring heat from one or more particles to exchange heat transfer medium to provide an intermediate heat transfer medium and cooled particles in the first region (Abstract and Figure 2). However, neither Hellmer et al. nor Abughazaleh discloses the claimed solid heat transfer medium. There is no motivation/suggestion to modify and/or combine the above teachings to come up with the claimed solid heat medium.
Regarding Claim 14, Hellmer et al. discloses the system of claim 11 except for a first solid heat transfer medium is disposed within the first heat transfer vessel; a second solid heat transfer medium is disposed within the second heat transfer vessel; the first heat transfer vessel is configured to transfer heat from the first solid heat transfer medium to the feed stream, thereby cooling the first solid heat transfer medium and heating the feed stream to the preheat temperature; and the second heat transfer vessel is configured to transfer heat from the mixed product stream to the second solid heat transfer medium, thereby heating the second solid heat transfer medium and cooling the mixed product stream to the specified temperature. Abughazaleh (CN-103403485 B) reference discloses a system and method of exchanging heat in the gasification system wherein the heat transfer medium has one or more particles and comprising water, degassed feed water, or a combination thereof is introduced to the first region and indirectly transferring heat from one or more particles to exchange heat transfer medium to provide an intermediate heat transfer medium and cooled particles in the first region (Abstract and Figure 2). However, neither Hellmer et al. nor Abughazaleh discloses the claimed solid heat transfer medium. There is no motivation/suggestion to modify and/or combine the above teachings to come up with the claimed first and second solid heat transfer mediums.
Claims 15-17 directly or indirectly depend on Claim 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUY-TRAM NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3167. The examiner can normally be reached M-W, 7:00am - 3pm, EST.
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/HUY TRAM NGUYEN/ Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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