DETAILED ACTION
The Amendment filed 7/28/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-2,4-21 remain pending in the application. Claims 20-21 have been added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 2 now recites “the one or more fluid streams that are supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle and that are heated in the second heat exchanger are selected from the group consisting of boiler feed-water, process steam delivered from a steam-based power cycle, and a pressurized water flow” reciting limitations as a Markush Grouping where such grouping restriction was not previously disclosed in the claims or specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
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.
Claims 1,4-6,9,11-15,17,19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over US Publication 20190271266 to Allam_5as in view of US Patent 10047673 to Allam and further in view of US Patent 11280224 to Shaw. (note for examiner and applicant, this combination of references is used to teach that in separator heat exchanger can be a separate heat exchanger with a water resource such as a lake, stream or reservoir)
As to claim 1, Allam_5 discloses A power production cycle (Fig 2) comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (111) with oxygen (139 to 108) to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream to form a mixture (107); and feeding the mixture to a power turbine (103) to create a discharge, the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger (100-1) to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream; wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (129) and the oxygen (Par 0024)(alternatively the CO2 mixed with O2 can be considered the entire adiabatically compression stage and is done in Par 0024) from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (Par 0024) and to heat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen (via Par 0024 alt 100-1,2,3); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine (100-1,2,3); and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger (115/117; Par 0049) that heats one or more fluid streams.
While Allam_5 discloses circulating water 115 is heated by exhaust 113 and transfers this to an external water source 117 to facilitate separation 113 to 122 it does not expressly disclose a second heat exchanger heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle.
Allam discloses a separator and upstream cooler 6,7, where the cooler uses external water. Shaw discloses how it is commonly known for cooling water to be drawn from lakes and rivers(Col 1, Line 36-38) or other ample sources for use in cooling as known in the art.
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Frutschi to include a second heat exchanger heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle and it would be obvious for Allam to use a natural cooling water source as it would be readily available as known and commonly used in the art using the teachings of Allam and Shaw to facilitate desired cooling for separation of the CO2 and water, while allowing for simpler construction without a bed heat exchanger and additional water circulation system, yielding a more efficient system with simpler components.
As to claim 4, Allam_5 discloses wherein the adiabatic compression system comprises a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 (129, Par 0024).
As to claim 5, Allam_5 discloses a separate stream of CO2 is taken from the discharge of the CO2 compressor and introduced into the power turbine as a cooling fluid (189).
As to claim 6, Allam_5 discloses the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen (Par 0024, 0048).
As to claim 9, Allam_5 discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas that has been compressed to the inlet pressure of the power turbine (Par 0043,0047).
As to claim 11, Allam_5 discloses an inlet temperature of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 1000 °C to about 1600 °C (Par 0048).
As to claim 12, Allam_5 discloses the inlet pressure of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) (Par 0048).
As to claim 13, Allam_5 discloses a pressure ratio of the power turbine is in a range of about 15 to about 40 (Par 0048).
As to claim 14, Allam_5 discloses wherein substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream is adiabatically compressed from the lesser pressure to the greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (129, Par 0024).
As to claim 15, Allam_5 discloses near 100% of carbon in the hydrocarbon fuel stream that is combusted is captured (170).
As to claim 17, Allam_5 discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas (Par 0043).
As to claim 19, Allam_5 discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream with oxygen to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream to form a mixture; and feeding the mixture to a power turbine to create a discharge, the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream; wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine and to heat substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen, the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2, and the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine; and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more external sources (as cited and rejected Claim 1,12 above).
Claims 1,4,5,7,9-15,17,19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Publication 20190271266 and further in view of US Patent 11280224 to Shaw. (note for examiner and applicant, this combination of references is used to teach heat exchanger 7 as a common water resource such as a lake, stream or reservoir)
As to claim 1, Allam discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (43, Col 2, line 60-67) with oxygen (28,38) to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream (37) to form a mixture (39); and feeding the mixture to a power turbine (2) to create a discharge (45), the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger (15) to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (25/37); wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (8; Col 12, Line 60-65) and the oxygen (11; Col 12, Line 37-46) from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (Col 3, Line 1-26) and to heat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen (compression then 15); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine (15); and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger (7) that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources external to the power production cycle (Col 12, Line 24-27).
While Allam discloses compressors it does not expressly disclose where the Oxygen compressor is adiabatic as it has an intercooler 12. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the intercooler separate from and downstream of the compressor resulting in an adiabatic compressor as in the application, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179. This was also known in the art and reasonably in use as taught in US Publication 20190271266 Figure 1 where it is disclosed that an adiabatic compressor 52 can have an adjacent cooler 54 to achieve the same functionality as a combined unit.
While Allam discloses that the heat exchanger (7) exchanges heat with cooling water, it does not expressly state where that water comes from. Shaw discloses how it is commonly known for cooling water to be drawn from lakes and rivers or other ample sources for use in cooling as known in the art, and it would be obvious for Allam to use a natural cooling water source as it would be readily available as known and commonly used in the art.
As to claim 4, Allam discloses the adiabatic compression system comprises a CO2 compressor (8) and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 (11; 28 and 20).
As to claim 5, Allam discloses a separate stream of CO2 is taken from the discharge of the CO2 compressor and introduced into the power turbine as a cooling fluid (25,61).
As to claim 7, Allam discloses the discharge from the power turbine leaving the second heat exchanger is cooled to near ambient temperature by ambient cooling means, and wherein net product water and CO2 are removed before entering the adiabatic compression system (Col 12, Line 20-30).
As to claim 9, Allam discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas that has been compressed to the inlet pressure of the power turbine (Col 12, line 4-10).
As to claim 10, Allam discloses an inlet pressure of the adiabatic compression system is in a range of about 4 bar (0.4 MPa) to about 40 bar (4 MPa) (Col 12, Line 37-46).
As to claim 11, Allam discloses an inlet temperature of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 1000 °C to about 1600 °C (Col 12 Line 10-20).
As to claim 12, Allam discloses the inlet pressure of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) (Col 3, Line 1-26).
As to claim 13, Allam discloses a pressure ratio of the power turbine is in a range of about 15 to about 40 (Col 12, Line 21: 30 bar out; Col 3, Line 1-26: 200-400 in; this yields “a range of about 15 to about 40” especially considering the limitation that “about” is +/- 5% as per specification details).
As to claim 14, Allam discloses substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream is adiabatically compressed from the lesser pressure to the greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (at 8; Col 12, Line 60-65 and as mixed with the oxygen at 11; Col 12, Line 37-46).
As to claim 15, Allam discloses near 100% of carbon in the hydrocarbon fuel stream that is combusted is captured (Col 13, Line 44-48).
As to claim 17, Allam discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas (Col 12, line 4-10).
As to claim 19, Allam discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream with oxygen to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream to form a mixture; and feeding the mixture to a power turbine to create a discharge, the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2) ; wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine and to heat substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2), the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2, and the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) (Cited and rejected Claim 12 above; Fig 2 , Col 3, Line 1-26); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine; and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources external to the power production cycle (Col 12, Line 24-27) (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2).
Claims 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam as applied to Claim 4 above in view of US Publication 20190271266 to Allam_2.
As to claim 6, Allam discloses how the oxygen is diluted by CO2 (Col 12, Line 37-46) but does not expressly discloses the molar ratio that the Oxygen is diluted to.
Allam_2 in a similar design discloses the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen (Par 0024).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to include the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen using the teaching of Allam_2 to facilitate efficient combustion while providing a suitable CO2 component for increased power across the turbine. Further it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claims 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Patent 8596075 to Allam_3.
As to claim 16, Allam discloses the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream but does not disclose how they comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen.
Allam_3 discloses a similar system exhaust (Fig 12) where the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen (Col 47, Line 60-67).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to include where the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream but does not disclose how they comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen by the use of a high efficiency burner (Col 47, Line 60-67) using the teachings of Allam_3 so as to increase overall system combustion efficiency and combustion of products to the fullest extent.
Claims 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Patent 9850815 to Allam_4.
As to claim 18, Allam does not expressly disclose the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises syngas, which is taught by Allam_4 (Col 2, Line 13-21).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to have the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises syngas using the teachings of Allam_4 as this would have been a well known fuel in the art at the time which would have yielded predictable results with minimal undesirable exhaust compounds.
Claims 1-2,4-5,7,9-15,17,19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Publication 20190271266 and further in view of US Patent 11939915 to Uechi. (note for examiner and applicant, this combination of references is used to teach heat exchanger 7 as an obvious use for a boiler pre-feed source)
As to claim 1, Allam discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (43, Col 2, line 60-67) with oxygen (28,38) to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream (37) to form a mixture (39); and feeding the mixture to a power turbine (2) to create a discharge (45), the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger (15) to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (25/37); wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (8; Col 12, Line 60-65) and the oxygen (11; Col 12, Line 37-46) from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (Col 3, Line 1-26) and to heat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen (compression then 15); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine (15); and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger (7) that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources external to the power production cycle (Col 12, Line 24-27).
While Allam discloses compressors it does not expressly disclose where the Oxygen compressor is adiabatic as it has an intercooler 12. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the intercooler separate from and downstream of the compressor resulting in an adiabatic compressor as in the application, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179. This was also known in the art and reasonably in use as taught in US Publication 20190271266 Figure 1 where it is disclosed that an adiabatic compressor 52 can have an adjacent cooler 54 to achieve the same functionality as a combined unit.
While Allam discloses that the heat exchanger (7) exchanges heat with cooling water, it does not expressly state where that water comes from, and does not expressly discloses wherein the one or more fluid streams that are supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle and that are heated in the second heat exchanger are selected from the group consisting of boiler feed-water, process steam delivered from a steam-based power cycle, and a pressurized water flow.
Uechi discloses multiple heat exchangers (Fig 1, 25’s, pumps such as pump 36 which supply the fluid under pressure to the heat exchanger) along an exhaust path from a combustion turbine that act as a boiler for feed-water and process steam delivered from a steam- based power cycle.
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to include how the fluid streams heated in the second heat exchanger comprise boiler feed-water and process steam delivered from a steam- based power cycle using the teachings of Uechi so as to create useful power from residual heat in the turbine exhaust which is already taught by Allam to provide needed cooling.
As to claim 2, the modified Allam discloses wherein the one or more fluid streams that are supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle and that are heated in the second heat exchanger are selected from the group consisting of boiler feed-water, process steam delivered from a steam-based power cycle, and a pressurized water flow (Uechi: Fig 1, 25’s, Uechi: pumps such as pump 36 which supply the fluid under pressure to the heat exchanger).
As to claim 4, Allam discloses the adiabatic compression system comprises a CO2 compressor (8) and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 (11; 28 and 20).
As to claim 5, Allam discloses a separate stream of CO2 is taken from the discharge of the CO2 compressor and introduced into the power turbine as a cooling fluid (25,61).
As to claim 7, Allam discloses the discharge from the power turbine leaving the second heat exchanger is cooled to near ambient temperature by ambient cooling means, and wherein net product water and CO2 are removed before entering the adiabatic compression system (Col 12, Line 20-30).
As to claim 9, Allam discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas that has been compressed to the inlet pressure of the power turbine (Col 12, line 4-10).
As to claim 10, Allam discloses an inlet pressure of the adiabatic compression system is in a range of about 4 bar (0.4 MPa) to about 40 bar (4 MPa) (Col 12, Line 37-46).
As to claim 11, Allam discloses an inlet temperature of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 1000 °C to about 1600 °C (Col 12 Line 10-20).
As to claim 12, Allam discloses the inlet pressure of the power producing turbine is in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) (Col 3, Line 1-26).
As to claim 13, Allam discloses a pressure ratio of the power turbine is in a range of about 15 to about 40 (Col 12, Line 21: 30 bar out; Col 3, Line 1-26: 200-400 in; this yields “a range of about 15 to about 40” especially considering the limitation that “about” is +/- 5% as per specification details).
As to claim 14, Allam discloses substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream is adiabatically compressed from the lesser pressure to the greater inlet pressure of the power turbine (at 8; Col 12, Line 60-65 and as mixed with the oxygen at 11; Col 12, Line 37-46).
As to claim 15, Allam discloses near 100% of carbon in the hydrocarbon fuel stream that is combusted is captured (Col 13, Line 44-48).
As to claim 17, Allam discloses the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises natural gas (Col 12, line 4-10).
As to claim 19, Allam discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream with oxygen to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream to form a mixture; and feeding the mixture to a power turbine to create a discharge, the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2) ; wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine and to heat substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2), the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2, and the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) (Cited and rejected Claim 12 above; Fig 2 , Col 3, Line 1-26); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine; and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources external to the power production cycle (Cited and rejected Claim 1 above; Fig 2).
Claims 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam as applied to Claim 4 above in view of US Publication 20190271266 to Allam_2.
As to claim 6, Allam discloses how the oxygen is diluted by CO2 (Col 12, Line 37-46) but does not expressly discloses the molar ratio that the Oxygen is diluted to.
Allam_2 in a similar design discloses the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen (Par 0024).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to include the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen using the teaching of Allam_2 to facilitate efficient combustion while providing a suitable CO2 component for increased power across the turbine. Further it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have the mixture comprises about 15% to about 60% molar oxygen, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claims 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Patent 8596075 to Allam_3.
As to claim 16, Allam discloses the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream but does not disclose how they comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen.
Allam_3 discloses a similar system exhaust (Fig 12) where the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen (Col 47, Line 60-67).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to include where the mixture of the combustion products and the preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream but does not disclose how they comprises about 0.1% to about 4.0% molar oxygen by the use of a high efficiency burner (Col 47, Line 60-67) using the teachings of Allam_3 so as to increase overall system combustion efficiency and combustion of products to the fullest extent.
Claims 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 10047673 to Allam in view of US Patent 9850815 to Allam_4.
As to claim 18, Allam does not expressly disclose the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises syngas, which is taught by Allam_4 (Col 2, Line 13-21).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Allam to have the hydrocarbon fuel stream comprises syngas using the teachings of Allam_4 as this would have been a well known fuel in the art at the time which would have yielded predictable results with minimal undesirable exhaust compounds.
Claims 1,20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 6269624to Frutschi in view of US Patent 11939915 to Uechi.
As to claim 1, Frutschi discloses a power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream (21) with oxygen (18) to produce combustion products (3); combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream (41) to form a mixture (9); and feeding the mixture to a power turbine (2) to create a discharge (7), the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger (8) to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (Fig 2: 10 through 8 to 41); wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (1) and the oxygen (39) from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine and to heat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream (via compression) and the oxygen (Fig 2); wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger (1 to 10 to 8; 38 to 39 to 40 to 8) where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine (Fig 2); and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger (24) that heats one or more fluid streams (shown as flow arrow).
Frutschi does not expressly disclose where the second heat exchanger (24) that heats one or more fluid streams (shown as flow arrow) supplied from one or more external sources that are external to the power production cycle.
Uechi discloses multiple heat exchangers (Fig 1, 25’s, pumps such as pump 36 which supply the fluid under pressure to the heat exchanger) along an exhaust path from a combustion turbine that act as a boiler for feed-water and process steam delivered from a steam- based power cycle.
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Frutschi to include how the fluid streams heated in the second heat exchanger comprise boiler feed-water and process steam delivered from a steam- based power cycle using the teachings of Uechi so as to create useful power from residual heat in the turbine exhaust which is already taught by Frutschi to provide needed cooling.
As to claim 20, Frutschi discloses wherein the discharge from the power turbine that enters the second heat exchanger (23) is at a temperature of about 200°C to about 600°C (Col 3, Line 66-Col4, Line 5).
Claims 19,21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent 6269624to Frutschi in view of US Publication 20190271266 to Allam and further in view of US Patent 11939915 to Uechi.
As to claim 19, Frutschi discloses A power production cycle comprising: combusting a hydrocarbon fuel stream with oxygen to produce combustion products; combining the combustion products with a preheated circulating pressurized CO2 stream to form a mixture; and feeding the mixture to a power turbine to create a discharge, the discharge then being fed into a recuperative heat exchanger to preheat the circulating pressurized CO2 stream; wherein an adiabatic compression system is used to adiabatically compress substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen from a lesser pressure to a greater inlet pressure of the power turbine and to heat substantially all of the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen; wherein the circulating pressurized CO2 stream and the oxygen leaving the adiabatic compression system enter the recuperative heat exchanger where they are further heated against the discharge from the power turbine; and wherein the discharge from the power turbine leaving the recuperative heat exchanger enters a second heat exchanger that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle (as cited and rejected claim 1 above Frutschi in view of Uechi).
Frutschi does not expressly disclose the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 and while Frutchi does disclose a turbine outlet temperature of 780C it does not expressly disclose the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa).
Allam discloses the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor (129) and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 (Par 0024) and the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) while having a turbine outlet temperature of equivalent components to Frutschi of 780C (equivalent range Par 0048).
At the time of invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Frutschi to include the adiabatic compression system comprising a CO2 compressor and a compressor for a mixture of the oxygen and CO2 using the teachings of Allam so as to sufficiently compress the mixture immediately prior to introduction to the recuperator for more stable combustion concentration at the combustion unit. Further it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to that Frutschi with an equivalent structure to Allam would have the inlet pressure of the power turbine being in a range of about 200 bar (20 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) to achieve the equivalent output temperature and power production across the power turbine. Additionally since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
As to claim 21, Frutschi discloses wherein the discharge from the power turbine that enters the second heat exchanger (23) is at a temperature of about 200°C to about 600°C (Col 3, Line 66-Col4, Line 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered.
With regards to Applicant’s argument that US Publication 20190271266 does not disclose “a second heat exchanger that heats one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources” the examiner cites the new above rejection necessitated by amendment to teach a different interpretation of this reference in view of corresponding supporting references.
With regards to Applicant’s argument that “The '673 patent states in column 12, lines 24-27 that "the cooled turbine exit stream 16 is further cooled against cooling water in a water cooler 7 to near ambient temperature (stream 17 in FIG. 2)." The examiner has thus not pointed to any teaching of heating one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more external sources and particularly has not pointed to any teaching of heating one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more sources that are external to the power production cycle.” the examiner is unconvinced. The reference cites how the heat exchanger is uses water to cool stream 16 to assist separator 17. In a heat exchanger it is an inherent feature that if one fluid is cooled the other increases in heat. The feature 7 would inherently “heating one or more fluid streams supplied from one or more external sources” Further applicant argues that there is no teaching that this fluid is from an external source, however there is no support for assuming that the fluid comes from a source internal to the system. This is further supported by the fact that no fluid source internal to the system is presented that could be drawn from. Additionally as the as the reference explicitly states cooling to an ambient temperature it is known in the art to draw cooling water from external, outside ambient sources. To further support this known feature Shaw is cited above to indicate this commonly used source of cooling fluid and how it would be obvious that the present system is utilizing such a fluid to cool to ambient temperatures. Further, applicant did not address in the remarks the combination with Uechi in claim 2 which also teaches using an external fluid source of a steam turbine system to cool the exhaust fluid by using it as a pre-boiler heater. As such it is understood that it would be obvious to modify US Patent 10047673 to use a cooling heat exchanger to heat an external steam boiler source to reclaim lost energy in a known manner.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSE SAMUEL BOGUE whose telephone number is (571)270-1406. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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JESSE SAMUEL. BOGUE
Examiner
Art Unit 3748
/JESSE S BOGUE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746