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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is based on the 18/950820 application originally filed November 18, 2024.
Amended claims 1-20, filed February 06, 2026, are pending and have been fully considered. Claims 10-20 are withdrawn from consideration due to being drawn to a nonelected invention.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I claims 1-9 in the reply filed on February 06, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 10-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on February 06, 2026.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN 117469594 A) hereinafter cited under English Translation “Li” in view of Ho et al. (KR 2022-0099193 A) hereinafter cited under English Translation “Ho”.
Regarding Claims 1-9
Li discloses on page 2, a system for LNG (liquid natural gas) ships to store captured CO2 using dry compartments. This system maintains the temperature of the dry compartment at -30°C, uses ordinary pressure storage tanks to store the liquid CO2 captured by the LNG ship, and places the CO2 storage tank in the dry compartment with a low-temperature environment. It not only makes rational use of LNG The cold energy transferred from the low-temperature liquid cargo in the cargo tank to the dry compartment provides a suitable low-temperature storage environment for the CO2 storage tank, saving the energy consumption required to refrigeration of the CO2 storage tank alone, and also cleverly utilizes The unused dry compartment space on the LNG ship realizes the rational utilization of the hull space and solves the problem of storage space on the ship for the large amount of liquid CO2 captured by the LNG ship.
Li discloses on page 2, the system includes: CO2 capture unit, CO2 liquefaction unit, valve, CO2 storage tank, air outlet valve, CO2 liquid outlet, temperature bulb, relay, fan, solenoid valve, air inlet pipeline, CO2 pump, exhaust port.
Li further discloses on page 2, the flue gas generated by the ship's main engine after burning fuel enters the pipeline, and the ship's main engine is connected to the CO2 capture unit through the pipeline; one side of the capture unit is connected to the liquefaction unit through a pipeline, and the other side is connected to the outside world, connected; the CO2 storage tank is connected to the liquefaction unit through a pipeline, and a valve is provided on the pipeline.
Li discloses on page 3, during the ship's voyage, the flue gas generated after the ship's main engine burns LNG enters the CO2 capture unit, where the flue gas is captured and separated by CO2, and then the remaining gas is discharged to the atmosphere. The captured and separated CO2 is sent to the CO2 liquefaction unit for compression and liquefaction, reaching the temperature and pressure suitable for storage, and converted into liquid CO2. Then the valve is opened, and the liquid CO2 is sent to the CO2 storage tank through the pipeline stored within. When filling liquid CO2 into the CO2 storage tank, the gas outlet valve opens, and the high-pressure gas in the CO2 storage tank returns to the CO2 liquefaction unit through the return pipe for liquefaction processing, ensuring that the liquid CO2 can be quickly filled during the filling process. Flows into the CO2 storage tank.
It is to be noted, Li discloses a ship having a CO2 capturing unit to receive flue gas and a CO2 storage tank but fails to further the CO2 storage tank comprises a port fuel production system (PFPS) to receive the CO2.
However, it is known in the art for a ship to comprise a CO2 storage tank comprises a port fuel production system (PFPS) to receive the CO2, as taught by Ho.
Ho discloses on page 4, a storage tank provided on a ship and storing LNG; a methanation process unit that receives carbon dioxide emitted from a ship and converts it into water and methane by synthesizing it with hydrogen; and includes: a re-liquefaction unit for receiving the boil-off gas generated from the storage tank and re-liquefying. The methane generated in the methanation process unit is liquefied in the re-liquefaction unit and there is provided a carbon dioxide reduction system for a ship, characterized in that it can be stored in the storage tank. A carbon dioxide separation unit for separating carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas discharged from the ship and supplying it to the methanation process unit; and a hydrogen supply unit for supplying hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water to the methanation process unit. The carbon dioxide separation unit comprises: a gas filter receiving the exhaust gas and removing impurities including dust; a carbon dioxide separator receiving the exhaust gas filtered by the gas filter and separating carbon dioxide; and a carbon dioxide tank that receives and stores the carbon dioxide separated by the carbon dioxide separator and supplies it to the methanation process unit.
Ho further discloses on page 4, the hydrogen supply unit comprises: a water electrolyzer for electrolyzing water into hydrogen and oxygen; and a hydrogen tank that receives and stores the hydrogen generated in the water electrolyzer and supplies it to the methanation process unit, wherein the water generated in the methanation process unit may be supplied to the water electrolyzer for hydrogen generation. It is provided on the ship and a renewable energy generation unit for generating electricity by renewable energy including wind power and solar light: further comprising, hydrogen generation from the renewable energy generation unit to the hydrogen supply unit and carbon dioxide carbon separation unit and electric power for carbon dioxide separation may be supplied.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art for the ship of Li to comprise a CO2 storage tank comprises a port fuel production system (PFPS) (methanation system) to receive the CO2, as taught by Ho. The motivation to do so is to use a methanation system in a ship in order to receive carbon dioxide emitted from a ship and converts it into water and methane by synthesizing it with hydrogen.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Peng (US 2018/0161719) discloses in the abstract, a process and an apparatus of ocean carbon capture and storage (Ocean CCS), which can be used for carrying out carbon capture and storage of flue gas discharged from marine facilities using fossil energy such as coastal power plants and marine ships, and direct air capture (DAC). The natural engineering method are adopted in the present invention, and natural seawater is used for washing and dissolving CO.sub.2 gas for carbon capture; and natural seawater carbonate neutralization and formed bicarbonate is used for ocean storage in water column; and low head and large water flow is used to save energy. The discharged water complies with environmental regulations. The present invention provides an affordable and green effective mean for using marine ecosystems of carbon sinks and reservoirs to respond to the climate change.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATOSHA D HINES whose telephone number is (571)270-5551. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Prem Singh can be reached at 571-272-6381. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Latosha Hines/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1771
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