DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 9/8/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Interpretations
The phrases “top portion” and “bottom portion” are relative terms, however, are not indefinite when referring to the absorber column. However, the phrases are interpreted merely as “a top portion above the bottom portion” relative to the height of the tower.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Boo et al. US 2013/0259786.
Regarding claim 1, Boo teaches a system for reducing nitrogen dioxide from flue gas comprising:
A wash column designed to:
receive the flue gas 30 containing the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) ([0010]); and
treat the flue gas with a first water stream 60 entering through spray 120, the first water stream including an absorbing agent comprising thiosulfate salt reactant (sodium thiosulfate, [0021]).
Regarding claim 2, Boo teaches wherein hot flue gas (from a combustion stage, ([0010]) is provided to the wash column at a first temperature, then transfers the heat to the cooler condensate, thus the first water stream is provided to the wash column at a second temperature, and wherein the first temperature is greater than the second temperature ([0006]-[0007],[0019], [0029]).
Regarding claim 3, the first water stream is in fluid communication with a heat exchanger 140 that removes heat absorbed by the first water stream from the flue gas ([0140]).
Regarding claim 4, the wash column further includes a top portion and a bottom portion (Figure 1), and wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are in fluid communication with a water stream recycling conduit 80 ([0019]).
Regarding claim 5, the system comprises a control processing unit 230 with valves 190 (dosing mechanism) that supplies the water from chamber 180 and a valve 210 that supplies the thiosulfate salt (pH agent) to the water ([0022]).
Regarding claims 6, the wash column includes an intercooler ([0016]) and a reaction section in the absorbing chamber 20 where the cooler actively cools the absorbing agent to allow condensation at the bottom of the chamber and the reaction near the top ([0016]-[0019]).
Regarding claim 7, Boo teaches a second water stream directed to the condensing bottom section via line 40.
Regarding claim 8, Boo teaches a system for reducing nitrogen dioxide from flue gas comprising:
A wash column designed to:
receive the flue gas 30 containing the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) ([0010]); and
treat the flue gas with a first water stream 60 entering through spray 120, the first water stream including an absorbing agent comprising thiosulfate salt reactant (sodium thiosulfate, [0021]).
The system comprises a control processing unit 230 with valves 190 (dosing mechanism) that supplies the water from chamber 180 and a valve 210 that supplies the thiosulfate salt (pH agent) to the water ([0022]).
Regarding claim 9, the wash column is defined by a top portion and a bottom portion, and the inlet for the flue gas is coupled to the bottom portion of the wash column through line 30 and the water stream is provided to the top portion of the wash column through sprayer 120 (Figure 1).
Regarding claims 10 and 11, the wash column further includes a top portion and a bottom portion (Figure 1), and wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are in fluid communication with a water stream recycling conduit 80 ([0019]), and the dosing mechanism (valves 110) is coupled to the water recycle stream ([0024]).
Regarding claims 12 and 13, the system includes a gas discharge line 130 coupled to the wash columns and sensors that detect Nox concentrations, pH levels, and adsorbing agent concentrations ([0013]-[0018]). Control processing units adjust the amount of adsorbing agents, thus controls the valves that distribute the agent to the wash column ([0018]).
Regarding claim 14, the system includes sensors that detect adsorbing agent concentrations ([0013]-[0018])control processing units adjust the amount of adsorbing agents, thus controls the valves that distribute the agent to the wash column ([0018]). Thus, an amount of thiosulfate salt is controlled to the reactor by the sensor.
Conclusion
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/SHARON PREGLER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1772
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