Appeal 2007-0492
Application 10/810,960
1 (c) a recovery system in which exhausts from the hydrogen and oxygen sides of
2 the fuel cell are passed through gas-liquid separators 48 and 50, and recovered water is
3 sent to water tank 24 via pipes 52.
4 5. Okamoto does not disclose an oxygen-enrichment assembly as required by
5 Appellants' claims.
6 The Prior Art: St-Pierre
7 6. St-Pierre discloses as its invention methods and systems for enriching reactants
8 for fuel cells via an "integrated pressure swing adsorption apparatus" (“PSA”). (St-Pierre
9 at col. 3, ll. 46–48.)
10 7. According to St-Pierre, "[o]xygen is typically obtained from the air surrounding
11 the fuel cell system. However, non-reactive nitrogen then typically becomes the major
12 component in the dilute oxidant stream." (St-Pierre at col. 2, ll. 51–54.)
13 8. St-Pierre states further:
[i]ncreasing the concentration of the reactant in reformed fuel and/or air
14 streams, that is, enrichment, has thus been considered in the art as a way
15 are
of improving fuel cell performance. Several enrichment methods
16 commonly known that involve separating out a component from the
17 membrane, and pressure swing
18 reactant stream, including cryogenic,
19 adsorption methods. . . . In a membrane method, component separation is
20 achieved by passing the stream over the surface of a membrane that is
21 selectively permeable to a component in the stream.
22 (St-Pierre at col. 2, ll. 55–66; emphasis added.)
23 The Prior Art: Ito
24 9. Ito discloses a combustion apparatus for burning liquid fuels.
-9-
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