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 Interpretation
The claimed waste heat-driven water purification system, as recited in claim 1, is understood as not comprising a fuel and oxidant limitation. The claimed waste heat-driven water purification method, as recited in claim 11, is understood as comprising a fuel and oxidant limitation.
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.
Claims 1-20 are 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.
Claim1 is deemed indefinite. Claim 1 recites “a gas hydrate-former vessel configured to form gas hydrates from the impurity-infused water and a hydrate-forming gas” and “a gas hydrate-dissociator vessel … configured to receive the gas hydrates formed in the gas hydrate former-vessel and to dissociate the gas hydrates into purified water and the hydrate-forming gas”. The “hydrate-forming gas” limitation in each of these clauses must be separate and distinct from one another, since each is undergoing a distinct process. Claims 5-7, 11, and 15-17 are deemed indefinite for similar reasoning.
Claims 2-10 and 12-19 are also rejected by virtue of the claim dependency.
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 (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 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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 13, 14 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190039916 A1 (hereinafter US 916) in view of US 6050083 (hereinafter US 083), as evidenced by Philadelphia Gas Works Saftety Data Sheet: Liquefied Natural Gas (published June 1, 2015) (retrieved June 11, 2026).
Regarding independent claim 11, US 916 discloses a waste heat-driven water purification method for purifying impurity-infused water see US 916 figure 1; claim 1 – a system for flue gas hydrate-based desalination using LNG cold energy).
US 916 discloses a flue-gas source for the system and method (see US 916 figure 2 and paragraphs 0008, 0013-0014, 0021).
US 916 does not disclose generating energy by combusting a fuel and oxidant in an energy generation (EG) unit comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat.
US 083 discloses a system and method of producing energy/power from a gas turbine in combination with a steam turbine (see US 083 figures 1 & 6; and col 2 lines 10-19; col 4 lines 30-37; 48-50 & 51-54; col 5 line 64 – col 6 line 11). US 083 discloses that the “primary gas turbine operates in the Brayton cycle and is the energy producing prime mover, in that it produces shaft power and exhaust heat that contains energy in the Rankine Cycle range. The Brayton turbine cycle employs a compressor followed by a combustion chamber, and an air engine to produce power. … compressed air enters a combustion chamber where the temperature is increased by means of burning fuel, a hydrocarbon and preferably gas, while the pressure remains constant” (see US 083 and col 1 lines 44-55; see also US 083 figures 1 & 6). US 083 discloses the system and method also achieves a high temperature liquid heat transfer source/system (see US 083 col 4 lines 50-51; col 3 line 65 – col 4 line 15 & 50-52). US 083 discloses that waste heat from the gas turbine is transported, via a pipeline, to a heat recovery heater, and then transported, via a pipeline, to a closed circuit high temperature such that “heat is transferred into incoming cold water by means of a heat exchanger HE heat transfer medium (see US 083 col 5 lines 33-45 & figures 1 & 6). US 083 discloses that waste heat from the steam turbine is discharged from the turbine into a steam condenser, via a pipeline, and then supplied to the cooling tower water, via a pipeline (see US 083 figures 1 & 6 and col 6 lines 6-11).
US 083 is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor, i.e. an energy generating system and method and/or a system comprising a co-generating system of a gas turbine and a steam turbine.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the system and method of producing energy/power from a gas turbine with a combustion chamber for compressed air, fuel, hydrocarbons and/or gas in combination with a steam turbine, as disclosed in US 083, because it would assist with generating waste heat/flue gas, which is necessary for the system and method of US 916 and US 916 does not provide a method/system of generating waste heat. It is noted that the EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat may be generated by the gas turbine, the steam turbine or a combination of both turbines.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the system and method of producing power from a gas turbine with a combustion chamber for compressed air, fuel, hydrocarbons and/or gas in combination with a steam turbine, as disclosed in US 083, because the system and method of US 083 achieves generating energy that can be used to operate the system/method of US 916 or US 916 in view of US 083 and/or other devices or operations (US 083 discloses that a “feature of this invention is that the shaft power of the primary gas turbine is supplemented by shaft power from a secondary steam turbine also operating from said exhaust heat, thereby conserving the energy not used by said air conditioning and refrigeration processing. This conserved energy is then used in the co-generation of electrical power” (see US 083 col 2 lines 14-20).).
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose a waste heat-driven water purification method for purifying impurity-infused water, the method comprising generating energy by combusting a fuel and oxidant in an energy generation (EG) unit comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat.
US 916 in view of US 083 does not disclose producing cold water in a closed loop in a vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit, the VAC unit receiving the stream of waste heat conveyed by the heat transfer fluid from the EG unit to drive a vapor absorption chilling circuit in the VAC unit.
US 083 discloses that waste heat from the steam turbine is discharged from the turbine into a steam condenser, via a pipeline, and then supplied to the cooling tower water, via a pipeline (see US 083 figures 1, 3, 4 & 6 and col 6 lines 6-11). US 083 discloses a refrigerant enhancer-adsorbent concentrator and turbocharged adsorption chiller (see US 083 figure 3); an absorption chiller-heat pump system (see US 083 figure 4) and a Peltier freeze concentration process (see US 083 figure 5). US 083 discloses that these chillers comprise components such as a refrigerant/a steam jet refrigeration, a flash means, a high temperature high pressure concentrator/a low pressure low temperature concentrator, a condenser, an evaporator/absorber, pumps, valves, a pipeline system, and a cooling tower (see US 083 figures 1, 3, 4, & 6 col 2 line 59 – col 3 line 13; col 3 lines 30-40; col 3 line 65 – col 4 line 14; col 4 lines 16-20; line 13; col 6 line 62 – col 7 line 15; col 7 lines 15-47).
As established above, US 083 is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the refrigerant enhancer-adsorbent concentrator and turbocharged adsorption chiller (see US 083 figure 3), Peltier freeze concentration process (see US 083 figure 5) or an absorption chiller-heat pump system (see US 083 figure 4), as disclosed in US 083, to work with the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, or in place of the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, because it would assist with processing the waste heat/flue gas and/or high temperature high pressure water/steam, which will be super heated, as discloses in US 083, prior to being processed by the system/method of US 916 and/or because the chiller(s) of US 083 would assist with efficiently generating power in combination with the turbines of US 916 (see US 083 col 1 lines 23-26; col 2 lines 26-42 and col 2 line 59 – col 3 line 13; col 3 lines 25-27).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the refrigerant enhancer-adsorbent concentrator and turbocharged adsorption chiller (see US 083 figure 3), Peltier freeze concentration process (see US 083 figure 5) or an absorption chiller-heat pump system (see US 083 figure 4), as disclosed in US 083, to work with the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, or in place of the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, and reasonably expect the resulting apparatus to work as the prior art intended, i.e. regulate or cool a medium entering the chiller.
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose a waste heat-driven water purification method for purifying impurity-infused water, the method comprising generating energy by combusting a fuel and oxidant in an energy generation (EG) unit comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat; producing cold water in a closed loop in a vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit, the VAC unit receiving the stream of waste heat conveyed by the heat transfer fluid from the EG unit to drive a vapor absorption chilling circuit in the VAC unit.
US 916 in view of US 083 discloses forming gas hydrates from the impurity-infused water and a hydrate-forming gas using a gas hydrate-former vessel (see US 916 formation chamber, either 5-1, 5-2 or both, seawater, modified flue gas exiting the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber; figure 2) in a water purification unit (see US 916 figure 2; claim 1; paragraphs 0004, 0006, 0010) by cooling the impurity-infused water and the hydrate-forming gas to form the gas hydrates using a cooling element (see US 916 heat exchangers (13) figure 2; see also US 916 abstract; paragraphs 0008-0009, 0014, 0021-0022).
US 916 in view of US 083 does not disclose receiving cold water from the VAC unit in the forming gas hydrates step. That is, US 916 in view of US 083 discloses that the heat exchangers/cooling element of the gas hydrate-forming vessel(s) is in communication with the LNG (liquified natural gas) storage tank (see US 916 figures 1-2 and paragraph 0007 (US 916 discloses “said refrigerating system includes an LNG storage tank 1, gasification chamber 11 and circulating medium” and “circulating medium is a closed loop by a water-delivery pump 12 and exchanges heat with the seawater and the gas respectively before the formation by more heat exchangers 13” (see paragraph 0007).), but does not disclose receiving cold water from the VAC unit.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 by replacing the circulating medium of US 916, i.e. liquified natural gas (LNG), with the chilled/cooling water in the chiller circuit , as disclosed in US 083, because it would achieve a system and method with reduced dangers from the liquid natural gas, such as gas leaks, dangers regarding inhalation or frostbite and/or risk of fire due to the flammability of LNG, as evidenced by PGW (see PGW pages 1, 3-5, and 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify and/or substituting the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 by replacing the circulating medium of US 916, i.e. liquified natural gas (LNG), with the chilled/cooling water in the chiller circuit , as disclosed in US 083, because the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.). This substitution yields the predictable result of providing a cooling medium. This modification and/or substitution would eliminate the need for an LNG storage tank.
This modification and/or substitution would yield the cooling element of US 916 in view of US 083 to be in heat transfer communication with the cold water in the closed loop of US 916 in view of US 083.
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses dissociating the gas hydrates received from the gas hydrate-former vessel into purified water and the hydrate-forming gas by heating the gas hydrates in a gas hydrate-dissociator vessel in the water purification unit using a dissociator-heating element receiving heat from the stream of waste heat (see US 916 pipeline, CO2 tank, freshwater tank, exhausting dissociation chamber and/or heat-exchanged dissociation chamber figure 2; abstract; paragraphs 0008-0011, 0022-0023).
Regarding independent claim 1, US 916 discloses a waste heat-driven water purification system for purifying impurity-infused water (see US 916 figure 1; claim 1 – a system and method for flue gas hydrate-based desalination using LNG cold energy).
Statements in the preamble reciting the purpose or intended use of the claimed invention which do not result in a structural difference (or, in the case of process claims, manipulative difference) between the claimed invention and the prior art do not limit the claim and do not distinguish over the prior art apparatus (or process). See, e.g., In re Otto, 312 F.2d 937, 938, 136 USPQ 458, 459 (CCPA 1963); In re Sinex, 309 F.2d 488, 492, 135 USPQ 302, 305 (CCPA 1962). If a prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use as recited in the preamble, then it meets the claim. See, e.g., In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431 (Fed. Cir. 1997) and cases cited therein, as it has been held that the recitation of a new intended use for an old product does not make a claim to that old product patentable. In re Schreiber, 44 USPQ2d 1429 (Fed. Cir. 1997). See also MPEP § 2111.02, §2112.02 and 2114-2115.
US 916 discloses a flue-gas source (see US 916 figure 2 and paragraphs 0008, 0013-0014, 0021).
US 916 does not disclose the formation of flue-gas source. US 916 does not disclose an energy generation (EG) unit configured to generate energy by combustion of a fuel and oxidant and comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat.
US 083 discloses a system and method of producing energy/power from a gas turbine in combination with a steam turbine (see US 083 figures 1 & 6; and col 2 lines 10-19; col 4 lines 30-37; 48-50 & 51-54; col 5 line 64 – col 6 line 11). US 083 discloses that the “primary gas turbine operates in the Brayton cycle and is the energy producing prime mover, in that it produces shaft power and exhaust heat that contains energy in the Rankine Cycle range. The Brayton turbine cycle employs a compressor followed by a combustion chamber, and an air engine to produce power. … compressed air enters a combustion chamber where the temperature is increased by means of burning fuel, a hydrocarbon and preferably gas, while the pressure remains constant” (see US 083 and col 1 lines 44-55; see also US 083 figures 1 & 6). US 083 discloses the system and method also achieves a high temperature liquid heat transfer source/system (see US 083 col 4 lines 50-51; col 3 line 65 – col 4 line 15 & 50-52). US 083 discloses that waste heat from the gas turbine is transported, via a pipeline, to a heat recovery heater, and then transported, via a pipeline, to a closed circuit high temperature such that “heat is transferred into incoming cold water by means of a heat exchanger HE heat transfer medium (see US 083 col 5 lines 33-45 & figures 1 & 6). US 083 discloses that waste heat from the steam turbine is discharged from the turbine into a steam condenser, via a pipeline, and then supplied to the cooling tower water, via a pipeline (see US 083 figures 1 & 6 and col 6 lines 6-11).
US 083 is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor, i.e. an energy generating system and method and/or a system comprising a co-generating system of a gas turbine and a steam turbine.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the system and method of producing energy/power from a gas turbine in combination with a steam turbine, as disclosed in US 083, because it would assist with generating waste heat/flue gas, which is necessary for the system and method of US 916 and US 916 does not provide a method/system of generating waste heat. It is noted that the waste heat may be generated by the gas turbine, the steam turbine or a combination of both turbines.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the system and method of producing energy/power from a gas turbine in combination with a steam turbine, as disclosed in US 083, because the system and method of US 083 achieves generating energy that can be used to operate the system/method of US 916 and/or other devices or operations (US 083 discloses that a “feature of this invention is that the shaft power of the primary gas turbine is supplemented by shaft power from a secondary steam turbine also operating from said exhaust heat, thereby conserving the energy not used by said air conditioning and refrigeration processing. This conserved energy is then used in the co-generation of electrical power” (see US 083 col 2 lines 14-20).).
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose a waste heat-driven water purification system for purifying impurity-infused water, the system comprising an energy generation (EG) unit configured to generate energy by combustion of a fuel and oxidant and comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat.
Additionally, regarding product and apparatus claims, when the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.). Herein, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is substantially identical to the claimed energy generation (EG) unit of the present application, and therefore, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is presumed inherently capable of generating energy by combustion of a fuel and oxidant.
US 916 in view of US 083 discloses a vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit comprising a vapor absorption chilling circuit, the VAC unit being coupled to the EG unit to receive the heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of waste heat and configured to produce cold water in a closed loop with the stream of waste heat driving the vapor absorption chilling circuit (see US 916 figure 2, heat-exchanged dissociation chamber 9, pipeline connecting the flue gas source (see US 083 provides waste heat/flue gas that is the flue gas source of US 916)
Both the EG unit and the VAC unit are comprised in the same system of US 916 in view of US 083. Thus, the EG unit and the VAC unit of US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose that the two units are coupled.
The Examiner holds that the cold water in a closed loop limitation is not an element of the claimed system.
In the alternative, even if US 916 in view of US 083 does not disclose a “vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit comprising a vapor absorption chilling circuit, the VAC unit being coupled to the EG unit to receive the heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of waste heat and configured to produce cold water in a closed loop with the stream of waste heat driving the vapor absorption chilling circuit”, then this feature is nonetheless rendered obvious by US 916 in view of US 083.
US 083 discloses that waste heat from the steam turbine is discharged from the turbine into a steam condenser, via a pipeline, and then supplied to the cooling tower water, via a pipeline (see US 083 figures 1, 3, 4 & 6 and col 6 lines 6-11). US 083 discloses a refrigerant enhancer-adsorbent concentrator and turbocharged adsorption chiller (see US 083 figure 3), a Peltier freeze concentration process (see US 083 figure 5) and an absorption chiller-heat pump system (see US 083 figure 4). US 083 discloses that these chillers comprise components such as a refrigerant/a steam jet refrigeration, a flash means, a high temperature high pressure concentrator/a low pressure low temperature concentrator, a condenser, an evaporator/absorber, pumps, valves, a pipeline system, and a cooling tower (see US 083 figures 1, 3, 4, & 6 col 2 line 59 – col 3 line 13; col 3 lines 30-40; col 3 line 65 – col 4 line 14; col 4 lines 16-20; line 13; col 6 line 62 – col 7 line 15; col 7 lines 15-47).
As established above, US 083 is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 by incorporating the refrigerant enhancer-adsorbent concentrator and turbocharged adsorption chiller (see US 083 figure 3), Peltier freeze concentration process (see US 083 figure 5) or an absorption chiller-heat pump system (see US 083 figure 4), as disclosed in US 083, to work with the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, or in place of the heat-exchanged dissociation chamber (9), as disclosed in US 916, because it would assist with processing the waste heat/flue gas and/or high temperature high pressure water/steam, which will be super heated, as discloses in US 083, prior to being processed by the system/method of US 916 and/or because the chiller(s) of US 083 would assist with efficiently generating power in combination with the turbines of US 916 (see US 083 col 1 lines 23-26; col 2 lines 26-42 and col 2 line 59 – col 3 line 13; col 3 lines 25-27).
The Examiner holds that the production of cold water in a closed loop limitation is not an element of the claimed system. Nonetheless, US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose produce cold water in a closed loop (see US 083 figures 1 & 6).
Additionally, regarding product and apparatus claims, when the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.). Herein, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is substantially identical to the claimed VAC unit of the present application, and therefore, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is presumed inherently capable of receiving the heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of waste heat and producing cold water in a closed loop with the stream of waste heat driving the vapor absorption chilling circuit.
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 is deemed to disclose a waste heat-driven water purification system for purifying impurity-infused water, the system comprising an energy generation (EG) unit configured to generate energy by combustion of a fuel and oxidant and comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat and a vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit comprising a vapor absorption chilling circuit, the VAC unit being coupled to the EG unit to receive the heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of waste heat and configured to produce cold water in a closed loop with the stream of waste heat driving the vapor absorption chilling circuit.
US 916 in view of US 083 discloses a water purification unit (see US 916 figure 2; claim 1; paragraphs 0004, 0006, 0010) comprising a gas hydrate-former vessel (see US 916 formation chamber, either 5-1, 5-2 or both; figure 2) configured to form gas hydrates from the impurity-infused water and a hydrate-forming gas by cooling the impurity-infused water and the hydrate-forming gas with a cooling element (see US 916 heat exchangers (13) figure 2; see also US 916 abstract; paragraphs 0008-0009, 0014, 0021-0022); and a gas hydrate-dissociator vessel (see US 916 exhausting dissociation chamber and/or heat-exchanged dissociation chamber figure 2) comprising a gas hydrate input (see US 916 figure 2 with a portion of pipeline that is in fluid communication with each of the chambers, which is deemed an input) configured to receive the gas hydrates formed in the gas hydrate former-vessel and to dissociate the gas hydrates into purified water and the hydrate-forming gas by heating the gas hydrates with a dissociator-heating element in heat transfer communication with the stream of waste heat (see US 916 exhausting dissociation chamber and/or heat-exchanged dissociation chamber figure 2; abstract; paragraphs 0008-0011, 0022-0023).
Additionally, regarding product and apparatus claims, when the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.). Herein, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is substantially identical to the claimed a) gas hydrate-former vessel and b) gas hydrate-dissociator vessel of the present application, and therefore, the structure of US 916 in view of US 083 is presumed inherently capable of a) form gas hydrates from the impurity-infused water and a hydrate-forming gas by cooling the impurity-infused water and the hydrate-forming gas with a cooling element and b) receiving the gas hydrates formed in the gas hydrate former-vessel and to dissociate the gas hydrates into purified water and the hydrate-forming gas.
US 916 in view of US 083 discloses that the heat exchangers/cooling element of the gas hydrate-forming vessel(s) is in communication with the LNG (liquified natural gas) storage tank (see US 916 figures 1-2 and paragraph 0007 (US 916 discloses “said refrigerating system includes an LNG storage tank 1, gasification chamber 11 and circulating medium” and “circulating medium is a closed loop by a water-delivery pump 12 and exchanges heat with the seawater and the gas respectively before the formation by more heat exchangers 13” (see paragraph 0007).).
US 916 in view of US 083 does not disclose the cooling element is in heat transfer communication with the cold water in the closed loop.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 by replacing the circulating medium of US 916, i.e. liquified natural gas (LNG), with the chilled/cooling water in the chiller circuit , as disclosed in US 083, because it would achieve a system and method with reduced dangers from the liquid natural gas, such as gas leaks, dangers regarding inhalation or frostbite and/or risk of fire due to the flammability of LNG, as evidenced by PGW (see PGW pages 1, 3-5, and 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify and/or substituting the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 by replacing the circulating medium of US 916, i.e. liquified natural gas (LNG), with the chilled/cooling water in the chiller circuit , as disclosed in US 083, because the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.). This substitution yields the predictable result of providing a cooling medium. This modification and/or substitution would eliminate the need for an LNG storage tank.
This modification and/or substitution would yield the cooling element of US 916 in view of US 083 to be in heat transfer communication with the cold water in the closed loop of US 916 in view of US 083.
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, is deemed to disclose a waste heat-driven water purification system for purifying impurity-infused water, the system comprising an energy generation (EG) unit configured to generate energy by combustion of a fuel and oxidant and comprising an EG heat transfer fluid conveying a stream of a waste heat; a vapor absorption chiller (VAC) unit comprising a vapor absorption chilling circuit, the VAC unit being coupled to the EG unit to receive the heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of waste heat and configured to produce cold water in a closed loop with the stream of waste heat driving the vapor absorption chilling circuit; and a water purification unit comprising a gas hydrate-former vessel configured to form gas hydrates from the impurity-infused water and a hydrate-forming gas by cooling the impurity-infused water and the hydrate-forming gas with a cooling element, wherein the cooling element is in heat transfer communication with the cold water in the closed loop; and a gas hydrate-dissociator vessel comprising a gas hydrate input configured to receive the gas hydrates formed in the gas hydrate former-vessel and to dissociate the gas hydrates into purified water and the hydrate-forming gas by heating the gas hydrates with a dissociator-heating element in heat transfer communication with the stream of waste heat.
Regarding claim 3, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the EG unit is implemented as a combined cycle power plant having a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) configured to produce steam at a pressure as the EG heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of a waste heat (see US 083 figures 1 & 6, heat recovery heater (HRH), line (18), steam generator (SG) col 5 lines 33-44 & 60-64; col 6 lines 12-19).
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose pressure in a range of 0.5 to 10 bar. “it is noted that neither the manner of operating a disclosed device nor material or article worked upon further limit an apparatus claim. Said limitations do not differentiate apparatus claims from prior art. See MPEP § 2114 and 2115. See Ex parte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App & Inter. 1987) that states a “recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus” if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.”
Regarding claim 13, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses producing steam at a pressure as the EG heat transfer fluid conveying the stream of a waste heat from the EG unit, wherein the EG unit is implemented as a combined cycle power plant having a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) configured to produce the steam (see rejection of claim 3).
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the “steam turbine ST is operated by super heated steam for example at 750° F. and 650 p.s.i. generated by the steam generator STG that received super heated heat transfer media from the heat recovery heater HRH” (see US 083 col 6 lines 12-16). US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose producing steam at a pressure in a range of 0.5 to 10 bar.
However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the pressure of the steam turbine of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, to be 0.5 to 10 bar because it would assist with controlling the operability of the turbine and/or because it would assist with controlling the temperature of the steam generated and/or because it would assist with generating steam having a lower temperature that would not damage the system of US 916.
Regarding claim 4, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses a separator configured to receive the gas hydrates, an impurity solution, and extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates from the gas hydrate-former vessel and to separate those received components into individual streams of the formed gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates; the separator comprising a gas hydrate output for discharging the formed gas hydrates, an impurity output for discharging the impurity solution, and an extra hydrate-forming gas output for discharging the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates (see US 916 separation chambers, pipelines and valves figure 2; and paragraphs 0008, 0009, 0011).
In the alternative, if US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a single separator, wherein the separator is configured to receive the gas hydrates, an impurity solution, and extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates from the gas hydrate-former vessel and to separate those received components into individual streams of the formed gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates; the separator comprising a gas hydrate output for discharging the formed gas hydrates, an impurity output for discharging the impurity solution, and an extra hydrate-forming gas output for discharging the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates, then this feature is nonetheless rendered obvious by US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the liquid separation chamber (7) of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, to be a gas-liquid separation chamber, which would be the combination of the gas separation chamber and the liquid separation chamber of US 916,
Regarding claim 14, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 11. US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses separating the gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates received from the gas hydrate-forming vessel into individual streams of the gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates using a separator, the separator being configured to discharge the individual streams (see US 916 separation chambers, pipelines and valves figure 2; and paragraphs 0008, 0009, 0011; see rejection of claim 4).
Regarding claim 8, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Regarding claim 18, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 11.
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the impurity-infused water comprises a salt-infused water, as recited in claim 8 and claim 18 (see US 916 abstract, figure 2 and claim 1).
Claims 2, 10, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190039916 A1 (hereinafter US 916) in view of US 6050083 (hereinafter US 083), as evidenced by Philadelphia Gas Works Saftety Data Sheet: Liquefied Natural Gas (published June 1, 2015) (retrieved June 11, 2026). as applied to claim 1 and claim 11 above, and further in view of US 5600967 A (hereinafter US 967).
Regarding claim 2, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Regarding claim 12, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 11.
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses a generator coupled to the stream of waste heat conveyed by the EG heat transfer fluid, the generator being configured to heat a VAC working fluid comprising a refrigerant and an absorbent to evaporate the refrigerant to produce refrigerant vapor, as recited in claim 2; and discloses heating a VAC working fluid comprising a refrigerant and an absorbent in a generator in the VAC unit to evaporate the refrigerant to produce refrigerant vapor using the stream of waste heat conveyed by the EG heat transfer fluid, as recited in claim 12 (see US 083 high temperature high pressure concentrator HPC and/or low pressure low temperature concentrator LPC figures 1 & 3 col 6 line 62 – col 7 line 14).
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a condenser coupled to the generator, the condenser being configured to condense the refrigerant vapor using a cooling fluid to produce liquid refrigerant; an evaporator coupled to the condenser, the evaporator being configured to receive the liquid refrigerant and to cool water in the closed loop by evaporating the liquid refrigerant to provide evaporated refrigerant; and an absorber coupled to the evaporator, the absorber being configured to absorb the evaporated refrigerant with the absorbent to provide the VAC working fluid, as recited in claim 2.
US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose condensing the refrigerant vapor in a condenser using a cooling fluid to produce liquid refrigerant; cooling water in a closed circuit by evaporating the liquid refrigerant in an evaporator to provide evaporated refrigerant; and absorbing the evaporated refrigerant with the absorbent in an absorber to provide the VAC working fluid, as recited in claim 12.
US 083 discloses that the first utilitarian processing system being combined with the hybrid power system is the refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator and turbo-charged absorption chiller, which is the subject matter of copending application US 08/427852, which is US 967(see US 083 col 2 lines 25-58 & col 6 line 62- col 7 line 15 and figure 3).
US 967 discloses a system and method for reconcentrating an absorbent solution of environmentally acceptable water refrigerant in an aqueous salt solution with Lithium-Bromide (see US 967 abstract; col 1 lines 5-10; claims 1-2, 13, 25 & 37 and figures 1-4 & 6-9). US 967 discloses that the system and method achieves increase the efficiency of the absorption process (see US 967 col 1 lines 10-14) and “to increase the volume of water refrigerant applied to the system water evaporator, and to simultaneously strengthen the absorbent salt solution applied to the absorber that shares enclosure space with said water system evaporator” (see US 967 col 2 lines 33-37). US 967 discloses the closed loop system comprises a refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator with the absorption chiller that comprises
at least one concentrator to which heat is applied to vaporize a water refrigerant and to concentrate an absorbent solution of said water refrigerant and absorbent material
a condenser for cooling and liquefying said vaporized water refrigerant
an evaporator for chilling said water refrigerant by means of evaporation, there being a heat-in coil from warmer system water that is chilled therein and which discharges heat to vaporize said water refrigerant
an absorber for condensing the vaporized water refrigerant and for its absorption into the absorbent solution, there being a heat-out coil to pick up and discharge the heat of vaporization and the heat of dilution and
means returning the absorbent solution to the at least one concentrator for recycling through said closed system
(numbering added) (see US 967 claim 1; see also US 967 figures 1-4 and col 5 lines 56-63 (US 967 discloses “a first stage concentrator C1, a second stage concentrator C2, and an evaporator E and absorber A for transfering heat from system water into cooling tower water for discharge to outside atmosphere” (see US 967 col 5 lines 56-63).). US 967 discloses the refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator comprises “an evaporator means for vaporizing water refrigerant from the absorbent solution of water refrigerant and sorbent material from said at least one concentrator and for strengthening the absorbent solution discharged into the absorber of the closed system for additional absorption of water vapor therein, a vapor compressor means for pressurizing refrigerant vapor from the evaporator means, and condenser means for liquifying the water refrigerant vapor pressurized by the vapor compressor means for discharge of additional water refrigerant into the first mentioned evaporator of the closed system, whereby the chilling effect applied to the system water is increased” (see US 967 claim 1).
US 967 is disclosed in US 083, as illustrated in figure 3. Thus, US 083 being analogous must mean US 967 is also considered to be analogous to the claimed invention. Further, US 967 is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor, i.e. chiller system/vapor absorption chiller.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the VAC unit of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, with the closed loop absorption chiller with a refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator, as disclosed in US 967, because it would increase the efficiency of the absorption process and/or because it would increase the volume of water refrigerant applied to the system water evaporator and to simultaneously strengthen the absorbent salt solution applied to the absorber.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the VAC unit of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, with the closed loop absorption chiller with a refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator, as disclosed in US 967, because US 083 discloses the closed absorption chiller and US 083 discloses that the specifics of the chiller are presented in US 967.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the VAC unit of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, with the closed loop absorption chiller with a refrigerant enhancer-absorbent concentrator, as disclosed in US 967, and reasonably expect the resulting apparatus to work as the prior art intended, i.e. modify temperature of fluid through a system.
It is noted that the system of US 967 comprises an evaporator and an evaporator means; a condenser and a condenser means; and absorbent solution, an absorber, and absorbent material. It is noted that all of these elements are deemed to be coupled to one another since they are within the same system.
Regarding claim 10, US 916 in view of US 083 and US 967, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 2. Regarding claim 20, US 916 in view of US 083 and US 967, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 12.
US 916 in view of US 083 and US 967, as evidenced by PGW, discloses refrigerant comprises water and the absorbent comprises lithium-bromide (see US 083 col 2 lines 48-50; see US 967 col 3 lines 41-46 and claims 2-3).
Claims 4, 5, 9, 14, 15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190039916 A1 (hereinafter US 916) in view of US 6050083 (hereinafter US 083), as evidenced by Philadelphia Gas Works Saftety Data Sheet: Liquefied Natural Gas (published June 1, 2015) (retrieved June 11, 2026). as applied to claim 1 and claim 11 above, and further in view of He, T., Nair, S.K., Babu, P., Linga, P. and Karimi, I.A., 2018. A novel conceptual design of hydrate based desalination (HyDesal) process by utilizing LNG cold energy. Applied energy, 222, pp.13-24 (hereinafter He).
Regarding claim 4, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a separator configured to receive the gas hydrates, an impurity solution, and extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates from the gas hydrate-former vessel and to separate those received components into individual streams of the formed gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates; the separator comprising a gas hydrate output for discharging the formed gas hydrates, an impurity output for discharging the impurity solution, and an extra hydrate-forming gas output for discharging the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates
He discloses a system and method for a clathrate hydrate based desalination (HyDesal) process by utilizing LNG cold energy (ColdEn-HyDesal) (see He abstract). He discloses that the system achieves a reduced energy consumption and uses waste energy to produce potable water (see He page 14 right column last full paragraph). He discloses that the system comprises several heat exchangers, at least one separator, at least three compressors, a hydrate reactor with a hydrate cooling element/cooling loop, a hydrate dissociator, an liquified natural gas (LNG) cooling element/cooling loop or a refrigerant or chiller apparatus/cooling loop (see He figures 4, 5, 8, 9). Figure 4 of He illustrates that the
product of the hydrate formation reactor is a mixture of hydrate, brine and rest of the hydrate former. The mixture product enters a three-phase separator to separate the hydrate, brine and hydrate former. The hydrate is dissociated into pure water and hydrate former in the dissociation reactor which is heated by another stream of seawater with a pressure of 200 kPa. The hydrate former from the dissociation reactor mixed with that from the three-phase separator is used to precool the hydrate former feed in HEX-6. The brine and pure water are still lower than the ambient temperature and are not suitable for discharging into the sea and delivering to the customer. Thus, the brine is used to precool the seawater in HEX-5 and its temperature increases to 288.15 K. The pure water is heated to 288.15 K in HEX-4 by the seawater.
(see He page 16 right column, first full paragraph of section 3.1; see also figures 5, 8 and 9).
He is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor, i.e. generating pure or potable water from a system comprising a hydrate-former vessel and a hydrate-dissociator vessel.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator of He because it would assist with separating the mixture of hydrate, brine and rest of the hydrate former that is produced by the gas hydrate-former vessel of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator of He and reasonably expect the resulting apparatus to work as the prior art intended, i.e. separate the mixture.
Regarding claim 14, US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 11. US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose separating the gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates received from the gas hydrate-forming vessel into individual streams of the gas hydrates, the impurity solution, and the extra hydrate-forming gas not used in forming the gas hydrates using a separator, the separator being configured to discharge the individual streams.
The disclosure of He is presented above. As established above, He is analogous prior art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator of He because it would assist with separating the mixture of hydrate, brine and rest of the hydrate former that is produced by the gas hydrate-former vessel of US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator of He and reasonably expect the resulting apparatus to work as the prior art intended, i.e. separate the mixture.
Regarding claim 5, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 4. Regarding claim 15, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 14.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a first heat exchanger having a first side that receives the purified water discharged from the gas hydrate-dissociator vessel and a second side that receives the impurity-infused water from a supply of impurity infused water; a second heat exchanger having a first side that receives the impurity solution discharged by the separator and a second side that receives the impurity-infused water from the supply of impurity infused water; a third heat exchanger having a first side that receives the cold water from the closed loop and a second side that receives the impurity-infused water from the supply of impurity infused water; and a fourth heat exchanger having a first side that receives the cold water from the closed loop and a second side that receives the hydrate-forming gas from the gas hydrate-dissociator vessel, as recited in claim 5.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose cooling the impurity-infused water from a supply of impurity-infused water using a first heat exchanger wherein a first side of the first heat exchanger receives the purified water discharged from the gas hydrate-dissociator vessel and a second side of the first heat exchanger receives the impurity-infused water; cooling the impurity-infused water from the supply of impurity-infused water using a second heat exchanger wherein a first side of the second heat exchanger receives the impurity solution discharged by the separator and a second side of the second heat exchanger receives the impurity-infused water; cooling the impurity-infused water from the supply of impurity-infused water using a third heat exchanger wherein a first side of the third heat exchanger receives the cooled water in the closed loop and a second side of the third heat exchanger receives the impurity-infused water; and cooling the hydrate-forming gas discharged from the gas hydrate-dissociator vessel and the separator using a fourth heat exchanger wherein a first side of the fourth heat exchanger receives the cold water in the closed loop and a second side of the fourth heat exchanger receives the hydrate-forming gas from the gas hydrate-dissociator vessel and the separator, as recited in claim 15.
US 916 discloses several heat exchangers in the system for modifying or exchanging heat between sea water, gas or purified/treated water. US 083 discloses at least one heat exchanger (HX) and several heat exchanger HX coils (see US 083 figures 1 & 6). He discloses several heat exchangers (HEX-#) present in the HyDesal/ColdEn-HyDesal process (see He figures 4, 5, 8 and 9). He discloses that the heat exchanger(s) modify temperature between purified water from the dissociator and seawater, between brine solution from the separator and seawater, between seawater and LNG or refrigerant and between hydrate former (HF) and LNG or refrigerant (see He figures 4, 5, 8 and 9). He discloses that a mathematical optimization design is used to achieve an optimal heat exchanger network (see He page 18 first full paragraph of section 3.2; see also He figures 4, 5, 8 and 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating heat exchanger network, as disclosed in He, since both US 916 and US 083 discloses using heat exchangers but does not provide guidance on the various points within a system comprising both the system for flue - gas hydrate - based desalination, as disclosed in US 916, and a fueled refrigeration and generating system, as disclosed in US 083, both of which are illustrated in the system of He.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating heat exchanger network, as disclosed in He, because it would assist with controlling the temperature of various mediums flowing through the system.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating heat exchanger network, as disclosed in He, because it would assist with optimizing the design/heat exchanger network within the system.
Regarding claim 9, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Regarding claim 19, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 1.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses a water pump coupled to the closed loop of cold water and configured to circulate the cold water, as recited in claim 9, and discloses circulating the cold water in the closed loop of cold water using a water pump coupled to the closed loop of cold water, as recited in claim 19 (see rejection of claim 1; see US 083 figures 1 & 6, pump 19).
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose circulating cold water at a pressure of at least 0.5 bar. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to control the pressure of the water pump in the method and system of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, because it would assist with controlling the flow of water through the closed loop/chiller system.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose the closed loop of cold water is coupled to the cooling element of the gas hydrate-former vessel, a hydrate-forming gas cooler configured to cool the hydrate-forming gas circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, and an impurity-infused water pre-cooler configured to cool the impurity-infused water circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 9, and does not disclose the closed loop of cold water is coupled to a cooling element of the gas hydrate-former vessel, a hydrate-forming gas cooler configured to cool the hydrate-forming gas circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, and an impurity-infused water pre-cooler configured to cool the impurity-infused water circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 19.
He discloses the hydrate formation reactor comprises a cooling element, wherein a coolant is used to remove reaction heat/heat from the reactor (see He figures 3-5, 8 and 9; page 17 left column 1st full paragraph; and page 18 section 3.2 third & sixth paragraphs). The coolant is processed through a closed loop system, which includes a heat exchanger (HEX) that exchanges heat with the refrigerant/LNG (see He figures 3-5, 8 and 9; page 17 left column 1st full paragraph; and page 18 section 3.2 third & sixth paragraphs).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the formation chamber (5-1 and/or 5-2) of the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the coolant/closed loop/cooling element of the hydrate formation reactor in combination with a heat exchanger for a refrigerant/LNG cooling loop, as disclosed in He, because it would assist with removing reaction heat/heat from the reactor and/or because it would assist with controlling the temperature of the reactor.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, to use the cold water in the closed loop of the VAC unit of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, as the cooling medium in the heat exchanger of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW.
Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, is deemed to disclose a water pump coupled to the closed loop of cold water and configured to circulate the cold water at a pressure of at least 0.5 bar, wherein the closed loop of cold water is coupled to the cooling element of the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 9. Hence, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, is deemed to disclose circulating the cold water in the closed loop of cold water at a pressure of at least 0.5 bar using a water pump coupled to the closed loop of cold water, wherein the closed loop of cold water is coupled to a cooling element of the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 19.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses a hydrate-forming gas cooler configured to cool the hydrate-forming gas circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, and an impurity-infused water pre-cooler configured to cool the impurity-infused water circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 9, and discloses a hydrate-forming gas cooler configured to cool the hydrate-forming gas circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, and an impurity-infused water pre-cooler configured to cool the impurity-infused water circulating towards the gas hydrate-former vessel, as recited in claim 19 (see rejection of claims 5 and 15; see He figures 8 and 9).
Claims 6, 7, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20190039916 A1 (hereinafter US 916) in view of US 6050083 (hereinafter US 083), as evidenced by Philadelphia Gas Works Saftety Data Sheet: Liquefied Natural Gas (published June 1, 2015) (retrieved June 11, 2026). as applied to claim 5 and claim 15 above, and further in view of https://www.wittgas.com/us/consulting-service/white-papers/gas-mixers-gas-blenders/ (hereinafter WITT) (published November 20, 2015; retrieved June 16, 2026).
Regarding claim 6, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 5. Regarding claim 16, US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 15.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, discloses hydrate-forming gas output of the gas hydrate dissociator vessel and the extra hydrate-forming gas output of the separator come together (see US 916 figure 1 and He figures 8 and 9).
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a mixer vessel having a first hydrate-forming gas input coupled to the hydrate-forming gas output of the gas hydrate dissociator vessel and a second hydrate-forming gas input coupled to the extra hydrate-forming gas output of the separator, the mixer vessel comprising a volume to mix and equalize pressure of the two inputs of hydrate-forming gas, the mixer vessel comprising an output discharging the hydrate-forming gas from the volume, as recited in claim 6, and does not disclose mixing a hydrate-forming gas received from the hydrate-dissociator vessel and the extra hydrate-forming gas received from the separator in a mixer vessel to provide hydrate-forming gas having equalized pressure, as recited in claim 16.
WITT discloses gas mixers/gas blenders for a device for mixing two or more gases together homogeneously (see WITT page 1). WITT discloses gas mixers/gas blenders allow for flexibility in mixing ratio and/or gas volumes (see WITT page 1).
WITT is considered to be analogous to the claimed invention. “[a] reference is analogous art to the claimed invention if: (1) the reference is from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention (even if it addresses a different problem); or (2) the reference is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor (even if it is not in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention). See Bigio, 381 F.3d at 1325, 72 USPQ2d at 1212.” See MPEP 2141.01(a). WITT is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor, i.e. using gas/gas hydrates to generate potable water (see Applicant’s specification, paragraph 0002).), because WITT is directed towards a machine, i.e. gas mixer, that is used to process gas.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method and system of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating a gas mixer/gas blender, as disclosed in WITT, along with the valve system and pipeline of US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, because it would assist with generating a homogenous hydrate forming gas output that can be recycled or used in another process.
Regarding claim 7, US 916 in view of US 083, He and WITT, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 6. Regarding claim 17, US 916 in view of US 083 He and WITT, as evidenced by PGW, discloses the invention as discussed above in claim 16.
US 916 in view of US 083 and He, as evidenced by PGW, does not disclose a hydrate-forming gas compressor configured to compress hydrate-forming gas, the hydrate-forming gas compressor having a hydrate-forming gas input coupled to the output of the mixer vessel and an output coupled to the second side of the fourth heat exchanger, as recited in claim 7, and does not disclose compressing the hydrate-forming gas having equalized pressure using a compressor to provide compressed hydrate-forming gas to the second side of the fourth heat exchanger, as recited in claim 17.
As established above in rejection of claim 4, He discloses the system comprises at least three compressors, one of which would receive the hydrate-forming gas (HF5/HF6, which is a mixture of HF3 and HF4), from the second separator (see He figures 8 and 9). He discloses that a separator (S-2), a throttle valve (V-1) and compressor (C-1/C-3) are incorporated with the process comprising hydrate former recycling (see He figures 8 and 9 and sections 4.1-4.2/pages 19-21). He discloses that the recycling of hydrate forming gas, which would include the use of a separator (S-2), a throttle valve (V-1) and compressor (C-1/C-3) assist in achieving “the feed flow rate of hydrate former and seawater can be increased for a higher recovery pressure. Thus, the volumetric flow rate of pure water increases with the increase of the hydrate former and seawater flow rate at the same hydrate formation conversion” (see He section 5 page 22, left column last paragraph).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083, He and WITT, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator (S-2), a throttle valve (V-1) and compressor (C-1/C-3), as disclosed in He, because it would assist with recycling the hydrate forming gas and/or because the recycling the hydrate forming gas will assist with reducing cost and/or materials for operating the system and/or because the compressor/throttle valve/separator will assist with regulating the flow of gas through the system.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system and method of US 916 in view of US 083, He and WITT, as evidenced by PGW, by incorporating the separator (S-2), a throttle valve (V-1) and compressor (C-1/C-3), as disclosed in He, and reasonably expect the resulting apparatus to work as the prior art intended, i.e. regulate pressure and/or flow of gas.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BERNADETTE K MCGANN whose telephone number is (571)272-5367. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 am -3:30 pm (EST).
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, Ben Lebron can be reached on 571-272-0475. 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.
/BERNADETTE KAREN MCGANN/Examiner, Art Unit 1773
/BENJAMIN L LEBRON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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