DETAILED ACTION
This is a non-final rejection in response to application filed 1/10/2025. Claims 1-23 are currently pending.
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 4-5, 14, and 18-19 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.
Regarding claim 4, “additional at fluid sources” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear what is meant by “at fluid sources”. Claim is further rejected for the limitation “a compressor, connected to the fluid” as it is unclear how a mechanical compressor is connected to a fluid. Claim 5 is rejected for dependence on claim 4.
Regarding claim 14, 18-19, “relevant driving unit” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear which driving unit is being referenced.
Regarding claim 19, “a plurality second inlet” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear as there is no first inlet. It is also unclear if there should be a single inlet or a plurality of inlets.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 6-13, and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fetvedt et al. (US 2016/0363009).
Regarding independent claim 1, Fetvedt teaches an energy conversion plant comprising:
a fluid feedback line 133 to supply a fluid;
a compression 50 and pumping unit 60, to compress and increase the pressure for the fluid feedback line;
one or more driving units 20, wherein each driving unit is connected to a relevant load, and
wherein each driving unit is capable of driving the relevant load through burning fuel and expanding the fluid [0037];
at least one heat exchange recuperator 30,
connected between the fluid feedback line and the driving units, and between each driving unit and the compression and pumping unit, and
arranged for heating the fluid supplied by the fluid feedback line compressed by the compression and pumping unit to be fed into the driving units, by exchanging the heat of the expanded discharged fluid from the driving units [0038], and
a fluid source auxiliary plants-group 115, connected to the compression 70 and pumping unit 60, to recover and supply additional fluid into the fluid feedback line [0038].
Regarding dependent claim 2, Fetvedt teaches wherein the fluid source auxiliary plants-group comprises:
one or more fluid capture units, capable of generating fluid [0030, ASU]; and
a compressor 70, connected to the fluid deriving from the fluid capture units and to the compression and pumping unit, wherein the compressor is capable of compressing the fluid deriving from the one or more fluid capture units.
Regarding dependent claim 4, Fetvedt teaches wherein the fluid source auxiliary plants-group comprises:
one or more additional at fluid sources, capable of generating fluid 115,205; and
a compressor 70, connected to the fluid deriving from the additional fluid sources and to the compression and pumping unit, wherein the compressor is capable of compressing the fluid deriving from the additional fluid sources.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Fetvedt teaches wherein the compression and pumping unit comprises:at least one separation unit 40 for separating the water from the fluid coming from the driving units, after being cooled by at least one heat exchanger recuperator;
at least one compressor 50, for compressing the dehumidified fluid and increasing the pressure of the fluid;
at least one heat exchanger 30; and
at least one pump 60 operable for increasing the pressure of the fluid, wherein the pump is connected between the heat exchanger and the fluid feedback line.
Regarding dependent claim 7, Fetvedt teaches wherein the separation unit comprises an inlet, on which the discharge stream coming from the driving unit is collected, and an outlet [0038].
Regarding dependent claim 8, Fetvedt teaches wherein the fluid source auxiliary plants-group comprises:
one or more fluid capture units 20, capable of generating fluid; and
a compressor 70, connected to the fluid deriving from the fluid capture units and to the compression and pumping unit, wherein the compressor is capable of compressing the fluid deriving from the one or more fluid capture units,
wherein the compressor 70 connected to the fluid capture units is connected to the outlet or to the inlet of the separation unit.
Regarding dependent claim 9, Fetvedt teaches wherein the fluid source auxiliary plants-group comprises:
one or more additional at fluid sources, capable of generating fluid 115,205; and
a compressor 70, connected to the fluid deriving from the additional fluid sources and to the compression and pumping unit, wherein the compressor is capable of compressing the fluid deriving from the additional fluid sources; and
wherein the compressor connected to the additional sources is connected to the outlet or to the inlet of the separation unit [0038-0039].
Regarding dependent claim 10, Fetvedt teaches wherein the pump increases the pressure of the fluid up to 250-350 bar [0031].
Regarding dependent claim 11, Fetvedt teaches wherein the compressor increases the pressure of the fluid up to 60-100 bar [0033].
Regarding dependent claim 12, Fetvedt teaches comprising at least one extraction line 124b of the fluid, to extract the fluid in pressure, wherein the extraction line is connected to the fluid feedback line [0038].
Regarding dependent claim 13, Fetvedt teaches wherein the compression and pumping unit comprises:
at least one separation unit 40 for separating the water from the fluid coming from the driving units, after being cooled by at least one heat exchanger recuperator 30;
at least one compressor 50, for compressing the dehumidified fluid and increasing the pressure of the fluid;
at least one heat exchanger 101, 102; and
at least one pump 60 operable for increasing the pressure of the fluid, wherein the pump is connected between the heat exchanger and the fluid feedback lines and wherein the extraction line is connected upstream the pump.
Regarding dependent claim 15, Fetvedt teaches comprising a single heat exchange recuperator 30, connected between the fluid feedback line and each driving unit, and between each driving unit and the compression and pumping unit.
Regarding dependent claim 16, Fetvedt teaches wherein the fluid comprises mainly carbon dioxide [0038].
Regarding dependent claim 17, Fetvedt teaches wherein the heat exchanger recuperator can comprise one or more heat exchangers 30.
Regarding dependent claim 18, Fetvedt teaches wherein each driving unit comprises:
a combustor 15, having:
a fuel inlet 120, for the introduction of the fuel to be burned; and
an oxidant inlet144, to supply oxidant to the combustor;
a fluid inlet 133, to supply the fluid to be expanded, an expander 20, operatively connected to the combustor;
a rotating shaft, driven by the expander, connected to the loads wherein the heat exchanger recuperator has:
a first inlet 133, connected to the carbon dioxide feedback line;
a first outlet 133, connected to the fluid inlet of the combustor of the relevant driving unit;
at least one second inlet 126, connected to the expanders of at least one driving unit; and
a second outlet 126, connected to the compression and pumping system.
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.
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(s) 3, 5, 14, and 19-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fetvedt in view of Allam (US 11814288).
Regarding dependent claim 3 and 5, Fetvedt teaches a fluid capture unit from an ASU [0030]. Fetvedt is silent to wherein the fluid capture units comprise a CO2 source from Blue hydrogen H2 plants, such as Auto Thermal Reforming, an Acid Gas Removal Units in LNG or gas treatment processes, a Direct Air Capture plant, and/or a CO2 residue from ASU unit of oxygen plants.
Allam teaches it was known to have fluid capture units comprise a CO2 source from Blue hydrogen H2 plants, such as Auto Thermal Reforming, an Acid Gas Removal Units in LNG or gas treatment processes, a Direct Air Capture plant, and/or a CO2 residue from ASU unit of oxygen plants (col. 3, ll. 13-38).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Fetvedt with the CO2 source from Blue hydrogen H2 plants, as taught by Allam, as Allam teaches increased efficiency (col. 4, ll. 25-39)
Regarding dependent claim 14, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches comprising:
a plurality of driving units (col. 22, ll. 30-33); and
a heat exchange recuperator for each driving units (col. 22, ll. 30-33);
wherein each heat exchange recuperator is connected between the fluid feedback line and the relevant driving unit, and between the relevant driving unit and the compression and pumping unit, and
wherein each heat exchange recuperator is arranged for heating the fluid supplied by the fluid feedback line before it is fed into the relevant driving unit by exchanging the heat of the expanded discharged fluid from the relevant driving units (col. 3,ll. 26-38 and col. 4, ll. 25-30).
Regarding dependent claim 19, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches wherein the heat exchanger recuperator has a plurality second inlet, each one connected to one relevant expander of a driving unit (as combined, the recuperator would need to have more inlets and outlets from the different turbines).
Regarding dependent claim 20, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches wherein the temperature of the fluid heated by the heat exchange recuperator supplied by the fluid feedback line to be fed into the driving units is between 500-700 C (col.. 6, ll, 32-34).
Regarding dependent claim 21, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches comprising a first driving unit connected to a relevant load; and a second driving unit connected to a relevant load (col. 22, ll. 30-33).
Regarding dependent claim 22, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches wherein the load of the first driving unit is an electric generator; and wherein the load of the second driving unit is an electric generator. Allam teaches it was known to have the driving unit associated with an electric generator ( col. 37, ll. 57-60).
It would have been obvious to provide a generator for each turbine as it has been held in re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960), “the duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced” (see MPEP 2144.04, Section VI(B)). In the instant claim, additional generators produce the expected result of having the ability to produce more electricity, when scaled.
Regarding dependent claim 23, Fetvedt in view of Allam teaches the invention as claimed and discussed above. Allam further teaches comprising a third driving unit connected to a relevant load (col. 22, ll. 30-33).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRAIG SANG KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1418. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
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/CRAIG KIM/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3741