Appeal No. 1999-1738 Page 4
Application No. 08/854,516
Houston further discloses a fuel gas supply line 36 connected to the impure gas inlet 15
by a line 57 and connected directly to the combustion chamber 25 by a line 56. A temperature
sensor 103 for monitoring the temperature of the combustion chamber controls a fuel shut-off
valve 100 to adjust the flow of fuel in accordance with the temperature of the combustion
chamber. Contrary to the examiner's assertion on page 3 of the answer, the temperature
sensor 103 is not disclosed as controlling cyclic operation of the valves in conduits 61-68 and
71-73. During the first part of a cycle interval, a valve 54 in the line 57 remains open so that
fuel is mixed with the impure air prior to its entry into the combustion chamber, thereby
improving the destruction efficiency of the oxidizer. The valve 54 is closed by a control 52
during the last 1 to 19% of the cycle interval to minimize the impurity in the inlet heat
exchanger (regenerator) during this time, thereby minimizing the impurity in the cleaned air
passing through that same heat exchanger when it becomes an outlet heat exchanger during a
subsequent cycle interval. If necessary or desired for a particular process, a valve 53 in the
line 56 can be opened during the portion of the cycle interval in which the valve 54 is closed to
supply fuel directly to the combustion chamber.
The disclosures of Gross and Klobucar are both directed to cleaning or bake-out cycles
in which extremely hot air is passed through the heat exchangers to bake-out any residues
accumulating therein. Gross achieves this by providing an inlet manifold isolation valve 48 in
the dirty air inlet manifold 38 and a valve 46 in an alternate inlet line 44. During normal
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