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 § 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 1-3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ihara et al. (WO 2020/090245).
Note: the reference to Ihara et al. below is to the US patent application publication No. US 2021/0246022 A1, which corresponds to the above WIPO reference.
Regarding claim 1, the reference Ihara et al. discloses a reactor (2, 52) (see Abstract; para. [0023]; Figs. 1, 5, 6) for decomposition of hydrocarbons comprising:
a structural catalyst (9, 29, 59) for the decomposition of hydrocarbons, the structural catalyst (9, 29, 59) having a structure that allows a reaction gas to flow from one end of the structural catalyst to another end of the structural catalyst when installed in a reaction chamber (see paras. [0072]; [0077]; [0086]; Figs. 1, 5, 6); and
a heat source (10, 30) that is configured to be installed inside or outside the reaction chamber and is configured to heat the structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons (see paras. [0072]; [0077]; [0086]; Figs. 1, 5, 6),
wherein the structural catalyst (9, 29, 59) for the decomposition of hydrocarbons has a shape encompassing a boundary wall surface or a boundary side that separates the structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons from the heat source when viewed from a cross-section of the structural catalyst perpendicular to a flowing direction of the reaction gas (see para. [0102]; Figs. 1, 5, 6).
Regarding claim 2, the reference Ihara et al. discloses the reactor, wherein the shape of the structural catalyst forms a symmetrical curve or line with respect to a first normal line to said boundary wall surface or a second normal line to an imaginary cylindrical side face encompassing said boundary side, the symmetrical curve or line starting from a certain point on the first or second normal line (see para. [0102]; Figs. 1, 5, 6).
Regarding claim 3, the reference Ihara et al. discloses the reactor, wherein the heat source (30) is in a heater container (60) that occupies a central part of the reaction chamber when viewed from the cross-section of the structural catalyst perpendicular to the flowing direction of the reaction gas (see paras. [0088]; Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, the reference Ihara et al. discloses a reaction furnace (1, 21) (see Abstract; para. [0023]; Figs. 1, 5, 6) for direct decomposition of hydrocarbons comprising:
a reactor (2, 52) for decomposition of hydrocarbons (see Abstract; para. [0023]; Figs. 1, 5, 6),
wherein the reactor (2, 52) includes:
a first structural catalyst (9, 29, 59) for the decomposition of hydrocarbons, the first structural catalyst (9, 29) having a structure that allows a reaction gas to flow from one end of the first structural catalyst to another end of the first structural catalyst when installed in a reaction chamber (see paras. [0072]; [0077]; Figs. 1, 5, 6); and
a heat source (10, 30) that is configured to be installed inside or outside the reaction chamber and is configured to heat the first structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons (see paras. [0072]; [0077]; [0086]; Figs. 1, 5, 6), and
the first structural catalyst (9, 29, 59) for the decomposition of hydrocarbons has a shape encompassing a boundary wall surface or a boundary side that separates the first structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons from the heat source when viewed from a cross-section of the first structural catalyst perpendicular to a flowing direction of the reaction gas (see para. [0102]; Figs. 1, 5, 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is allowed.
Regarding claim 9, the claim is allowable because the prior art of record does not disclose or fairly suggest the steps of: modifying a shape of said structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons with said first shape and/or moving said first coordinate system; ensuring a reaction gas to flow from one end of said structural catalyst to another end of the structural catalyst when said structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons after modifying the shape and/or moving said coordinate system is installed in a reaction chamber; ensuring a second radiation heat (E2) received per unit time by said structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons after modifying the shape and/or moving said coordinate system to become greater than said first radiation heat (E1) received per unit time by said structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons with said first shape; installing said structural catalyst in the reaction chamber, and installing a heat source inside or outside the reaction chamber to heat said structural catalyst for the decomposition of hydrocarbons, as recited in claim 9
Claims 4, 6, and 7 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.
Regarding claim 4, the claim would be allowable because the prior art of record does not disclose or fairly suggest the feature: wherein the heater container is a square-shaped heater container, and said heat source is a regenerative radiant tube burner in the square-shaped heater container, as required in claim 4.
Regarding claim 6, the claim would be allowable because the prior art of record does not disclose or fairly suggest the feature wherein the reaction furnace further includes: a catalyst module including a second structural catalyst, the second structural catalyst being configured to contact unreacted reaction gas coming out from said another end of the first structural catalyst by convection, as required in claim 6.
Regarding claim 7, the claim would be allowable because the prior art of record does not disclose or fairly suggest the feature wherein the reaction furnace further includes: a hydrogen purification module configured to reduce a hydrogen pressure in said reaction furnace and promote the decomposition of hydrocarbons by selectively discharging hydrogen in said reaction furnace, as required in claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lessanework T Seifu whose telephone number is (571)270-3153. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 9:00 am - 6:30 pm; F 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
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/LESSANEWORK SEIFU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1774
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