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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/23/2025 has been entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Republic of Poland on 03/13/2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the PLP.447993 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claims 10, 14-15, 17-18 and 20 are currently being examined.
Claim Objections
Claims 18 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 18: in line 2, “wherein the controller” should read as – wherein a [[the]] controller --.
Claim 20: in line 4, “the controller” should read as -- a [[the]] controller --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 10, 14, 17-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hershkowitz et al. 20110000671 in view of Rodwell 20100186367 and Vorel et al. 20160186658.
Regarding independent claim 10, Hershkowitz teaches a power generation system (Fig. 7, [0074] describes Fig. 7 as showing an integrated system for low emission power generation and hydrocarbon recovery) comprising:
a gas turbine engine (704 Fig. 7 ([0074] describes Fig. 7 is best understood with reference to Figs. 4-5, [0054] describes Fig. 5 includes gas turbine 404 of Fig. 4 which includes integrated air compressor 514a, combustor 514b and expander 514c, [0075] describes gas turbine unit 704) comprising:
a compressor section (514a, [0075] describes compressor integrated in gas turbine 704) comprising an inlet (514a necessarily has an inlet for receiving air stream 710b which is compressed by integrated compressor 514a as described in [0075]);
a combustor section (514b Fig. 5) downstream from the compressor section (514b is downstream of 514a in Fig. 5); and
a turbine section (expander 514c, i.e., turbine section, in Fig. 5) downstream from the combustor section (514c is downstream of 514b in Fig. 5), the turbine section discharging an exhaust gas therefrom during operation ([0075] describes gas turbine 704 generates power 736 and a gaseous exhaust stream 722, i.e., an exhaust gas);
an air separation unit (711 Fig. 7 [0075]) for separating ambient air to produce a diluent and oxygen ([0075] describes air separation unit 711 is configured to generate a substantially nitrogen stream 712, i.e., a diluent, and a substantially oxygen stream 713; [0075] describes some nitrogen may be utilized to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 via line 712'' shown in Fig. 7);
a fuel reformer (702 Fig. 7, [0074] describes a reactor unit 702, i.e., fuel reformer, configured to utilize the substantially oxygen stream 713, a hydrocarbon fuel stream 706 and a steam stream 708 to produce a carbon dioxide stream 716 and a hydrogen stream 720) in fluid communication with the air separation unit for receiving the oxygen (as shown in Fig. 7 by flow arrow for oxygen stream 713, 702 is in fluid communication with 711 for receiving oxygen stream 713 from 711) and delivering fuel (hydrogen stream 720 flows from 702 as shown by flow arrow of 720 to gas turbine 704 in Fig. 7 and per [0074] which describes gas turbine 704 utilizing air stream 710b and the hydrogen stream 720 to generate power 736 and a gaseous exhaust stream 722) to the combustor section (as shown in Fig. 7, flow arrow 720 flows from 702 to gas turbine 704 and in Fig. 5 flow arrow 420 which is a flow containing hydrogen flows to combustor section 514b which is described in [0054] as stream 420 may then be mixed and combusted, in combustor 514b, with the high pressure air from integrated compressor 514a to form combustion products stream 520, which may then be expanded via expander 514c; similarly in Fig. 8 flow arrow 720 of hydrogen flows to combustor 814b);
an exhaust gas reclaimer system (726 Fig. 7; as discussed above in claim 10, gaseous exhaust stream 722 from 704 is directed to heat recovery unit 726 per [0075]) downstream of the turbine section (726 is downstream of gas turbine 704 in Fig. 7 and 704 includes turbine section as discussed above in claim 10), wherein the exhaust gas reclaimer system is configured to recirculate a portion of the exhaust gas (as shown in Fig. 7, a portion 730’ of exhaust stream 730 downstream of 726 is recirculated to be added to air stream 710b which is directed into compressor integrated into gas turbine 704);
wherein the diluent, the ambient air, and the exhaust gas are compressed together by the compressor section before being routed downstream into the combustor section (as shown in Fig. 7, a nitrogen stream is supplied via line 712” to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 and cooled exhaust stream 730’ is also directed to air stream 710b and per [0075] air stream 710b may be compressed by the compressor integrated into the gas turbine 704; when nitrogen stream is supplied via 712” and via cooled exhaust stream 730’ comprising nitrogen to dilute air stream 710b coming into compressor integrated into the gas turbine 704, both the nitrogen diluent, the ambient air stream and cooled exhaust stream are compressed together by the compressor section which is upstream of the combustor section as shown in Fig. 5);
a diluent supply system (in Fig. 7 a diluent system is shown by diluents and components producing and/or receiving diluents such as nitrogen streams 712, 712’, 712” produced by 711, pressure maintenance reservoir 714, and cooled exhaust gas 730, 730’, 730” from heat recovery unit 726 which receives gaseous exhaust stream 722 from gas turbine 704 per [0075]; [0074] describes nitrogen stream 712 may be utilized to dilute, i.e., is a diluent for, the hydrogen stream 720 via line 712', and [0075] describes some nitrogen may be utilized to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 via line 712'', cooled exhaust gas 730 from 726 is recirculated to air stream 710b as 730’ or directed to 714 as 730” per [0052] which describes cooled exhaust stream 430 in Fig. 4 comprises nitrogen and [0053] describes nitrogen may be redirected to the air stream 410b for use as a diluent in the gas power turbine or sent to the pressure maintenance reservoir 414 via line 430''), in fluid communication with the air separation unit (as shown in Fig. 7, nitrogen stream 712 flows from 711 to become diluent nitrogen streams 712’, 712”).
Hershkowitz is silent regarding a manifold including an inlet for receiving both the exhaust gas and the diluent and a plurality of outlets for distributing the diluent and exhaust gas into the compressor section; and a flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold; and a controller communicatively coupled to the flow control device to control a relative amount of the diluent and the exhaust gas delivered to the manifold.
Rodwell teaches a power plant in Fig. 1 including a gas turbine engine 20 which includes a compressor section 30. Rodwell teaches a manifold (61 Fig. 1 para. 0016) including an inlet for receiving diluent (manifold 61 necessarily requires an inlet for receiving diluent nitrogen) and a plurality of outlets (a manifold by definition has several, i.e., a plurality of, outlets per Merriam-Webster online dictionary) for distributing diluent into the compressor section (61 delivers diluent nitrogen into inlet 60 upstream of 30 in Fig. 1). Per para. 0016 such a distribution manifold 61 could serve as a device or system by which the delivered nitrogen enters the filter housing 60 and, in addition, could be embodied in parts that serve to support anti-icing filters, coalescing filters, vane separators or some other similar devices, which may already be installed in filter housings of operational power plants.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the invention of Hershkowitz a manifold including an inlet for receiving both the exhaust gas and the diluent and a plurality of outlets for distributing the diluent and exhaust gas into the compressor section as taught by Rodwell as a means of introducing the diluent combined with the cooled exhaust gas stream of Hershkowitz with little or no additional parts and without significant modifications to the operational power plant (Rodwell para. 0016).
Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell is silent regarding a flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold; and a controller communicatively coupled to the flow control device to control a relative amount of the diluent and the exhaust gas delivered to the manifold.
Vorel teaches one or more flow control devices ([0041] describes control system 100 which includes controller 118 in Figs. 2 and 5 communicatively coupled with sensors and control devices including valves; [0042] describes control system 100 communicatively coupled to many sensors to obtain sensor feedback 130 for use in execution of various controls, such as lambda sensor 332 positioned on or near section 314 which is a diluent provider per [0071] and provides conduits for diluents 316 to be delivered into compressor section 152 per [0069] of gas turbine 52 in Fig. 5 and per [0070] the section 314, and the systems 318, 320 may be referred to as diluents providers, and the fluid they provide may correspond to a diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D.) for controlling a flow parameter of diluent (per [0072] control system 100 may receive signals from the lambda sensors 330 and 332, representative of exhaust and diluent compositions respectively, and then apply mass-mass stochiometric equations to determine the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB which may then be used for control of the ultra-low emission technology ULET plant such as by adjusting flow rate of diluent 316, and per [0073] the ARES model 334 may provide estimated cycle parameters 336 that may include a predicted exhaust mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.E, a predicted diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D, as well as predicted pressures, speeds, flow rates, temperatures, and so on, for the various systems of the SEGR gas turbine system 52, e.g., compressor section 152, combustor(s) 160, turbine section 156, and so on and control system 100 may then apply the estimated cycle parameters 336 along with the diluent 332 and exhaust 330 lambda sensors data in the mass-mass stoichiometric equations to estimate the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB for use in feedback control, and the combustion equivalence ratio controller can then make use of this feedback for accurate and timely adjustment of fuel 70, oxidant 68, and so on to maintain stoichiometric combustion); and
a controller (control system 100 which includes controller 118) communicatively coupled to the flow control device ([0041] describes control system 100 which includes controller 118 in Figs. 2 and 5 communicatively coupled with sensors and control devices including valves) to control a relative amount of the diluent and the exhaust gas (per [0072] control system 100 may receive signals from the lambda sensors 330 and 332, representative of exhaust and diluent compositions respectively, and then apply mass-mass stochiometric equations to determine the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB which may then be used for control of the ultra-low emission technology ULET plant such as by adjusting flow rate of diluent 316, and per [0073] the ARES model 334 may provide estimated cycle parameters 336 that may include a predicted exhaust mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.E, a predicted diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D, as well as predicted pressures, speeds, flow rates, temperatures, and so on, for the various systems of the SEGR gas turbine system 52, e.g., compressor section 152, combustor(s) 160, turbine section 156, and so on and control system 100 may then apply the estimated cycle parameters 336 along with the diluent 332 and exhaust 330 lambda sensors data in the mass-mass stoichiometric equations to estimate the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB for use in feedback control, and the combustion equivalence ratio controller can then make use of this feedback for accurate and timely adjustment of fuel 70, oxidant 68, and so on to maintain stoichiometric combustion).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell to include a flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold; and a controller communicatively coupled to the flow control device to control a relative amount of the diluent and the exhaust gas delivered to the manifold as taught by Vorel to have a combustion equivalence ratio controller in a control system which makes use of feedback via sensors for accurate and timely adjustment of flow rate such as via valves of fuel, oxidant, and diluent to maintain stoichiometric combustion.
Regarding claim 14, Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell and Vorel teaches all that is claimed above and Hershkowitz teaches the diluent supply system supplies nitrogen, N2, as the diluent through the manifold to the compressor section (as discussed above in claim 10, [0075] describes nitrogen may be utilized to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 via line 712'' and per [0075] air stream 710b may be compressed by the compressor integrated into the gas turbine 704).
Regarding independent claim 17, Hershkowitz teaches a gas turbine engine (704 Fig. 7 ([0074] describes Fig. 7 is best understood with reference to Figs. 4-5, [0054] describes Fig. 5 includes gas turbine 404 of Fig. 4 which includes integrated air compressor 514a, combustor 514b and expander 514c, [0075] describes gas turbine unit 704) comprising:
a compressor section (514a, [0075] describes compressor integrated in gas turbine 704) comprising an inlet (514a necessarily has an inlet for receiving air stream 710b which is compressed by integrated compressor 514a as described in [0075]);
a combustor section (514b Fig. 5) downstream from the compressor section (514b is downstream of 514a in Fig. 5);
a turbine section (expander 514c, i.e., turbine section, in Fig. 5) downstream from the combustor section (514c is downstream of 514b in Fig. 5), the turbine section discharging an exhaust gas therefrom during operation ([0075] describes gas turbine 704 generates power 736 and a gaseous exhaust stream 722, i.e., an exhaust gas);
an air separation unit (711 Fig. 7 [0075]) for separating ambient air to produce a diluent and oxygen ([0075] describes air separation unit 711 is configured to generate a substantially nitrogen stream 712, i.e., a diluent, and a substantially oxygen stream 713; [0075] describes some nitrogen may be utilized to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 via line 712'' shown in Fig. 7);
a fuel reformer (702 Fig. 7, [0074] describes a reactor unit 702, i.e., fuel reformer, configured to utilize the substantially oxygen stream 713, a hydrocarbon fuel stream 706 and a steam stream 708 to produce a carbon dioxide stream 716 and a hydrogen stream 720) in fluid communication with the air separation unit for receiving the oxygen (as shown in Fig. 7 by flow arrow for oxygen stream 713, 702 is in fluid communication with 711 for receiving oxygen stream 713 from 711) and delivering fuel (hydrogen stream 720 flows from 702 as shown by flow arrow of 720 to gas turbine 704 in Fig. 7 and per [0074] which describes gas turbine 704 utilizing air stream 710b and the hydrogen stream 720 to generate power 736 and a gaseous exhaust stream 722) to the combustor section (as shown in Fig. 7, flow arrow 720 flows from 702 to gas turbine 704 and in Fig. 5 flow arrow 420 which is a flow containing hydrogen flows to combustor section 514b which is described in [0054] as stream 420 may then be mixed and combusted, in combustor 514b, with the high pressure air from integrated compressor 514a to form combustion products stream 520, which may then be expanded via expander 514c; similarly in Fig. 8 flow arrow 720 of hydrogen flows to combustor 814b);
an exhaust gas reclaimer system (726 Fig. 7; as discussed above in claim 10, gaseous exhaust stream 722 from 704 is directed to heat recovery unit 726 per [0075]) downstream of the turbine section (726 is downstream of gas turbine 704 in Fig. 7 and 704 includes turbine section as discussed above in claim 10), wherein the exhaust gas reclaimer system is configured to recirculate a portion of the exhaust gas (as shown in Fig. 7, a portion 730’ of exhaust stream 730 downstream of 726 is recirculated to be added to air stream 710b which is directed into compressor integrated into gas turbine 704);
wherein the diluent, the ambient air, and the exhaust gas are compressed together by the compressor section before being routed downstream into the combustor section (as shown in Fig. 7, a nitrogen stream is supplied via line 712” to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 and cooled exhaust stream 730’ is also directed to air stream 710b and per [0075] air stream 710b may be compressed by the compressor integrated into the gas turbine 704; when nitrogen stream is supplied via 712” and via cooled exhaust stream 730’ comprising nitrogen to dilute air stream 710b coming into compressor integrated into the gas turbine 704, both the nitrogen diluent, the ambient air stream and cooled exhaust stream are compressed together by the compressor section which is upstream of the combustor section as shown in Fig. 5);
a diluent supply system (in Fig. 7 a diluent system is shown by diluents and components producing and/or receiving diluents such as nitrogen streams 712, 712’, 712” produced by 711, pressure maintenance reservoir 714, and cooled exhaust gas 730, 730’, 730” from heat recovery unit 726 which receives gaseous exhaust stream 722 from gas turbine 704 per [0075]; [0074] describes nitrogen stream 712 may be utilized to dilute, i.e., is a diluent for, the hydrogen stream 720 via line 712', and [0075] describes some nitrogen may be utilized to dilute the air stream 710b coming into the gas turbine 704 via line 712'', cooled exhaust gas 730 from 726 is recirculated to air stream 710b as 730’ or directed to 714 as 730” per [0052] which describes cooled exhaust stream 430 in Fig. 4 comprises nitrogen and [0053] describes nitrogen may be redirected to the air stream 410b for use as a diluent in the gas power turbine or sent to the pressure maintenance reservoir 414 via line 430''), in fluid communication with the air separation unit (as shown in Fig. 7, nitrogen stream 712 flows from 711 to become diluent nitrogen streams 712’, 712”).
Hershkowitz is silent regarding a manifold including an inlet for receiving both the exhaust gas and the diluent and a plurality of outlets for distributing the diluent and exhaust gas into the compressor section; and at least one flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold.
Rodwell teaches a power plant in Fig. 1 including a gas turbine engine 20 which includes a compressor section 30. Rodwell teaches a manifold (61 Fig. 1 para. 0016) including an inlet for receiving diluent (manifold 61 necessarily requires an inlet for receiving diluent nitrogen) and a plurality of outlets (a manifold by definition has several, i.e., a plurality of, outlets per Merriam-Webster online dictionary) for distributing diluent into the compressor section (61 delivers diluent nitrogen into inlet 60 upstream of 30 in Fig. 1). Per para. 0016 such a distribution manifold 61 could serve as a device or system by which the delivered nitrogen enters the filter housing 60 and, in addition, could be embodied in parts that serve to support anti-icing filters, coalescing filters, vane separators or some other similar devices, which may already be installed in filter housings of operational power plants.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the invention of Hershkowitz a manifold including an inlet for receiving both the exhaust gas and the diluent and a plurality of outlets for distributing the diluent and exhaust gas into the compressor section as taught by Rodwell as a means of introducing the diluent combined with the cooled exhaust gas stream of Hershkowitz with little or no additional parts and without significant modifications to the operational power plant (Rodwell para. 0016).
Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell is silent regarding at least one flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold.
Vorel teaches one or more flow control devices ([0041] describes control system 100 which includes controller 118 in Figs. 2 and 5 communicatively coupled with sensors and control devices including valves; [0042] describes control system 100 communicatively coupled to many sensors to obtain sensor feedback 130 for use in execution of various controls, such as lambda sensor 332 positioned on or near section 314 which is a diluent provider per [0071] and provides conduits for diluents 316 to be delivered into compressor section 152 per [0069] of gas turbine 52 in Fig. 5 and per [0070] the section 314, and the systems 318, 320 may be referred to as diluents providers, and the fluid they provide may correspond to a diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D.) for use in controlling a flow parameter of a diluent (per [0072] control system 100 may receive signals from the lambda sensors 330 and 332, representative of exhaust and diluent compositions respectively, and then apply mass-mass stochiometric equations to determine the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB which may then be used for control of the ultra-low emission technology ULET plant such as by adjusting flow rate of diluent 316, and per [0073] the ARES model 334 may provide estimated cycle parameters 336 that may include a predicted exhaust mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.E, a predicted diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D, as well as predicted pressures, speeds, flow rates, temperatures, and so on, for the various systems of the SEGR gas turbine system 52, e.g., compressor section 152, combustor(s) 160, turbine section 156, and so on and control system 100 may then apply the estimated cycle parameters 336 along with the diluent 332 and exhaust 330 lambda sensors data in the mass-mass stoichiometric equations to estimate the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB for use in feedback control, and the combustion equivalence ratio controller can then make use of this feedback for accurate and timely adjustment of fuel 70, oxidant 68, and so on to maintain stoichiometric combustion).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell to include at least one flow control device for controlling a flow parameter of the diluent supplied to the inlet of the manifold as taught by Vorel to have a combustion equivalence ratio controller in a control system which makes use of feedback via sensors for accurate and timely adjustment of flow rate such as via valves of fuel, oxidant, and diluent to maintain stoichiometric combustion.
Regarding claim 18, Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell and Vorel teaches all that is claimed above and Vorel teaches the controller is communicatively coupled to an emission sensor (as discussed above in claim 17, Vorel teaches a combustion equivalence ratio controller of control system 100 is communicatively coupled to exhaust 330 lambda sensor, i.e., emission sensor, which sends sensor data to the controller per [0073]) and to the at least one flow control device (as discussed above in claim 17, per [0041] control system 100 which includes controller 118 in Figs. 2 and 5 is communicatively coupled with sensors and control devices including valves), the controller configured to control a flow of nitrogen, N2, as the diluent to the compressor section (as discussed above in claim 17, Hershkowitz teaches in Fig. 7 nitrogen as the diluent in nitrogen stream 712’ added to air stream 710b directed to compressor section of gas turbine 704 and as modified in view of Vorel, control system 100 and controller 118 control flow rate of diluent).
Regarding claim 20, Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell and Vorel teaches all that is claimed above and teaches the diluent supply system further comprises at least one of an emissions sensor (as discussed above in claim 17, Vorel teaches exhaust 330 lambda sensor, i.e., emission sensor), a temperature sensor, and an oxygen sensor, the at least one of the emissions sensor, the temperature sensor, and the oxygen sensor being communicatively coupled to the controller (as discussed above in claim 17, [0042] describes control system 100 communicatively coupled to many sensors to obtain sensor feedback 130 for use in execution of various controls, such as lambda sensor 332 positioned on or near section 314 which is a diluent provider per [0071] and provides conduits for diluents 316 to be delivered into compressor section 152 per [0069] of gas turbine 52 in Fig. 5 and per [0070] the section 314, and the systems 318, 320 may be referred to as diluents providers, and the fluid they provide may correspond to a diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D. and per [0072] control system 100 may receive signals from the lambda sensors 330 and 332, representative of exhaust and diluent compositions respectively, and then apply mass-mass stochiometric equations to determine the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB which may then be used for control of the ultra-low emission technology ULET plant such as by adjusting flow rate of diluent 316, and per [0073] the ARES model 334 may provide estimated cycle parameters 336 that may include a predicted exhaust mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.E, a predicted diluents mass flow {dot over (m)}.sub.D, as well as predicted pressures, speeds, flow rates, temperatures, and so on, for the various systems of the SEGR gas turbine system 52, e.g., compressor section 152, combustor(s) 160, turbine section 156, and so on and control system 100 may then apply the estimated cycle parameters 336 along with the diluent 332 and exhaust 330 lambda sensors data in the mass-mass stoichiometric equations to estimate the combustion equivalence ratio Φ.sub.COMB for use in feedback control, and the combustion equivalence ratio controller can then make use of this feedback for accurate and timely adjustment of fuel 70, oxidant 68, and so on to maintain stoichiometric combustion).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hershkowitz et al. 20110000671 in view of Rodwell 20100186367 and Vorel et al. 20160186658 as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of NPL Hydrogen for power generation by GE.
Regarding claim 15, Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell and Vorel teaches all that is claimed above and Hershkowitz teaches the diluent supply system supplies cooled exhaust gas as the diluent to the compressor section (as discussed above in claim 10, gaseous exhaust stream 722 from gas turbine 704 is directed to heat recovery unit 726 per [0075] and as shown in Fig. 7, a portion 730’ of cooled exhaust stream 730 downstream of 726 is recirculated and added to air stream 710b which is directed into the compressor integrated into gas turbine 704), but Hershkowitz does not explicitly teach the diluent supply system supplies carbon dioxide, CO2 as the diluent to the compressor section.
GE teaches the atmosphere contains approximately 0.04% carbon dioxide and therefore, a gas turbine that is operating on a fuel without any carbon, i.e., hydrogen, will still emit a small amount of carbon dioxide due to the ambient air composition (page 7 footnote with * at bottom of second column).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention that Hershkowitz in view of Rodwell and Vorel and further in view of GE teaches when the diluent supply system supplies the portion of cooled exhaust gas stream 730’ as diluent when added to air stream 710b which is directed into the compressor of 704, the diluent supply system is also supplying a small portion of carbon dioxide contained within the cooled exhaust gas as the diluent through the manifold to the compressor section.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 10 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new grounds of rejection rely on a new combination of the prior art of record, Hershkowitz, Rodwell and Vorel in 103 rejections discussed above. Applicant does not provide arguments regarding dependent claims.
Conclusion
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/A.J.H./Examiner, Art Unit 3741
/LORNE E MEADE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741