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 47 and amended claims 120-139, in the reply filed on 12/17/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 62 and 77-85 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/17/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 47 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morita et al (US 8,303,848).
Regarding claim 47, Morita teaches system for separating a natural gas stream (col 4 In 51-53 - '...The GTL plant 8 is a plant for performing a GTL process to convert the raw material of the light hydrocarbon gas such as the natural gas into a liquid fuel...'; col 5 In 29- 32 - '...The vapor-liquid separator 17 is an apparatus for separating condensed components from the synthesis gas cooled in the waste heat boiler 15 and supplying a gaseous component to the CO2 remover 30...'), the system comprising: a first fractionator receiving an input stream (col 7 In 14-16 - '...In addition, the separator 44 and the vapor-liquid separator 50 are connected to a first fractionator 71 of the upgrading section 70...'; col 10 In 28-31 - '...The FT oil 105 including the liquid component separated by the separator 44 and the liquid component separated by the vapor-liquid separator 50,is supplied to the first fractionator 71...'), wherein the input stream comprises natural gas (col 5 In 3-4 - '...The desulfurization reactor 13 is connected to a natural gas supply source 11...'; col 8 In 23-34 - '...In the upgrading section 70, naphtha 190, kerosene 192, and gas oil 194 are purified. Upgrading offgas 106 produced as a byproduct is supplied to the fuel gas drum 22. In addition, a portion of the natural gas 111 is supplied to the fuel gas drum 22 as the fuel gas. Accordingly, the fuel gas drum 22 stores the fuel gas 122 which is the mixture of the natural gas 111...This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The natural gas (mainly containing CH4) 111 as the light hydrocarbon gas is supplied from a natural gas field...'; therefore because natural gas is a main component in upstream processes, the stream that inputs to the first fractionator is considered to have comprise natural gas), and the first fractionator having a liquid product stream and a first vapor effluent stream (col 7 In 39-44 - '...The bottom of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the WAX fraction hydrocracking reactor 72. The center of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the kerosene/gas oil fraction hydrotreating reactor 74. The top of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor 76...'; top stream exiting the first fractionator presumably contains mostly vapor products and the middle and bottom streams contain mostly liquid products as expected from a distillation column); operating a second fractionator to form a first liquid stream and a second vapor effluent stream (col 7 In 33-37 - '...The upgrading section 70 includes, for example...a second fractionator 84...'; col 7 In 50-53 - '...The vapor-liquid separators 78 and 80 are connected to the second fractionator 84. The second fractionator 84 is connected to the naphtha stabilizer 86, a kerosene storage tank 92, and a gas oil storage tank 94...'; top stream exiting the first fractionator presumably contains mostly vapor products and the middle and bottom streams contain mostly liquid products as expected from a distillation column).
However, Morita does not specifically disclose the system comprising: a second fractionator, the second fractionator including one or more inlets in fluid communication with the first vapor effluent outlet, the second fractionator including a second vapor effluent outlet and a second liquid product outlet, wherein the second liquid product outlet is in fluid communication with at least one of the inlets of the first fractionator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Morita to be comprising: a second fractionator, the second fractionator including one or more inlets in fluid communication with the first vapor effluent outlet, the second fractionator including a second vapor effluent outlet and a second liquid product outlet, wherein the second liquid product outlet is in fluid communication with at least one of the inlets of the first fractionator, as Morita teaches that vapor-liquid separators may be used to condense a vapor stream from the first fractionator to further enhance separation, and that a vapor stream from vapor-liquid separator 78 (which directly feeds into the second fractionator along with vapor-liquid separator 80) recycles back to hydrotreating reactor 74 (which feeds directly into vapor-liquid separator 80), that contains liquids and gasses from the "middle" fraction of the first fractionator, thereby indirectly sending a vapor-containing effluent stream from the first fractionator to the second fractionator (see Morita col 7 In 50-51 - '..The vapor-liquid separators 78 and 80 are connected to the second fractionator 84...'; and Fig. 1; Claims 2-3 require intermediate steps between the first and second fractionators, thereby allowing for the hydrotreating reactors and vapor-liquid separators between them); and directing at least a portion of the first liquid stream into the first fractionator, wherein said at least a portion of the first liquid stream is fractionated as part of the input stream and said product stream is formed, as Morita suggests recycle streams may be used elsewhere in the process to re-use certain streams for further refining in order to achieve maximum separation to make the overall process more efficient (col 2 In 47-48 - '...Change in operation condition (a conversion rate and a recycle ratio) of a bubble column reactor in the FT section...'; col 10 In 26-34 - '...The vapor-liquid separator 50 cools the gases so that liquid including some condensed liquid hydrocarbon is separated. The FT oil 105 including the liquid component separated by the separator 44 and the liquid component separated by the vapor-liquid separator 50 is supplied to the first fractionator 71. In the gas component separated by the vapor-liquid separator 50, the unreacted synthesis gas (CO and H2) is recycled to the bottom of the bubble column reactor 42 to be re-used for the FT synthesis reaction...').
Regarding claim 120-123, Morita discloses the system of claim 47, as disclosed above, but does not further specifically disclose the system further comprising, further comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled between the first vapor effluent outlet and at least one of the inlets of the second fractionator, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to cool an input into at least one of the inlets of the second fractionator. However, Morita discloses means of cooling in other areas of an overall process (col 7 In 7-11 - '...The bubble column reactor 42 is connected to the CO2 remover 30 and the separator 44. A cooling pipe 43 of the bubble column reactor 42 is connected to the steam drum 46, and the steam drum 46 is connected to a medium-pressure steam storage tank 48...'; col 7 In 30-32 - '...The vapor-liquid separator 50 is an apparatus for performing cooling and separation on unreacted synthesis gas and gaseous hydrocarbon...'; col 9 In 22-24 - '...From the synthesis gas cooled in the waste heat boiler 15, condensed liquid components are separated and removed by the vapor-liquid separator 17...'), therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the systems further comprising, prior to directing the first vapor effluent stream into the second fractionator, directing the first vapor effluent stream through a heat exchanger, so that it may be the appropriate temperature before fractionation, through routine experimentation as suggested by Morita via through routine experimentation as suggested by cooling needs. Furthermore, choosing the cooling streams as claimed in claims 121-123 would be obvious based upon the desired cooling sought.
Regarding claims 124-125, Morita discloses the system of claim 47, Morita further teaches “The hydrogen separator 36 separates the hydrogen gas 136 from the synthesis gas by the pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The separated hydrogen gas 136 is continuously supplied from a gas holder (not shown) or the like through a compressor (not shown) (col 9 ln 47-62), and reflux to distillation columns in combination with compressors was substantially well known routine parts of construction of distillation columns, therefore including a compressor and reflux return to the second fractionator would be routine skill.
Regarding claim 126-127, Morita discloses the system of claim 47, as disclosed above, but does not further specifically disclose the system further comprising, wherein piping that is fluidly coupled between the first vapor effluent outlet and the inlets of the second fractionator fluidly couples with a bottom of the second fractionator and with a top of the second fractionator, nor heat exchanger as claimed. However, Morita discloses means of coupling and cooling in other areas of an overall process (col 7 In 7-11 - '...The bubble column reactor 42 is connected to the CO2 remover 30 and the separator 44. A cooling pipe 43 of the bubble column reactor 42 is connected to the steam drum 46, and the steam drum 46 is connected to a medium-pressure steam storage tank 48...'; col 7 In 30-32 - '...The vapor-liquid separator 50 is an apparatus for performing cooling and separation on unreacted synthesis gas and gaseous hydrocarbon...'; col 9 In 22-24 - '...From the synthesis gas cooled in the waste heat boiler 15, condensed liquid components are separated and removed by the vapor-liquid separator 17...'), therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system further comprising, wherein piping that is fluidly coupled between the first vapor effluent outlet and the inlets of the second fractionator fluidly couples with a bottom of the second fractionator and with a top of the second fractionator, through routine experimentation as suggested by Morita via through routine experimentation as suggested by cooling needs.
Regarding claim 129, Morita discloses the process of claim 47, as disclosed above, but does not further specifically disclose wherein the first fractionator operates at a first pressure, wherein the second fractionator operates at a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to create the process wherein the first fractionator operates at a first pressure, wherein the second fractionator operates at a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure, through routine experimentation because pressure was a known results optimizable variable of distillation column operation to achieve desirable separation, therefore to optimize this would be routine skill of the artisan familiar with distillation.
Claim(s) 128 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morita et al (US 8,303,848) as applied above and further in combination with Patel et al (US 7,793,517).
Regarding claim 128, Morita discloses the process of claim 1, as disclosed above, but does not further specifically disclose the system further comprising an expansion valve fluidly coupled between the second liquid outlet and one of the inlets of the first fractionator.
Patel discloses a similar process for separating vapors and liquids (Abstract - '...First separator vapor stream is expanded and sent to demethanizer. Second separator vapor stream is partially condensed and is separated...'; col 11 In 66-col 12 In 2- '...The apparatus preferably includes a first exchanger 30, a cold separator 50, a demethanizer 70, an expander 100, a second cooler 90, a reflux separator 60, a third cooler 80, a first heater 80, and a booster compressor 102...'), wherein expansion valves may be utilized to expand and branch off streams (col 12 In 49-58 - '…The present invention can also include a first expansion valve 130, a second expansion valve 140, and a third expansion valve 150. Expansion valve 130 can be used to expand separator bottoms stream 52 to produce first, or bottom, tower feed stream 53. Expansion valve 140 can be used to expand reflux separator bottoms stream 62 to produce as third, or upper middle, tower feed stream 64. Expansion valve 150 can be used to expand reflux separator overhead stream 66 to produce fourth tower feed stream 68. A fourth expansion valve 160, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5...').
Therefore it would have therefore been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Patel with Morita, and to arrive at the system further comprising an expansion valve fluidly coupled between the second liquid outlet and one of the inlets of the first fractionator, because using expansion valves allow another means of cooling while simultaneously cooling (see Patel, col 2 In 28-36, 47-53; col 4 In 60- 65; col 7 In 43-48).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 130-139 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:
Considering claim 130, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest the claimed process for separating a natural gas stream in first and second fractionators as claimed wherein said effluent flow line is directed as an outlet of the main fractionator, said effluent line being further divided into a first flow line and a second flow line; a first heat exchanger disposed in fluid communication with said first flow line and intermediate said main and secondary fractionators such that a first stream exiting said heat exchanger discharges into an upper portion of the secondary fractionator; wherein said second flow line communicates a second stream from the effluent flow into a lower portion of the secondary fractionator; and wherein a lower portion of the second fractionator is disposed in fluid communication with said first fractionator such that a stream containing fluids is communicated from the lower portion to the main fractionator.
Considering claim 137, the prior art does not teach or fairly suggest the claimed process for separating a natural gas stream in first and second fractionators as claimed wherein the first effluent flow line being directed from the main fractionator and configured to discharge into a lower portion of the secondary fractionator; the second effluent flow line being directed from an effluent outlet of the secondary fractionator, and further divided into a first flow line and a second flow line in fluid communication with an upper portion of the secondary fractionator; a compressor disposed in said second flow line downstream of said effluent outlet; a first heat exchanger disposed in fluid communication with said second flow line and intermediate said effluent outlet and an inlet into an upper portion of said secondary fractionator such that a first stream exiting said first heat exchanger discharges into an upper portion of the secondary fractionator via said inlet; wherein said second flow line communicates a second stream from the effluent outlet into a lower portion of the secondary fractionator; and wherein a lower portion of the secondary fractionator is disposed in fluid communication with said main fractionator, such that a stream containing fluids is communicated from the lower portion of the secondary fractionator to the main fractionator.
Morita et al (US 8,303,848), is regarded as the closest relevant prior art, Morita teaches process for separating a natural gas stream (col 4 In 51-53 - '...The GTL plant 8 is a plant for performing a GTL process to convert the raw material of the light hydrocarbon gas such as the natural gas into a liquid fuel...'; col 5 In 29- 32 - '...The vapor-liquid separator 17 is an apparatus for separating condensed components from the synthesis gas cooled in the waste heat boiler 15 and supplying a gaseous component to the CO2 remover 30...'), the process comprising: receiving an input stream into a first fractionator (col 7 In 14-16 - '...In addition, the separator 44 and the vapor-liquid separator 50 are connected to a first fractionator 71 of the upgrading section 70...'; col 10 In 28-31 - '...The FT oil 105 including the liquid component separated by the separator 44 and the liquid component separated by the vapor-liquid separator 50,is supplied to the first fractionator 71...'), wherein the input stream comprises natural gas (col 5 In 3-4 - '...The desulfurization reactor 13 is connected to a natural gas supply source 11...'; col 8 In 23-34 - '...In the upgrading section 70, naphtha 190, kerosene 192, and gas oil 194 are purified. Upgrading offgas 106 produced as a byproduct is supplied to the fuel gas drum 22. In addition, a portion of the natural gas 111 is supplied to the fuel gas drum 22 as the fuel gas. Accordingly, the fuel gas drum 22 stores the fuel gas 122 which is the mixture of the natural gas 111...This will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The natural gas (mainly containing CH4) 111 as the light hydrocarbon gas is supplied from a natural gas field...'; therefore because natural gas is a main component in upstream processes, the stream that inputs to the first fractionator is considered to have comprise natural gas), and operating the first fractionator to fractionate the input stream, thereby forming a product stream and a first vapor effluent stream (col 7 In 39-44 - '...The bottom of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the WAX fraction hydrocracking reactor 72. The center of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the kerosene/gas oil fraction hydrotreating reactor 74. The top of the first fractionator 71 is connected to the naphtha fraction hydrotreating reactor 76...'; top stream exiting the first fractionator presumably contains mostly vapor products and the middle and bottom streams contain mostly liquid products as expected from a distillation column); operating a second fractionator to form a first liquid stream and a second vapor effluent stream (col 7 In 33-37 - '...The upgrading section 70 includes, for example...a second fractionator 84...'; col 7 In 50-53 - '...The vapor-liquid separators 78 and 80 are connected to the second fractionator 84. The second fractionator 84 is connected to the naphtha stabilizer 86, a kerosene storage tank 92, and a gas oil storage tank 94...'; top stream exiting the first fractionator presumably contains mostly vapor products and the middle and bottom streams contain mostly liquid products as expected from a distillation column).
However Morita does not teach or fairly suggest the further claimed recombining and/or splitting as claimed in claims 130 and 137.
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Soldati (US 4,976,849) teaches a fractionation process for separating acid gases from hydrocarbons in a multi column distillation method. Kaufman et al (US 5,372,009) teaches separating three gaseous components in a multi column distillation method. Mehra (US 5,546,764) teaches absorption distillation of feed gas in a multi column distillation method. Amin et al (US 2012/0233920) teaches hydrocarbon sour gas separation in a multi column distillation method. Lee et al (US 2012/0277497) teaches a multi column distillation method for separating light components. Ijima (US 2015/0353454) teaches carbon dioxide separation from a gas in a multi column distillation method. Horne (US 2017/0211877) teaches hydrocarbon gas separation in a multi column distillation method.
Conclusion
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/JONATHAN MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1772