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 .
Claim Interpretation
Claim 1 recited “oxygen-rich gas” will be given broadest reasonable interpretation as an oxygen containing gas.
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.
Claim 1-4, 7 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kale (US2013/0129610) in view of Hӓring (“Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide: Synthesis Gases” in “Industrial Gases Processing October 5th, 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag, page 135-184).
Kale teaches a process of producing hydrogen or syngas comprising the steps of: partially oxidizing a fuel mixture (e.g. methane as hydrocarbon) with oxygen rich gas (e.g. oxygen) in an autothermal reformer at temperature ranging between 200-1200 °C to obtain a reformate gas mixture consisting of H2, N2, CH4, CO, CO2; subjecting the reformate mixture to a water gas shift reaction to produce hydrogen containing gaseous mixture with decreased CO content followed by reacting the gaseous mixture in LTS WGS to produce hydrogen rich gas; subjecting the product gases as obtained in previous step to preferential oxidation in a PrOx catalyst reactor or methanation reactor to obtain gaseous product containing CO2 and H2 by oxidation of CO into CO2 (para. [0092]); cooling the gaseous product as obtained in step (d) in the condenser; f. or optionally passing the gaseous product as obtained in step (d) through a CO/CO2 sorbent in the condenser coil to obtain pure H2 gas; passing the condensed liquid as obtained in step (e) to a liquid-gas separator where the liquid passes through the drain point and hydrogen rich gas passes out of product gas outlet to be fed directly to the fuel cell/syngas applications (claim 11-17, Fig. 1-5, para. [0026]- [0033],[0036], [0038], [0060]-[0066], [0086],[0087], [0092], [0097]-[0100]). Kale also teaches cooling water was used to for CO/CO2 absorption and cooling wherein condenser coil extends into PrOx reactor (oxidation reactor) to extract heat (para. [0083], [0086], [0101], Fig. 1 and 5, claim 11 and 17), wherein water being condensed before CO2 stream separation is expected.
Regarding claim 1, Kale does not expressly teach a hydrocarbon and steam reforming in a gas-heated reformer or adiabatic pre-reformer.
However, it is well-known in the art that autothermal reformer (ATR) are often fed with pre-reformed H2 and CO rich gas mixture from a steam reformer (see Hӓring page 148 two last para., Fig. 5.5), wherein hot gas from the ATR can be used to heat up the catalyst tube of the primary (i.e. pre-reformer) (page 149 2nd para., Fig. 5.6).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt a hydrocarbon and steam reformer as pre-reformer as shown by Hӓring to modify the hydrogen producing process of Kale because adopting such well-known hydrocarbon steam performer to modify a well-known hydrogen producing process for improvement would have predictable results (see MPEP §2143 KSR).
Regarding claim 2, Kale already teaches methane can be used as fuel (para. [0097]) wherein only methane being included as hydrocarbon, therefore, such fuel stream having almost 100 vol.% of methane.
Regarding claim 3, Kale further teaches the feed gas going through a desulfurizer before the feed gas going into ATR reforming (para. [0034], [0109]). It would have been obvious to desulfurizing the feed gas before it going into steam reformer for help minimizing the harmful effect of sulfur in the steam reforming process.
Regarding claim 4, Kale also teaches the steam/carbon (S/C) ratio being 1.2.
Regarding claim 9 and 10, Kale already teaches condense water before absorbing CO/CO2 as discussed above wherein CO2 being absorbed with lime water (para. [0092]) which is a reactive wash.
Regarding claim 11, Hӓring further teaches the separated carbon dioxide can be compressed and recycled to the reformer (page 146 2nd para.). It would have been obviously for one of ordinary skill in the art to compress the separated carbon dioxide for using in synthesis of chemicals (such as reforming process). Adopting an electrically-driven compressor is commercially available and commonly known for one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 12, Kale further teaches the hydrogen can be used in fuel cell (i.e. a downstream power process) or syngas application (para. [0010], [0016], [0035],[0088]).
Regarding claim 13, Hӓring further teaches hydrogen gas after methanation or partial oxidation reaction generally not high purity hydrogen and pressure swing adsorption can be used or production of high purity hydrogen (page 150 first para. -page 152 first para.). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt a purification unit of pressure swing adsorption as shown by Hӓring to purify the hydrogen product of Kale because by doing so can help provide a high purity hydrogen product and a tail gas stream as suggested by Hӓring (page 151 two last para.-page 152 first para.).
Regarding claim 14, Hӓring also teaches the tail gas from hydrogen purification can be combusted in a steam reformer plants (page 152 first para.). Hӓring further teaches the energy of the flue gas from the steam reformer can be used to preheat the feedstock for the generation of steam and optionally for the preheating of combustion air (page 146 2nd last para.). It would have been obvious for one of skill int the art to feed a portion of the tail gas into fired heaters as shown by Hӓring to modify the hydrogen producing process of Kale because by doing so can heat up feed stream or provide steam for the reforming process as suggested by Hӓring (page 146 2nd last para., page 152 first para.).
Regarding claim 7, since heat produced from steam reformer can be reused, such as hot flue gas can be used to heat up the feedstock for generation of steam or preheating combustion air, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt heat generated from exothermic reaction in the reverse reaction of water shift gas reaction (CO+H2O⇌CO2+H2) (after reaction proceed with certain time) to heat up the water gas shift reactor for providing desired endothermic energy for the forward reaction of water shift gas reaction (CO+H2O⇌CO2+H2) for effectively conserve energy with economic benefit. Since the heat generated by the reverse reaction water gas shift reaction is used to heat up the forward endothermic reaction, the water gas shift reactor then reaches a constant temperature, i.e. the water gas shift reaction reaches an isothermal shift stage.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kale (US2013/0129610) in view of Hӓring (“Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide: Synthesis Gases” in “Industrial Gases Processing October 5th, 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag, page 135-184) as applied above, and further in view of Reinertsen (GB2592695).
Kale already teaches the hydrogen generator can be started by using a fuel (i.e. methane), water and air in combination (para. [0100]) and water can be sparged into such ATR reactor via sparger (item 3, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, Kale in view of Hӓring does not expressly teach saturate hydrocarbon with water in a saturator.
However, it is well-known in the art that hydrocarbon feed gas (such as natural gas) can be saturated with water before being fed into steam reformer (see Reinertsen page 2 last line-page 3 first line, page 17 lines 4-5, page 26 lines 28-29), wherein a saturator is expected.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt such well-known saturate hydrocarbon (i.e. natural gas) with water as shown by Reinertsen to modify the hydrogen producing process of Kale in view of Hӓring because by adopting such well-known saturation hydrocarbon in a saturator with water to modify a well-known steam reforming process of producing hydrogen for improvement would have predictable results (see MPEP §2143 KSR).
Claim 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kale (US2013/0129610) in view of Hӓring (“Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide: Synthesis Gases” in “Industrial Gases Processing October 5th, 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag, page 135-184) as applied above, and further in view of Iaquaniello (US2015/0087865).
Kale already teaches oxygen and air can be feed into autothermal reformer (para. [0087]).
Regarding claim 6, Kale in view of Hӓring does not expressly teach the oxygen rich gas containing more than 90 vol% oxygen.
Iaquaniello teaches an oxygen rich gas can be pure oxygen which contains more than 99% oxygen (para. [0022]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt such well-known pure oxygen stream comprising more than 99% of oxygen as the oxygen source for autothermal reformer because adopting such well-known pure oxygen as oxygen source gas is well within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 8, Kale in view of Hӓring does not expressly teach the oxidation catalyst comprise one or more of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir or Ru.
Iaquaniello teaches a catalyst used in catalytic oxidation process of hydrocarbon containing stream comprises Group VIII noble metal, e.g., platinum, iridium, rhodium, osmium, ruthenium (para [0022]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt such well-known group VIII noble metal e.g. platinum, iridium, rhodium, to modify the catalyst in the oxidation reaction in the hydrogen producing process of Kale in view of Hӓring because by adopting such well-known oxidation catalyst to modify a well-known oxidation reaction in hydrogen producing process for improvement would have predictable results (see MPEP §2143 KSR).
Claims 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Kale (US2013/0129610) in view of Hӓring (“Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide: Synthesis Gases” in “Industrial Gases Processing October 5th, 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag, page 135-184) as applied above, and further in view of Reinertsen (GB2592695) as applied above, and further in view of Basu (US2011/0034569).
Kale in view of Hӓring already teaches at least a portion of hydrogen product can be combusted for generating steam, and/or heating up feed stream while hot flue gas from the steam reformer can be used to do the same.
Regarding claim 15, Kale in view of Hӓring does not teach using such hydrogen product to generate electricity.
Basu teaches syngas can be used to generate liquid fuel and tailgas after liquid fuel generation from syngas can be used to generate electricity or additional power (Fig. 3 and 5, para. [0026], [0028]).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to combust a portion of hydrogen product in a gas turbine for generate electricity as suggested by Basu to modify the hydrogen producing process of Kale in view of Hӓring because adopting such well-known technique of combusting hydrogen in a gas turbine for producing electricity would have predictable results for one of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP §2143 KSR).
Regarding claim 16, such limitations have been met as discussed above.
Regarding claim 17, as for the claimed hot exhaust gas fed to steam turbine to generate electricity, Basu already teaches hot tail gas can be used to generate electricity, while a steam turbine is well-known commercially apparatus for generate electricity, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt such commercially available steam turbine for desired electricity generation.
Regarding claim 18, Hӓring already teaches hot flue gas can be used to reuse its heat for heating feedstock or generate steam. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to adopt such hot reformed gas mixture to provide heat for well-known district heating system to conserve energy with economic benefit.
Conclusion
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/JUN LI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1732
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