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 Objections
The claims are objected to because they include reference characters which are not enclosed within parentheses.
Reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description of the drawings and used in conjunction with the recitation of the same element or group of elements in the claims should be enclosed within parentheses so as to avoid confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claims 26 and 30 is objected to because of the following informalities:
“the lower portion” in claim 26 should read –a lower portion--.
“an electrical and high- temperature energy storage device 100 of claim 1” in claim 30 should read -- the electrical and high- temperature energy storage device 100 of claim 1--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 4-9 and 28 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 4 recites the limitation “the at least one device 100”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because claim 1 specifies singular “an electrical and high-temperature energy storage device”.
For examination purposes, “the at least one device 100” is construed as --the device--.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the at least one heat transfer pipe 120” and “the one heat storage medium tank 110”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because claim 1 specifies singular “a heat transfer pipe 120” and “a heat storage medium tank”.
For examination purposes, “the at least one heat transfer pipe 120” is construed as --the heat transfer pipe --; and “the one heat storage medium tank 110” is construed as –the heat storage medium tank--.
Claim 6 recites the limitation “the plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 to each other when the plurality of devices 100 are disposed between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, or the plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are disposed in the one heat storage medium tank 110”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because claim 1 specifies singular “a heat transfer pipe 120”, singular “an electrical and high-temperature energy storage device”, and singular “a heat storage medium tank”.
For examination purposes, the cited limitation in claim 6 is construed as -- a plurality of the heat transfer pipe to each other when a plurality of the device is disposed between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source, or a plurality of the heat transfer pipe is disposed in the heat storage medium tank--.
Claim 7 recites “in each of the heat transfer pipes 120,
at least one selected from the high-temperature working fluid 220 or electric heating is appropriately selected to transfer the heat energy to the heat storage medium 210 independently of each other
when the plurality of devices 100 are disposed between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520, or the plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are disposed in the one heat storage medium tank 110”.
The cited limitation in claim 7 lacks sufficient antecedent basis because claim 1 has all singular “a heat transfer pipe”, singular “an electrical and high-temperature energy storage device”, and singular “a heat storage medium tank”. Further, “is appropriately selected” is unclear because it is unable to ascertain the scope of “appropriately”.
For examination purposes, claim 7 is construed as --The device 100 of claim 1, further comprises a plurality of the heat transfer pipe, the heat transfer pipes are disposed in the heat storage medium tank, wherein in an energy storage mode,
in each of the heat transfer pipes,
at least one selected from the high-temperature working fluid or electric heating is selected to transfer the heat energy to the heat storage medium independently of each other--.
Claim 8 recites “where the respective heat transfer pipes 120 are disposed when the plurality of heat transfer pipes 120 are disposed in the one heat storage medium tank 110”. The cited limitation in claim 8 lacks sufficient antecedent basis because claim 1 has all singular “a heat transfer pipe”, and singular “a heat storage medium tank”.
For examination purposes, claim 8 is construed as -- The device 100 of claim 1, further comprises a plurality of the heat transfer pipe, at least one isolation wall is formed in the heat storage medium tank to isolate and separate spaces, wherein the heat transfer pipes are respectively disposed in the spaces--.
Claim 9 is also rejected due to its dependency of claim 8.
Claim 28 recites “wherein a pipe system 300 connected to each of the heat transfer pipes 120”. “each of the heat transfer pipes 120” lacks sufficient antecedent basis because claim 1 has singular “a heat transfer pipe”. Further, “adjusting the distribution of the working fluid when the plurality of devices 100 are disposed between the high-temperature energy source 510 and the low-temperature energy source 520”. “the plurality of devices 100” lacks sufficient antecedent basis because claim 1 has “singular “an electrical and high-temperature energy storage device”.
For examination purposes, claim 28 is construed as –The device 100 of claim 1, further comprises a plurality of the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device, wherein a pipe system connected to each of the heat transfer pipes of the plurality of devices and adjusting the distribution of the working fluid in the plurality of devices between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source--.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 15 and 25-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US PGPub No. 2011/0017196) in view of Jacques (US Patent No. 3,381,113) and Bergan (US Patent No. 10,767,935).
Regarding claim 1, Bell discloses an electrical and high-temperature energy storage device (thermal energy storage system 100) comprising:
a heat storage medium tank (containment vessel 101) which accommodates a heat storage medium (molten salt, paragraph 0062); and
a heat transfer pipe (heat exchanger 501) which has a pipe shape (the heat exchanger 501 has a pipe shape, see Fig. 8), through which a working fluid is distributed (heat transfer oil, paragraph 0063, circulated by pump 602), the working fluid being distributed (to the heat exchanger 501 from the pump 602) between a high-temperature energy source (see annotated figure below and is dependent from an operation of the system in paragraph 0063 and 0064) and a low-temperature energy source (see annotated figure below and is dependent from an operation of the system in paragraph 0063 and 0064), the high-temperature energy source providing a relatively high temperature environment (the oil at the high-temperature energy source has a relatively high temperature), and the low-temperature energy source providing a relatively low temperature environment (the oil at the low-temperature energy source has a relatively low temperature), through a working fluid distribution port disposed at each of two ends (inlet port 532 and outlet port 534 in paragraph 0111, or 534 and 536 in Fig. 8 at upper ends of the heat exchanger 501),
which has a portion accommodated in the heat storage medium tank (the heat exchanger 501 has a U shaped portion immersed in the molten salt).
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Bell fails to disclose a heating device heated by power is at least partially disposed at the portion accommodated in the heat storage medium tank.
Jacques discloses a heating device heated by power (electric heating elements 36 heated by electricity, Fig. 5) is at least partially disposed at the portion (the heating elements 36 disposed at a U shape portion of a fluid pipe 35) accommodated in the heat storage medium tank (heating elements 36 and the fluid pipe 35 are accommodated in a heat storage mass 34).
Bergan (Fig. 14) discloses electric heaters provide heat input in molten salt, and the electricity source may be wind power plants, electric grids in periods of low cost (col. 10, lines 3-14).
Therefore, electric heating elements may be provided in the heat exchanger 501 at the U shaped portion of the tubes 520 as taught by the positioning of the heating elements 36 in Jacques. It is expected that energy from, for example, surplus wind power or low-cost electricity taught by Bergan, may be stored in the molten salt in thermal form for future use.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a heating device heated by power is at least partially disposed at the portion accommodated in the heat storage medium tank in Bell as taught by Jacques and Bergan in order to store thermal energy from surplus wind power or low-cost electricity for future use.
Regarding claim 2, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein in an energy storage mode (daytime operation, paragraph 0063), heat energy is transferred from the relatively high-temperature working fluid, flowing from the high-temperature energy source to the low-temperature energy source through the heat transfer pipe, to the heat storage medium in the heat storage medium tank (heat is transferred from the heated oil from the solar field 10 to the molten salt in the containment vessel 101, and the oil is flowing from the high-temperature energy source to the low-temperature energy source in the daytime operation), or
the heating device at the heat transfer pipe 120 is heated by power applied from the outside to thus transfer the heat energy to the heat storage medium 210 in the heat storage medium tank 110.
Regarding claim 3, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein in an energy recovery mode (nighttime operation, paragraph 0064), heat energy is transferred from the heat storage medium in the heat storage medium tank to the relatively low-temperature working fluid (heat is transferred from the molten salt in the containment vessel 101 to the cooler oil) flowing from the low-temperature energy source to the high-temperature energy source through the heat transfer pipe (the oil is flowing from the low-temperature energy source to the high-temperature energy source in the nighttime operation).
Regarding claim 4, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the device is disposed between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source (the device 100 is at least positionally disposed between the high and low temperature energy sources in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 5, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the at least one heat transfer pipe is disposed in the heat storage medium tank (the heat exchanger 501 is disposed in the containment vessel 101, see Fig. 2A).
Regarding claim 6, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses at least one connection pipe communicating a plurality of the heat transfer pipe to each other (a connecting pipe connecting heat exchangers 501 and 507, Fig. 1)
when a plurality of the device is disposed between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source, or a plurality of the heat transfer pipe is disposed in the heat storage medium tank (the connecting pipe connects a plurality of heat exchangers 501 and 507 disposed in the containment vessel 101).
Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further comprises a plurality of the heat transfer pipe (heat exchangers 501 and 502), the heat transfer pipes are disposed in the heat storage medium tank (the heat exchangers 501 and 502 are disposed in the containment vessel 101), wherein in an energy storage mode (daytime operation, paragraph 0063),
in each of the heat transfer pipes,
at least one selected from the high-temperature working fluid or electric heating is selected (heated oil is selected in the daytime operation in each of the heat exchangers 501 and 502) to transfer the heat energy to the heat storage medium independently of each other (to transfer the heat from the solar field 10 through independent piping).
Regarding claim 15, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the heat storage medium tank is sealed (by liner 200 that seals bottom part of the vessel 101) and insulated (by insulation 300, Fig. 2A) to be isolated from the outside (to isolate the molten salt and the heat from outside).
Regarding claim 25, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the heat transfer pipe (501, Fig. 8) has a meandering flow path shape (a U shape of tubes 520 that meanders from top to bottom and back to top) to have an increased contact area with the heat storage medium (the meandering U shape increases contact area with the molten salt).
Regarding claim 26, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the heat transfer pipe (501, Fig. 8) extends or is curved (a horizontal extensions of tubes 520 at lower portion of the heat exchanger 501) to have a relatively large contact area with the heat storage medium at the lower portion of the heat storage medium tank (the horizontal extensions and a vertical extensions of tubes 520 at lower portion of the vessel 101, compared to upper portion of the vessel 101 having only vertical extensions, have a relatively larger contact area with the molten salt).
Regarding claim 27, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses wherein the heat transfer pipe (501, Fig. 8) includes a heat dissipation fin (alignment sheets 528 that supports tubes 520, paragraph 0111, the sheets has the fin structure as claimed and as least conducts heat from the tubes 520) disposed on an outer surface to have an increased contact area with the heat storage medium 210 (the sheets 528 increases contact area of the tubes 520 with the molten salt, compared a structure without the sheets 528).
Regarding claim 28, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses a pipe system (liquid transfer unit 600, Fig. 1).
Bell in claim 1 fails to disclose a plurality of the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device, wherein a pipe system connected to each of the heat transfer pipes of the plurality of devices and adjusting the distribution of the working fluid in the plurality of devices between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source.
Bell further discloses that one or more large vessels of a liquid may be used to temporally contain the sensible heat contained by oil heated in a solar field (paragraph 0008). Therefore, a duplicated thermal energy storage system 100 of Bell may be provided to increase heat storage capacity. The liquid transfer unit 600 may further be modified to include a branch so that the duplicated system 100 may connect parallelly to the high/low temperature source (see annotated figure below).
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As a result, a plurality of the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device (the original system 100 and the duplicated system), wherein a pipe system (modified liquid transfer unit 600 in annotated figure above) connected to each of the heat transfer pipes of the plurality of devices (501 of both systems 100) and adjusting the distribution of the working fluid in the plurality of devices between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source (adjust the oil flow through valves or operation of pump 602).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a plurality of the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device, wherein a pipe system connected to each of the heat transfer pipes of the plurality of devices and adjusting the distribution of the working fluid in the plurality of devices between the high-temperature energy source and the low-temperature energy source in Bell, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. Further, the duplication may duplicate capacity of the heat storage dependent on the heat input from the solar field 10 and heat output to the heat user 20.
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US PGPub No. 2011/0017196) in view of Jacques (US Patent No. 3,381,113) and Bergan (US Patent No. 10,767,935) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wortmann (US PGPub No. 2017/0074597).
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Bell as modified in claim 1 further discloses further comprises a plurality of the heat transfer pipe (heat exchangers 501 and 507).
Bell as modified in claim 1 fails to disclose at least one isolation wall is formed in the heat storage medium tank to isolate and separate spaces, wherein the heat transfer pipes are respectively disposed in the spaces.
Wortmann, directed to stratified accumulators, (Fig. 4) discloses at least one isolation wall (walls 17 and 19, annotated in Fig. 1) is formed in the heat storage medium tank (the tank in Fig. 4) to isolate and separate spaces (storage cells 3), wherein the heat transfer pipes are respectively disposed in the spaces (heat exchangers 41 are respectively disposed in the cells and serially connected).
Wortmann further discloses that stratified accumulators have an advantage that the temperature of the gas space remains substantially constant (paragraph 0007), and to avoid pressure differences of the gas space due to thermal expansion of the heat storage medium (paragraph 0005).
Therefore, the vessel 101 in Bell may be modified to include at least one isolation wall to form separate storage cells 3, the serially connected heat exchangers 501 and 507 may be respectively provided in the separate storage cells 3. As a result, a stratified accumulator having the advantage disclosed in Wortmann is formed.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided at least one isolation wall is formed in the heat storage medium tank to isolate and separate spaces, wherein the heat transfer pipes are respectively disposed in the spaces in Bell as taught by Wortmann in order to make the temperature of the gas space substantially constant (paragraph 0007 of Wortmann), and to avoid pressure differences of the gas space due to thermal expansion of the heat storage medium (paragraph 0005 of Wortmann).
Regarding claim 9, Bell as modified in claim 8 further discloses wherein at least one through hole is formed in the isolation wall (openings of walls 17 and 19) to allow a fluid movement between the adjacent spaces isolated (to allow fluid movement between adjacent cells 3) and separated from each other (and to allow the molten salt to separated from each other).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US PGPub No. 2011/0017196) in view of Jacques (US Patent No. 3,381,113) and Bergan (US Patent No. 10,767,935) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jiao (CN 113124700 A).
Regarding claim 10, Bell as modified in claim 1 fails to disclose a gas discharge pipe for discharging non-reactive gas through at least one gas discharge port disposed at a lower portion of the heat storage medium tank and disposed toward the heat transfer pipe.
Jiao (Fig. 5) discloses a gas discharge pipe (exhaust pipe 12) for discharging non-reactive gas (air inside a molten salt tank 1 and the air is inherently nonreactive because the disclosure is a molten salt heat storage) through at least one gas discharge port (air outlet 13) disposed at a lower portion of the heat storage medium tank (the air outlet 13 is disposed at a lower portion of the tank 1, Fig. 1). Jiao further discloses that discharging air from the air outlet 13 generates a large number of bubbles at the bottom of the high-temperature molten salt tank 1 to stir the high-temperature molten salt to improve the temperature uniformity of the high-temperature molten salt (paragraph 0067 of the translation).
Therefore, the system having a vent pipe 11, exhaust pipe 12, air outlet 13, suction pipe 14, and air pump 15 may be provided to pump air and generate air bubbles in the molten salt in the vessel 101 of Bell. The exhaust pipe 12 and air outlet 13 may be provided at a lower portion of the vessel 101 of Bell, so that the air outlet 13 disposed toward the heat transfer pipe 120 and discharge air upwardly so that the temperature uniformity of the molten salt in the vessel 101 is improved.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a gas discharge pipe for discharging non-reactive gas through at least one gas discharge port disposed at a lower portion of the heat storage medium tank and disposed toward the heat transfer pipe in Bell as taught by Jiao in order to stir the molten salt to improve temperature uniformity.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US PGPub No. 2011/0017196) in view of Jacques (US Patent No. 3,381,113), Bergan (US Patent No. 10,767,935) and Jiao (CN 113124700 A) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Shimura (JP 60-73218 A).
Regarding claim 11, Bell as modified in claim 10 fails to disclose a particle remover removing a particle of the heat storage medium that is accompanied by a droplet from the gas discharged from the gas discharge pipe.
Shimura discloses a particle remover removing a particle of the heat storage medium that is accompanied by a droplet from the gas discharged from the gas discharge pipe (a cyclone 11 that separates solid matter that is mixed in the air flowing out of the main heat storage tank 2, last three lines on page 3 of the translation).
Therefore, the cyclone or separator 11 may be provided at the suction pipe 14 in Bell in view of Jiao to separate salt particles at an inlet of the suction pipe 14. It is expected that separator 11 prevents a salt deposition at the pump 15.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a particle remover removing a particle of the heat storage medium that is accompanied by a droplet from the gas discharged from the gas discharge pipe in Bell and Jiao as taught by Shimura in order to prevent failure of the pump 15 due to salt deposition.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bell (US PGPub No. 2011/0017196) in view of Jacques (US Patent No. 3,381,113), Bergan (US Patent No. 10,767,935) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Qiu (CN 107990771 A).
Regarding claim 14, Bell as modified in claim 1 fails to disclose a pump disposed in the heat storage medium tank and sending a portion of the heat storage medium to another portion; or a stirrer disposed in the heat storage medium tank and forming a flow in the heat storage medium, to cause the forced flow of the heat storage medium in the heat storage medium tank.
Qiu discloses a stirrer (agitator 5) disposed in the heat storage medium tank (in a molten salt storage tank 10) and forming a flow in the heat storage medium (the agitator 5 agitates the molten salt), to cause the forced flow of the heat storage medium in the heat storage medium tank (the agitator 5 agitates the molten salt in the tank 10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided a pump disposed in the heat storage medium tank and sending a portion of the heat storage medium to another portion; or a stirrer disposed in the heat storage medium tank and forming a flow in the heat storage medium, to cause the forced flow of the heat storage medium in the heat storage medium tank in Bell as taught by Qiu in order to stir the molten salt to improve temperature uniformity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18, 29 and 30 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 18 requires “wherein the heat transfer pipe 120 includes a power inlet 122a and a power outlet 122b, through which the power passes, and an electrical cutoff joint 123 insulating another portion of the heat transfer pipe 120 from its portion to which the power is applied through the power inlet 122a or the power outlet 122b”.
Bell fails to disclose any power inlet, power outlet, and electrical cutoff joint required in claim 18. Jacques discloses wire leads of the electric heating elements 36, but no disclosure of the required electrical cutoff joint since the fluid pipe 35 and electric heating elements 36 are separated. Bergan only discloses generally an electric heater 13 and heat exchangers 12 may be provided together in a thermal energy storage elements 2 (Fig. 7c), without a detail of the required electrical cutoff joint in claim 1. In summary, Bell, Jacques and Bergan do not disclose or make obvious the electrical cutoff joint required in claim 18.
Regarding claim 29, Bell as modified further discloses wherein the pipe system (liquid transfer unit 600, Fig. 1) includes a high temperature header (an inlet manifold branching from pump 602, see annotated figure 1 in claim 28 above) connected to the high-temperature energy source to thus distribute the relatively high-temperature working fluid (see annotated figure 1 in claim 1 above),
a plurality of high temperature pipes (inlet pipes extending from respective heat exchangers 501 in the two systems 100 in parent claim 28) connecting the high temperature header to the heat transfer pipe (the pipes connecting the inlet manifold to respective two heat exchangers 501) disposed in each of the plurality of electrical and high-temperature energy storage devices (the two systems 100),
a high temperature pipe valve disposed on the high temperature pipe (a valve disposed on one of the pipes extending from the heat exchanger 501 in one of the two systems 100),
a low temperature header (an outlet manifold converging two outlets of the systems 100) connected to the low-temperature energy source to thus distribute the relatively low-temperature working fluid (see annotated figure 1 in claim 1 above),
a plurality of low temperature pipes (outlet pipes extending from respective heat exchangers 507 in the two systems 100 in parent claim 28) connecting the low temperature header to the heat transfer pipe (the pipes connecting the outlet manifold to respective two heat exchangers 507 and further connect to the heat exchanger 501) disposed on each of the plurality of electrical and high-temperature energy storage devices 100 (the two systems 100).
Since valves are only present in inlet pipes in Bell as modified, Bergan in view of Jacques and Bergan fails to disclose or make obvious at least one high temperature header valve disposed on the high temperature header 310 and between the plurality of high temperature pipes 315, and
at least one low temperature header valve 320v disposed on the low temperature header 320 and between the plurality of low temperature pipes 325, and a low temperature pipe valve 325v disposed on the low temperature pipe 325.
Regarding claim 30, Bell as modified only discloses an energy storage and recovery system (Fig. 1) which includes the electrical and high-temperature energy storage device 100 of claim 1 (the system 100 in Fig. 1), and in which a heat storage medium tank 110 extends horizontally (the vessel 101 has a diameter extends horizontally). A teaching reference Wortmann above teaches a temperature gradient of the heat storage medium 210 from a low temperature to a high temperature is formed from one side of the heat storage medium tank 110 to the other side (temperature gradient from warmest cell 3 to coldest cell 3).
However, the heat exchangers 501-508 of Bell supplies heated oil in the nighttime operation so that the heat is further transferred to the power generating station 20. No steam is generated in the vessel 101.
Therefore, none of the references cited above discloses or make obvious the limitation in claim 30 having a steam generation region, a reheated region, and an overheated region are sequentially formed from the low temperature side to the high temperature side, the system comprising:
a condenser 410 condensing and discharging a working fluid 220;
a low-temperature condensate pump 420 pumping the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the condenser 410;
a deaerator 430 separating gas/liquid from the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature condensate pump 420;
a high-temperature condensate pump 440 pumping the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the deaerator 430;
a steam generation region-heat transfer pipe 120g disposed in the steam generation region, and allowing the working fluid 220 discharged from the high-temperature condensate pump 440 to evaporate while passing through the steam generation region-heat transfer pipe 120g;
a steam storage part 450 storing steam of the working fluid 220 discharged from the steam generation region-heat transfer pipe 120g;
an overheated region-heat transfer pipe 120s disposed in the overheated region, and allowing the working fluid 220 discharged from the steam storage part 450 to be overheated while passing through the overheated region-heat transfer pipe 120s;
a high-temperature turbine 460 rotated by the relatively high-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the overheated region-heat transfer pipe 120s;
a reheated region-heat transfer pipe 120r disposed in the reheated region, and allowing the working fluid 220 discharged from the high-temperature turbine 460 to be reheated while passing through the reheated region-heat transfer pipe 120r; and
a low-temperature turbine 470 rotated by the relatively low-temperature working fluid 220 discharged from the reheated region-heat transfer pipe 120r, wherein the working fluid 220 discharged from the low-temperature turbine 470 flows in the condenser 410 to thus be circulated.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FOR K LING whose telephone number is (571)272-8752. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm.
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/JIANYING C ATKISSON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/F.K.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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