Appeal 2007-0620
Application 10/323,626
across reactor tubes 4 (id. col. 2, ll. 53-58). The baffles 10 extend partially
across shell 1 forming space 11 which permits the flow of heat exchange
medium from one baffle zone to another as illustrated in Smith’s Fig. 2 (id.
col. 2, ll. 53-61, and col. 2, l. 66, to col. 3). The number of baffles 10
employed depends on desired conditions, inter alia, temperature control (id.
col. 2, ll. 54-65).
Smith discloses that the exchange medium flow through the reactor
from inlet 8 to outlet 9 is successively transversely across all reactor tubes 4
with “the general flow of the heat exchange medium is concurrent with the
flow of the reaction mixture through the reactor tubes” because “the
temperature differential across the walls of the reactor tubes is greatest
where the concentration of reactant is highest and therefore requiring the
greatest heat transfer, whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic”
(id. col. 3, ll. 15-25). Smith provides this flow via conduit 12 between heat
exchange medium outlet 9 and incoming reactant conduit 17, and the
incoming heat exchange medium conduit and heat exchange medium inlet 8
(id. col. 3, ll. 26-29 and 50-56). Smith discloses that bypass 13 is an
optional, preferred conduit (id. col. 3, ll. 30-49). Smith exemplifies the
reactor with the dehydrogenation of alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, an
endothermic reaction (id. col. 4, l. 1 et seq.).
We find Wanka would have disclosed to one of ordinary skill in this
art an apparatus for, inter alia, exothermic chemical reactions, in which the
temperature of the heat exchange medium longitudinally of the catalyst tubes
can be controlled (Wanka, e.g., col. 2, l. 20, to col. 3, l. 24). As illustrated in
Wanka’s Fig. 1, cylindrical reaction tank 1 has horizontal distributor plates
11
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