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 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) .
is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0069836 (Beekmann).
Regarding claim 1, Beekmann teaches method for operating a renewable power plant (Fig. 2 shows wind energy power plant) comprising at least one wind turbine (Fig. 2 shows a wind energy installation 2) and an electrolyzer system (Fig. 2 shows electrical consumer 6 is connected to gas pipeline 26 and gas tank 28 pertaining to hydrogen generated by electrolysis) [0020, 0057], the renewable power plant is connectable with a grid via a circuit breaker located at a point of common coupling (PCC) (Fig. 2 shows wind energy installation 2 connectable with electrical supply system 2 i.e. grid via switch S1 i.e. circuit breaker located at a point of common coupling 18) [0056], wherein the renewable power plant comprises an internal grid connecting the at least one wind turbine and the electrolyzer system with the point of common coupling (Fig. 2 shows feed arrangement 1 comprises an internal grid connecting the at least wind energy installation 2, gas pipeline 26, gas pipeline 28 i.e. electrolyzer system with the distribution 18, distribution input 20) [0055-57],
wherein the method comprises
- detecting a low voltage at any of the at least one wind turbine (frequency, phase, amplitude of the voltage in the wind system is being monitored) [0014-15, 0029-31, 0034-35],
- electrically disconnecting the electrolyzer system from the internal grid in response to detecting the low voltage (switch S2 is open to electrically disconnect the apparatus 6 i.e. electrolyzer from the internal grid in response to monitored system state i.e. low voltage) [0015, 0020-21, 0067-68].
Regarding claim 2, Beekmann teaches wherein the electrolyzer system comprises a low voltage detector and a converter capable of converting DC power into AC power (Fig. 2 shows inverter 4 converting DC power to reactive AC power) [0056], wherein the method comprises,
- detecting a low voltage at the electrolyzer system using the low voltage detector at the electrolyzer system (monitoring electrical supply system to determine whether the voltage falls below a predetermined voltage limit value) [0029-31], and
- before electrically disconnecting the electrolyzer system from the internal grid, converting stored DC power from the electrolyzer system into AC power using the converter (Fig. 2 shows inverter 4 converting DC power to reactive AC power) [0056]
-and injecting the AC power into the internal grid in response to detecting the low voltage at the electrolyzer system.
Regarding claim 3, Beekmann teaches wherein the stored DC power is stored as a capacitance in the electrolyzer system [0058].
Regarding claim 4, Beekmann teaches wherein the stored DC power is converted into active AC power (Fig. 2 shows inverter 4 converting DC power to reactive AC power) [0056].
Regarding claim 5, Beekmann teaches wherein the stored DC power is converted into reactive AC power (Fig. 2 shows inverter 4 converting DC power to reactive AC power) [0056].
Regarding claim 6, Beekmann does not teach wherein the wind power plant comprises a first group of one or more wind turbines and a second group of one or more other wind turbines, wherein the first group is located electrically closer to the electrolyzer system than the second group and wherein the at least one wind turbine is comprised by the first group of the one or more wind turbines.
Regarding claim 7. (Original) A method according to claim 6, wherein the detecting of the low voltage at any of the wind turbines is restricted to detecting the low voltage at any wind turbine in the first group.
Regarding claim 14. (Original) A renewable wind power plant comprising at least one wind turbine and an electrolyzer system arranged connectable with a grid via a first circuit breaker located at a point of common coupling (PCC), wherein the renewable power plant comprises an internal grid connecting the at least one wind turbine and the electrolyzer system with the point of common coupling, and wherein the wind power plant comprises a second circuit breaker connecting the electrolyzer system with the internal grid, wherein the wind power plant comprises - an low voltage detector for detecting a low voltage at any of the at least one wind turbine, - a control system for controlling the second circuit breaker to electrically disconnect the electrolyzer system from the internal grid in response to detecting the low voltage.
Regarding claim 15. (Currently Amended) A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out an operation of a renewable power plant comprising at least one wind turbine and an electrolyzer system, the renewable power plant being connectable with a grid via a circuit breaker located at a point of common coupling (PCC), wherein the renewable power plant comprises an internal grid connecting the at least one wind turbine and the electrolyzer system with the point of common coupling, wherein the operation comprises:
detecting a low voltage at any of the at least one wind turbine and electrically disconnecting the electrolyzer system from the internal grid in response to detecting the low voltage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-13 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SWARNA N CHOWDHURI whose telephone number is (571)431-0696. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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SWARNA N. CHOWDHURI
Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/S.N.C/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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