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 Status
Claims 1-20 were filed on 12/13/2023. No preliminary amendment was filed.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and under examination.
Priority
The instant application does not currently claim domestic benefit or foreign priority to an earlier filed application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 13 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 13 recites the limitation "the exothermic reaction in the reactor unit” in the beginning of the body of the claim. Claim 13 depends on claim 10 which does not recite an “exothermic reaction” and is directed to producing syngas through “a reverse water gas shift reaction” which one of ordinary skill in the art would understand to be endothermic and furthermore not recited to occur in the reactor unit, therefore the “exothermic reaction” would not be reasonably interpreted as the method recited in instant claim 10. Claim 10 further depends on claim 1 which recites “heating a steam feed stream received from a reactor unit” but does not recite the limitation of an “exothermic reaction” or give any limitations with regard to the reaction occurring in the “reactor unit” to produce steam. Therefore, claim 13 is indefinite because there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Regarding the interpretation of instant claim 13, instant claims 7-9 are directed to and recite “an exothermic reaction” in the reactor unit to generate “the steam feed stream” used in the method of claim 1 as the starting material. Therefore, instant claim 13 will be interpreted as being dependent from claim 7 for purposes of applying prior art.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-4, 14, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Giglio et al. (NPL, published 03/21/2018, PTO-892).
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Giglio et al. teaches power-to-gas through high temperature electrolysis and carbon dioxide methanation. The coupling between solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) and methanation seems to be promising due to the use of reaction heat (coming from the methanation reaction) for steam production as outlined in Figure 1 (shown below, see bottom of Introduction section). Figure 8 (shown below) shows an overview of the system. In HX1 and HX6 the steam contained in hot streams starts to condense during the heat exchange. HX4 and HX5 (steam superheaters) heat up as much as possible the steam before entering the solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC). A final heating step by using an external source (electricity) is required to ensure isothermal operation of the electrolysis unit (see Section 3.2).
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Regarding instant claim 1, Giglio et al. teaches the steam from reactors 1, 2, and 3 proceeding to a steam drum and then to HX4, a steam superheater wherein the heat in HX4 is supplied by oxygen, from the SOEC which, as taught in Figure 1 of Giglio et al. in a zoomed-in view of the SOEC shown in Figure 8, contains an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte between the anode and cathode with the oxygen stream (purple line in Figure 8) coming from the anode side and a stream of hydrogen and water (red line in Figure 8) coming from the cathode side. This corresponds to the instant step of heating a steam feed stream received from a reactor unit in a first heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated stream effluent and a cooled anode effluent. Giglio et al. further teaches the steam from HX4 proceeding to HX5, a steam superheater wherein the heat in HX4 is supplied by hydrogen from the SOEC, corresponding to the instant step of heating the first heated steam effluent in a second heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent and a cooled cathode effluent. Lastly, Giglio et al. teaches a final heating step by using an external source (electricity) is required to ensure isothermal operation of the electrolysis unit, corresponding to the instant step of converting the second heated steam effluent to a third heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer. An annotated
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version of Figure 8 is included for further clarity (shown below).
Regarding instant claim 2, Giglio et al. teaches a final heating step by using an external source (electricity) is required to ensure isothermal operation of the electrolysis unit, corresponding to the instant electricity source.
Regarding instant claim 3, Giglio et al. teaches annotated stream 6 going to the side of the electrolyzer in which hydrogen is produced, as taught by Giglio et al. to be the cathode side, and heating stream 6 step by using an external source (electricity), corresponding to the instant steps of sending the second heated stream effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer and providing electricity to heat the second heated steam effluent to generate the third heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer.
Regarding instant claim 4, Giglio et al. teaches annotated stream 6 going to the side of the electrolyzer in which hydrogen is produced, as taught by Giglio et al. to be the cathode side, and heating stream 6 step by using an external source (electricity), corresponding to the instant steps of sending the second heated stream effluent to a heat source to generate the third heated steam effluent and sending the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
Regarding instant claim 14, Giglio et al. teaches a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC), corresponding to the instant solid oxide steam electrolyzer.
Regarding instant claim 19, Giglio et al. teaches the Figure 8 which shows an overview of the system, corresponding to the instant system of claim which comprises a first heat exchanger (shown as 2 in annotated Figure 8) configured to heat a steam feed stream (shown as 1 in annotated Figure 8) using an anode effluent (shown as purple line from SOEC in Figure 8) from an anode of an electrolyzer (shown in Figure 1 as a more detailed view of the SOEC pictured in Figure 8), comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode (all shown in Figure 1 as a more detailed view of the SOEC pictured in Figure 8), as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent (shown as 3 in annotated Figure 8) and a cooled anode effluent (shown as 4 in annotated Figure 8). Giglio et al. further teaches the system shown in Figure 8 includes HX5, corresponding to the instant second heat exchanger (shown as 5 in annotated Figure 8) configured to heat the first heated steam effluent (shown as 3 in annotated Figure 8) using a cathode effluent (shown as the red line coming from the SOEC) from a cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent (shown as 6 in annotated Figure 8) and a first cooled cathode effluent (shown as 7 in annotated Figure 8). Lastly, Giglio et al. teaches using an external source (electricity)(shown as 185 kW external heating in Figure 8) to heat the steam prior to entering the electrolyzer, corresponding to the instant heat source configured to generate a third heated steam effluent from the second heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 7-12, 14-15, 17, and 19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-7 and 11-12 of U.S. Patent No. 12331417B1 (PTO-892).
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because ‘417 recites limitations not recited in the instant application which further narrow the scope of the method of ‘417 when compared to the instant application.
A table is provided below for clarity with a comparison between the instant claims and the claims of ‘417 with similarities in the scope highlighted by italicized font.
Based on the table below, instant claims 1, 7-12, 14-15, and 17 are anticipated by claims 1-7 and 11-12 of ‘417.
Instant claims
Instant Limitations
‘417 claims that correspond to instant claims
‘417 Limitations
1
A method, comprising: heating a steam feed stream received from a reactor unit in a first heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent and a cooled anode effluent; heating the first heated steam effluent in a second heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent and a cooled cathode effluent; and converting the second heated steam effluent to a third heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer.
1
A method, comprising: heating a steam feed stream having a temperature of from about 250° C. to about 350° C. received from a reactor unit in a first heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 350° C. to about 450° C. and a cooled anode effluent;
heating the first heated steam effluent in a second heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 550° C. to about 650° C. and a cooled cathode effluent; combusting, in a combustion unit, a first tail gas stream to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent to generate a third heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 700° C. to about 950° C.; and passing the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
7
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a water feed stream in a third heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent from the reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent; introducing the heated water effluent, a heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and a tail gas stream to the reactor unit; and performing an exothermic reaction of the heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit, thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate the steam feed stream.
2
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a water feed stream in a third heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent from the reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent having a temperature of about 50° C. to about 150° C.;
introducing the heated water effluent, a heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and a tail gas stream to the reactor unit; and performing an exothermic reaction of the heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit, thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate the steam feed stream.
8
The method according to claim 7, wherein performing an exothermic reaction of the heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit comprises direct hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to one of methanol or dimethyl ether.
3
The method according to claim 2, wherein performing an exothermic reaction of the heated carbon dioxide stream, the cooled cathode effluent and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit comprises direct hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to one of methanol or dimethyl ether.
9
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a water feed stream in a third heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent from the reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent; introducing the heated water effluent, the cooled cathode effluent, syngas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen received from a reverse water gas shift reaction unit and a tail gas stream to the reactor unit; and performing an exothermic reaction of the cooled cathode effluent, the syngas and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit, thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate the steam feed stream.
4
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a water feed stream in a third heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent from the reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent having a temperature of about 50° C. to about 150° C.; introducing the heated water effluent, the cooled cathode effluent, syngas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen received from a reverse water gas shift reaction unit and a tail gas stream to the reactor unit; and
performing an exothermic reaction of the cooled cathode effluent, the syngas and the tail gas stream in the reactor unit, thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate the steam feed stream.
10
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a carbon dioxide stream in a third heat exchanger using the cooled anode effluent from the first heat exchanger as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated carbon dioxide effluent; heating an anode purge stream in a fourth heat exchanger using the cooled cathode effluent as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated anode purge stream and another cooled cathode effluent; generating syngas by a reverse water gas shift reaction of the heated carbon dioxide effluent, the other cooled cathode effluent and a tail gas stream; and introducing the syngas to the reactor unit.
5
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: heating a carbon dioxide stream in a third heat exchanger using the cooled anode effluent from the first heat exchanger as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated carbon dioxide effluent having a temperature of about 250° C. to about 350° C.; heating an anode purge stream in a fourth heat exchanger using the cooled cathode effluent as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated anode purge stream having a temperature of about 350° C. to about 450° C. and another cooled cathode effluent; generating syngas by a reverse water gas shift reaction of the heated carbon dioxide effluent, the other cooled cathode effluent and a tail gas stream; and introducing the syngas to the reactor unit.
11
The method according to claim 9, wherein the exothermic reaction in the reactor unit comprises converting the syngas to a chemical product or a fuel.
6
The method according to claim 4, wherein the exothermic reaction in the reactor unit comprises converting the syngas to a chemical product or a fuel.
12
The method according to claim 11, wherein the chemical product is one or more of methanol and dimethyl ether and the fuel is one or more of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
7
The method according to claim 6, wherein the chemical product is one or more of methanol and dimethyl ether and the fuel is one or more of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
14
The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzer is a solid oxide steam electrolyzer.
11
The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzer is a solid oxide steam electrolyzer.
15
A method, comprising: heating a water feed stream in a first heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent including tail gas from a reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent; performing an exothermic reaction in the reactor unit thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate a steam feed stream; heating the steam feed stream in a second heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent and a cooled anode effluent; heating the first heated steam effluent in a third heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent and a cooled cathode effluent; and converting the second heated steam effluent to a third heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer.
12
A method, comprising: heating a water feed stream in a first heat exchanger using a reactor synthesis effluent including tail gas from a reactor unit as a heat transfer medium to generate a heated water effluent having a temperature of about 50° C. to about 150° C.; performing an exothermic reaction in the reactor unit thereby transferring heat from the exothermic reaction to the heated water effluent to generate a steam feed stream having a temperature of about 250° C. to about 350° C.; heating the steam feed stream in a second heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 350° C. to about 450° C. and a cooled anode effluent;
heating the first heated steam effluent in a third heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 550° C. to about 650° C. and a cooled cathode effluent; combusting, in a combustion unit, a first tail gas stream to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent to generate a third heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 700° C. to about 950° C.; and passing the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
17
The method according to claim 15, wherein converting the second heated steam effluent to a third heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer comprises: sending the second heated steam effluent to a heat source to generate the third heated steam effluent; and sending the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
12
combusting, in a combustion unit, a first tail gas stream to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent to generate a third heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 700° C. to about 950° C.; and passing the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
19
A system, comprising: a first heat exchanger configured to heat a steam feed stream using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent and a cooled anode effluent; a second heat exchanger configured to heat the first heated steam effluent using a cathode effluent from a cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent and a first cooled cathode effluent; and a heat source configured to generate a third heated steam effluent from the second heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer.
1
A method, comprising: heating a steam feed stream having a temperature of from about 250° C. to about 350° C. received from a reactor unit in a first heat exchanger using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 350° C. to about 450° C. and a cooled anode effluent;
heating the first heated steam effluent in a second heat exchanger using a cathode effluent from the cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 550° C. to about 650° C. and a cooled cathode effluent; combusting, in a combustion unit, a first tail gas stream to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent to generate a third heated steam effluent having a temperature of about 700° C. to about 950° C.; and passing the third heated steam effluent to the cathode of the electrolyzer.
steam stream to the third heated steam stream as the final step in the method of instant claim 1.
Regarding instant claims 1, 7-12, and 14-15, the teachings of ‘417 are shown in the table above which can be seen to directly correspond to the instant method of claims 1, 7-12, and 14-15.
Regarding instant claim 17, ‘417 recites “combusting, in a combustion unit, a first tail gas stream to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent to generate a third heated steam effluent” which anticipates the instant limitation of “sending the second heated steam effluent to a heat source to generate the third heated steam effluent” as required by instant claim 17. Regarding the instant limitation of “a heat source”, ‘417 recites “a combustion unit” used to transfer heat to the second heated steam effluent which corresponds to the instant heat source.
Regarding instant claim 19, ‘417 does not recite “a system comprising a first heat exchanger configured to heat a steam feed stream using an anode effluent from an anode of an electrolyzer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte inserted between the anode and the cathode as a heat transfer medium to generate a first heated steam effluent and a cooled anode effluent; a second heat exchanger configured to heat the first heated steam effluent using a cathode effluent from a cathode of the electrolyzer as a heat transfer medium to generate a second heated steam effluent and a first cooled cathode effluent; and a heat source configured to generate a third heated steam effluent from the second heated steam effluent for use in the cathode of the electrolyzer” as recited by instant claim 19.
The system, as recited by instant claim 19, corresponds to a structural embodiment of the method steps as recited in claim 1 of ‘417. Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a system that structurally embodies the method of as recited in claim 1 of ‘417, to arrive at the system of instant claim 19. It would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to use a system that embodies the method of claim 1 in ‘417 because it is obvious to design a system configured to perform the recited method steps. One of ordinary skill in the art would have a reasonable expectation of success because ‘417 recites a method that would naturally flow into using a system capable of performing the recited method steps.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 16, 18, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon rejected base claims 1, 15, and 19, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 7-9, 10-12, 15, and 17 would be allowable if amended to overcome the Double Patenting rejection above.
Claim 13 would be allowable if amended to overcome the Double Patenting and 112(b) rejections above.
The closest prior art is Giglio et al. Giglio et al. teaches the reactor design and process modeling of a power-to-gas method through high temperature electrolysis and carbon dioxide methanation that corresponds to the instant method of claim 1 (cited and discussed above).
Giglio et al. does not teach wherein the heat source for heating the second heated steam effluent comprises a resistive or inductive heating element as required by instant claim 5, wherein the heat source comprises a heat exchanger configured to heat using a high-temperature fluid as required by instant claim 6, heating a water feed stream using a reactor synthesis effluent from a reactor unit as required by instant claims 7-9, 11-12, and 15-18, heating a carbon dioxide stream in a third heat exchanger using the cooled anode effluent from the first heat exchanger as required by instant claims 10 and 13, and wherein the system comprises a resistive or inductive heating element as required by instant claim 20.
McMillan et al. (NPL, published 09/2016, PTO-892) teaches several forms of electrical heating are employed in the process industries. Electro-heating has several advantages, including clean operations (no emission and effluent problems), constant quality and availability, rapid application, and relative ease of temperature control. Common techniques for electrical heating include resistive heating, induction heating, dielectric heating, and infrared heating. Resistive heating is generally used to heat a small chemical reactor or a batch process. Induction heating is currently used primarily in the metal industry for billet heating prior to forming or for surface-hardening techniques (see section 4.5, page 66).
However, it is nonobvious to combine the teachings of Giglio et al. with the teachings of McMillan et al. to arrive at a heat source with a resistive or inductive heating element because McMillan et al. teaches resistive heating is generally used to heat a small chemical reactor or a batch process which teaches away from the instant method being a continuous loop (see instant specification 0064, 00111, and 00136). Furthermore, McMillan et al. teaches induction heating is currently used primarily in the metal industry for billet heating or for surface-hardening techniques which also teaches away from the instant method related to fuel production. Furthermore, no prior art exists to suggest modification of the electricity source to comprise a resistive or inductive heating element. Therefore, claims 5 and 20 are free of prior art.
Patel et al. (EP4209621A1, published 07/12/2023, PTO-892) teaches Fig 2B (shown below). The steam heater 110 may include a heat exchanger configured to heat the steam using heat extracted from a high-temperature fluid, such as a fluid heated to about 1200 °C or more. This fluid may be provided from a solar concentrator farm or a power plant, such as a nuclear reactor power plant, for example. Alternatively, if the fluid is a high temperature steam, such as steam provided from a nuclear reactor power plant, then such steam may be provided to the fuel electrodes 7 of the stack 100 (see 0033). The stack 100 includes multiple solid cells that may be solid oxide fuel cells or solid oxide electrolyzer cells. The solid oxide cells are separated by interconnects, which may also be referred to as gas flow separator plates or bipolar plates. Each solid oxide cell includes an air electrode, a solid oxide electrolyte, and a
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fuel electrode (see 0016).
While Patel et al. teaches heating a steam stream using high-temperature fluid, it is nonobvious to combine the teachings of Giglio et al. with the teachings of Patel et al. to arrive at the instantly claimed invention of a heat exchanger configured to heat the second heated steam effluent using heat extracted from a high-temperature fluid because the prior art does not teach why one of ordinary skill in the art would modify the electrical heating source as taught by Giglio et al. in Figure 8 to be a 185 kW external heating source to be the steam heater 110, as taught by Patel et al., to arrive at the instantly claimed invention. Furthermore, the teachings of Giglio et al. are specific to the process and the optimization of the system, in terms of energy efficiency, relies on precise calculations of the thermodynamics of the system components. Therefore, claim 6 is free of prior art.
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Chen et al. (NPL, published 05/17/2003, PTO-892) teaches design and control of heat-integrated reactors. According to a second-law analysis, the efficiency of the majority of chemical processes ranges from 20 to 30%. Thus, there exists an incentive for improvement by heat integration. This is accomplished by controlling energy flows between process streams via heat exchangers. Approaches include heat exchanger networks11 and heat-integrated reactors and columns. An important industrial example is the feed−effluent heat exchanger (FEHE), where the heat of the exothermic reactions is recovered by preheating the reactor feed (see first paragraph of Introduction). In an adiabatic reactor, the heat of the exothermic reactions can be recovered by preheating the feed. A typical example is the feed effluent heat exchanger (FEHE), where the reactor outlet stream (Tout) is used to heat the feed stream (Tf) to the reaction temperature (Tin), as shown in Figure 1A. As pointed out by several researchers, the positive feedback nature resulting from the heat recovery makes the simple FEHE scheme (Figure 1A) difficult to control. The process configurations can become even more complex as plantwide energy management is taken into consideration (see first paragraph of section 2).
While Chen et al. teaches a feed-effluent heat exchanger (FEHE), it is nonobvious to combine the teachings of Giglio et al. with the teachings of Chen et al. because Chen et al. teaches the heat recovery using FEHE is difficult to control and becomes even more complex when plantwide energy management is taken into consideration. Based on this teaching, one of ordinary skill in the art would not have a reasonable expectation of success to combine the method, as taught by Giglio et al., with the FEHE, as taught by Chen et al. Therefore, instant claims 7-9, 11-12, and 15-18 are free of prior art.
There is no prior art that teaches heating a carbon dioxide stream in a heat exchanger using the cooled anode effluent from another heat exchanger. Furthermore, no prior art exists to suggest modification of the method, as taught by Giglio et al., by using the H2, represented by the red line coming from the SOEC in Figure 8, to cool the CO2 stream, represented by the back lines in Figure 8, to arrive at the instantly claimed invention. Therefore, instant claims 10 and 13 are free of prior art.
Conclusion
No claim is found allowable.
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/KRISTEN W BRADY/ Examiner, Art Unit 1692
/SCARLETT Y GOON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1693
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