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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: 1) page 2, line 19, “lean” is misspelled before “solution”; 2) page 5, line 21, and page 7, line 22, “bara” should apparently be corrected to be --bars--.
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 1-9 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.
In claim 1, line 11, “colder streams feed” should apparently be replaced by --colder streams fed-- for clarity of the claim. Also, on the last line of claim 1, “the series of heat exchangers and the series of heat exchangers” should apparently be replaced by --the series of heat exchangers--, for clarity.
In claim 4, line 2, “volatiles” should apparently be made singular for clarity of the claim.
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Gal et al.
Gal et al (Fig. 5; paragraphs [0006], [0024]-[0046]) discloses a method that is anticipatory of independent claim 1, for minimizing energy consumption for CO2 stripping (para [0001]- high efficiency capture of acid species, mainly CO2 and H2S and regeneration of the solution by stripping the absorbed acid species), comprising:
(a) having a CO2 rich solution from a CO2 absorber, wherein the CO2 rich solution comprises species with different degrees of volatility and the CO2 having the highest degree of volatility (para [0006]- mainly CO2 and H2S, from pressurized gas streams into an absorbing solution (it is noted the relative volatility of CO2 to H2S was 1.2 at high concentration of CO2 and with no agent present); para [0046]- while the more volatile species in the solution, CO2 and H2S, evaporate into the gas phase.);
(b) having a stripper vessel (500) with a temperature profile designed in such a way that a top of the stripper vessel is relatively cold and a bottom of the stripper vessel is relatively hot (Fig. 5; para [0044]- A schematic of typical main CO2 and H2S stripper 500…. The smaller stream 510 is relatively cold and CO2-rich solution and it flows to the top of the stage 502. The temperature of the stream 510 solution is typically at 60-80 degrees Celsius…. The bottom stage of the stripper, stage 504, is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104, at typical temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees Celsius or higher);
(c) having a series of heat exchangers (102, 104) external to the stripper vessel (500) (Fig. 5; para [0023]- recuperating heat exchanger 102 to the stripper; para [0024]- reboiler 104 by heating recycle stream 142). wherein the CO2 rich solution (138) is split at the point where boiling of the solution starts to the series of heat exchangers (102), wherein output of the series of heat exchangers feeds into the stripper vessel at different stages of the stripper vessel with colder streams (510) feed at higher elevations (502) of the stripper vessel and warmer streams (512) at lower elevation (504) of the stripper vessel, and wherein the series of heat exchangers are designed for heating the CO2 rich solution and evaporating mainly CO2 from the CO2 rich solution (Fig, 5; para [0044]- Rich solution from the absorber, stream 138, is split to two. The smaller stream 510 is relatively cold and CO2-rich solution and it flows to the top of the stage 502…. The solution from stage 502 liquid outlet is mixed with stream 512, the main rich stream from the absorber, which is heated in a recuperating heat exchanger before entering the stripper…. The bottom stage of the stripper, stage 504, is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104… is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104, at typical temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees Celsius or higher and containing CO2, H2S, NH3 and H2O, flows upwards counter-currently to the rich feed solution);
(d) producing a CO2 lean solution by the stripper vessel stripping more CO2, from the semi-lean CO2 solution using heat input from the series of heat exchangers (para [0044]-[0046]- The solution flows downwards in stage 502 through a series of trays cooling the rising acid gas and capturing and condensing the ammonia and the water vapor in the gas…. The solution from stage 502 liquid outlet is mixed with stream 512…. The bottom stage of the stripper, stage 504, is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104, at typical temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees Celsius or higher and containing CO2, H2S, NH3 and H2O, flows upwards counter-currently to the rich feed solution. Heat and mass transfer occurs in the packed section of the stripper where the less volatile species from the gas, H2O and NH3 vapor are cooled and condensed in the solution, while the more volatile species in the solution, CO2 and H2S, evaporate into the gas phase); and
(e) producing CO2 by the stripper vessel stripping CO2 from the CO2 rich solution (512) and input from the series of heat exchangers (para [0045]- The solution from stage 502 liquid outlet is mixed with stream 512, the main rich stream from the absorber, which is heated in a recuperating heat exchanger before entering the stripper; para [0046]- The bottom stage of the stripper, stage 504, is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104, at typical temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees Celsius or higher and containing CO2, H2S, NH3 and H2O, flows upwards counter-currently to the rich feed solution. Heat and mass transfer occurs in the packed section of the stripper where the less volatile species from the gas, H2O and NH3 vapor are cooled and condensed in the solution, while the more volatile species in the solution, CO2 and H2S, evaporate into the gas phase).
Regarding claim 2, Gal et al discloses the method further comprising after step 1(c) producing a semi-lean CO2 solution from the CO2 rich solution by the evaporation of mainly CO2 in the series of heat exchangers, wherein step 1(e) is then defined as producing a CO2 lean solution by the stripper vessel stripping more CO2 from the semi-lean CO2 solution using heat input from the series of heat exchangers (Fig. 5; para [0046]- The bottom stage of the stripper, stage 504, is typically a packed tower where hot gas from the reboiler 104, at typical temperature in the range of 150-200 degrees Celsius or higher and containing CO2, H2S, NH3 and H2O, flows upwards counter-currently to the rich feed solution. Heat and mass transfer occurs in the packed section of the stripper where the less volatile species from the gas, H2O and NH3 vapor are cooled and condensed in the solution, while the more volatile species in the solution, CO2 and H2S, evaporate into the gas phase).
Regarding claim 3, Gal et al further discloses wherein the series of heat exchangers comprises at least one reboiler (para [0024]- acid gas stripped is delivered to the reboiler 104).
Regarding claim 4, Gal et al further discloses wherein the CO2 rich solution comprises CO2 or CO2 and H2S and additionally less volatiles species such as NH3 and H2O (para [0046]- containing CO2, H2S, NH3 and H2O, flows upwards counter-currently to the rich feed solution).
Regarding claim 5, Gal et al further discloses comprising heating the CO2 rich solution with one or more of external heat sources (para [0024]- delivered to the reboiler 104 by heating recycle stream 142).
Regarding claim 6, Gal et al further discloses wherein one or more of the external heat sources is syngas from a natural gas reformer, coal, or biomass gasification (para [0019]- syngas from coal or petcoke gasification; para [0024]- the heat source in the reboiler is not limited to using condensing steam, but it can also use other sources of heat such as hot syngas).
Regarding claim 7, Gal et al further discloses wherein one or more of the external heat sources is hot oil (para [0024]- the heat source in the reboiler is not limited to using condensing steam, but it can also use other sources of heat such as hot syngas, hot flue gas, hot oil from solar collectors).
Regarding claim 8, Gal et al further discloses wherein one or more of the external heat sources is from thermal solar collectors (para [0024]- the heat source in the reboiler is not limited to using condensing steam, but it can also use other sources of heat such as hot syngas, hot flue gas, hot oil from solar collectors).
Regarding claim 9, Gal et al further discloses wherein one or more of the external heat sources is flue gas or hot air (para [0024]- the heat source in the reboiler is not limited to using condensing steam, but it can also use other sources of heat such as hot syngas, hot flue gas, hot oil from solar collectors).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/C.S.B/6-18-26
/CHARLES S BUSHEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1776
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