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 with traverse of Group I, claims 1-5, in the reply filed on 3/30/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that the applicant traverses this restriction requirement. This is not found persuasive because it is noted that inventions listed as Groups I-II do not relate to a single general inventive concept under PCT Rule 13.1 because, under PCT Rule 13.2, they lack the same or corresponding special technical features as set forth in pages 4-5 of the previous Office Action.
Therefore, given that the Examiner has properly established that Groups I-II lack unity as set forth in pages 4-5 of the Office Action mailed 3/30/26, it is the Examiner's position that the restriction is proper.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Molaison et al (US20080276803).
Molaison teaches a method for reducing carbon dioxide in combustion flue gases.
Molaison, paragraph 15 of the PGPUB, teaches the scrubber 130 processes the flue gas by using an ammonia-based liquid to facilitate separating CO2 from the flue gas (later described in more detail). After flue gas processing, the CO2-free flue gas is optionally discharged to the ambient air, and the CO2-rich ammonia-based liquid solution is channeled to preheater 140.
Molaison, paragraph 17 of the PGPUB, teaches the scrubber 130 operates to integrate membrane separation and ammonia-based chemical absorption technologies to capture CO2 from the flue gas. Scrubber 130 includes gas-liquid membrane contactors 170 fabricated from hydrophobic material. Membrane contactors 170 each include a surface 172, an opposing surface 174, and micro-pores 178 that extend through contactor 170 and receive flue gas during processing.
Molaison, paragraph 18 of the PGPUB, teaches because membrane contactors 170 are hydrophobic, membrane contactors 170 facilitate preventing convective liquid flow across membrane contactor 170. Based on such hydrophobic and micro-porous material characteristics, membrane contactors 170 facilitate contacting flue gas components 176 and an ammonia-based liquid without dispersion of one phase in another.
Molaison, paragraph 26 of the PGPUB, teaches a partial pressure gradient is applied within scrubber 130 to transfer CO2 mass through diffusion from a gas phase to a liquid phase by lowering a pressure of the flue gas portion that is in contact with ammonia-based liquid 182. It should be appreciated that a vacuum, inert gas, and/or other driving force can create the necessary driving force for CO2 mass transfer. By controlling pressure differences between flue gas 176 and ammonia-based liquid 182, a portion of flue gas 176 is immobilized in micro-pores 178 of membrane contactor 170 so that each gas-liquid interface 180 is located at a mouth of each micro-pore 178.
The CO2-free flue gas as taught by Molaison reads on an acidic lean stream as claimed in claim 1.
The CO2-rich ammonia-based liquid solution as taught by Molaison reads on an acidic gas rich solvent as claimed in claim 1.
Transferring CO2 mass through diffusion from a gas phase to a liquid phase as taught by Molaison reads on exchanging the acidic gas into the solvent through the fiber as claimed in claim 1.
The step of a portion of flue gas 176 is immobilized in micro-pores 178 of membrane contactor as taught by Molaison reads on passing a lean solvent in contact with an external surface of the fibers as claimed in claim 1.
Regarding claim 4, Molaison, paragraph 26 of the PGPUB, teaches the CO2-rich ammonia-based liquid is then channeled to stripper 150. Stripper 150 reduces pressure and/or increases temperature of the CO2-rich liquid to facilitate releasing CO2 from the liquid. In the exemplary embodiment, steam generator 160 produces steam to reverse the chemical reaction by heating the CO2-rich liquid to facilitate regenerating the CO2 from the liquid. The released CO2 is then compressed and/or dried for storage and/or transportation. The CO2-free ammonia-based liquid is then recycled and channeled to scrubber 130 for subsequent flue gas processing.
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.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Molaison et al (US2080276803) as applied to claim 1.
Molaison, paragraph 26 of the PGPUB, teaches by controlling pressure differences between flue gas 176 and ammonia-based liquid 182, a portion of flue gas 176 is immobilized in micro-pores 178 of membrane contactor 170 so that each gas-liquid interface 180 is located at a mouth of each micro-pore 178.
It 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 to control and watch over each step in the process to ensure maximum removal of carbon dioxide in combustion flue gases.
Molaison, paragraph 26 of the PGPUB, teaches a partial pressure gradient is applied within scrubber 130 to transfer CO2 mass through diffusion from a gas phase to a liquid phase by lowering a pressure of the flue gas portion that is in contact with ammonia-based liquid 182.
Examiner interprets that before the partial pressure gradient is applied, the gas phase has a higher pressure than the solvent pressure.
Regarding claim 3, Molaison, paragraph 18 of the PGPUB, teaches because membrane contactors 170 are hydrophobic, membrane contactors 170 facilitate preventing convective liquid flow across membrane contactor 170. Based on such hydrophobic and micro-porous material characteristics, membrane contactors 170 facilitate contacting flue gas components 176 and an ammonia-based liquid without dispersion of one phase in another.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Molaison et al (US20080276803) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of CN10795369 (English translation).
‘369, English translation, abstract, teaches the hollow fiber membrane filaments are specially woven and then filled into a module shell to form a membrane contactor.
The hollow fiber membrane in the membrane contactor can significantly improve its distribution uniformity by weaving, eliminate the adverse effects of shell-side fluid channeling, short circuit and dead zone, and can significantly strengthen the mass transfer effect of the membrane contactor. At the same time, it will not reduce the filling rate of the membrane filament, that is, the contact area of the membrane contactor. The hollow fiber membrane contactor can be used in processes such as gas absorption.
The membrane filaments used for braiding each rope are 3-10 strands, and the number of membrane strands per strand is 1-20.
The hollow fiber membrane contactor can be widely used, and in the field where it can be originally used, the performance of the hollow fiber membrane contactor can be effectively improved after the hollow fiber membrane filaments therein are braided.
It 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 for the gas-liquid membrane contactors as taught by Molaison to be braided as taught by ‘369 as ‘369 teaches the performance of the hollow fiber membrane contactor can be effectively improved after the hollow fiber membrane filaments therein are braided.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20180243682 teaches a hollow membrane contactor scrubber/stripper.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEFANIE J COHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5836. The examiner can normally be reached 10am- 6pm M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Coris Fung can be reached at (571) 270-5713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/STEFANIE J COHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 1732 5/8/26
Prosecution Insights