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 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 14-20 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.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the stream" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the bottom end" in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis
for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the tower" in line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the first portion of the water" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “a portion of the water cooled in the heat exchanger” and is unclear if this refers back to “the first portion of the water” or a different portion of water.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the heat exchanger" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the tower" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the tower" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 17-19 depend from claim 14.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-20 would be allowed if written to overcome the 112(b) issues above.
The closest prior art of record is shown below.
Guillard US 5408831 discloses the claimed structure (figure 1) but does not disclose the method of using the structure as claimed, specifically the “the water pressurized by the pump is sent, without having been cooled, at a third temperature to an indirect heat exchanger located in the tower at a second level above the first level, wherein the temperature is higher than the second temperature but lower than the first temperature”.
Brady US 5018457 discloses the gas stripper as well as water being split into different streams at the bottom of the stripper (figure 2, object 39) but does not disclose “the water removed at the bottom end of the scrubbing tower… the water pressurized by the pump is sent, without having been cooled, at a third temperature to an indirect heat exchanger located in the tower at a second level above the first level, wherein the temperature is higher than the second temperature but lower than the first temperature”.
Lehto US 4,853,192 discloses the gas stripper as well as the indirect heat exchanger located in the lower at a second level above the first level (figure 2, objects 72 and 56). Sha US 3,775,532 discloses recycling the water from the bottom of the stripper and a reheater (figure, objects 24, 18 and 13). Pelman discloses a stripper system including a reheater at the top of the stripper (figure, objects 10 and 17). Castillo-Welter et al. discloses the recycling (figure 1 objects 12 and 3). Burbach US 3,726,239 discloses the stripper system, recycling the water back to the stripper system as well as a reheater (figure, objects 52, 67 and 58). The references do not disclose “the water removed at the bottom end of the scrubbing tower… the water pressurized by the pump is sent, without having been cooled, at a third temperature to an indirect heat exchanger located in the tower at a second level above the first level, wherein the temperature is higher than the second temperature but lower than the first temperature”.
Angelini US 4,217,861 discloses a stripper system and the reheater being used in a recycle system (figure 1, objects 34 and 36, 38 and 40). The reference does not disclose the water removed at the bottom end of the scrubbing tower… the water pressurized by the pump is sent, without having been cooled, at a third temperature to an indirect heat exchanger located in the tower at a second level above the first level, wherein the temperature is higher than the second temperature but lower than the first temperature”.
The closest prior art of record does not disclose “water is removed at the bottom end of the scribbing tower and pressurized in a pump, the water pressurized by the pump is sent, without having being cooled, at a third temperature to an indirect heat exchanger located in the tower at a second level above the first level, wherein the third temperature is higher than the second temperature but lower than the first temperature.” This limitation along with reasoning to combine with the references above could not be found within the prior art.
Conclusion
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AMBER ROSE ORLANDO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1731
/AMBER R ORLANDO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1731
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