Appeal No. 2002-0218
Application No. 09/332,415
13. The autothermal reformer assembly of Claim
1 wherein said foam catalyst bed includes an autothermal
reformer-operating temperature-compatible metal support
selected from the group consisting of stainless steel,
nickel alloys and iron-aluminum alloys.
18. The autothermal reformer assembly of Claim
1 wherein said air inlet passage contains an air/steam
mixture.
23. A methanol fuel gas autothermal reformer assembly
for converting a methanol fuel gas stream into a
hydrogen-enriched process gas stream, said assembly
comprising a monolithic open cell foam catalyst bed,
said catalyst bed including an inlet end and an outlet
end, an inlet portion of said catalyst bed being
provided with a noble metal catalyst which is operable
to combust a portion of the methanol fuel gas at a
temperature of about 200/F thereby enabling start up
of the reformer assembly while inhibiting carbon
deposition in catalyzed cells of said foam catalyst
bed.
PRIOR ART
In rejecting the claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, the examiner
relies upon the following prior art references:
Dicks 3,904,554 Sep. 09, 1975
Narumiya et al. (Narumiya) 4,308,233 Dec. 29, 1981
Setzer et al. (Setzer) 4,415,484 Nov. 15, 1983
Sheller 5,384,009 Jan. 24, 1995
Bhattacharyya et al. (Bhatta) 5,498,370 Mar. 12, 1996
Clawson WO 98/08771 Mar. 05, 1998
(Published World Intell. Prop. Org. Application)
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