Ex Parte Rabovitser et al - Page 2

                Appeal 2007-1461                                                                             
                Application 10/463,956                                                                       
                                            I.  BACKGROUND                                                   
                      The invention relates to a combustion process and apparatus.  Claim 1                  
                is illustrative of the subject matter on appeal:                                             
                      1.  In a combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber                          
                having a plurality of primary combustion regions and a flue gas exhaust,                     
                each of said primary combustion regions having a corresponding fuel input,                   
                a method for controlling combustion of a fuel in said combustion chamber                     
                comprising the steps of:                                                                     
                      measuring a concentration of at least one flue gas component                           
                indicative of fuel/oxidant ratio in flue gases generated by said combustion at               
                a plurality of locations proximate said flue gas exhaust, resulting in a                     
                plurality of measured concentrations, each of said locations corresponding to                
                one of said primary combustion regions;                                                      
                      determining an average concentration of said at least one flue gas                     
                component from said plurality of measured concentrations;                                    
                      determining a delta value for said at least one flue gas component at                  
                each of said locations; and                                                                  
                      adjusting a fuel input rate as necessary for each of said primary                      
                combustion regions, whereby said delta value is one of reduced and                           
                increased to zero.                                                                           
                                                                                                            
                      The Examiner relies on the following prior art references to show                      
                unpatentability:                                                                             
                Pershing     US 4,592,289  Jun. 3, 1986                                                      
                Kychakoff    US 5,010,827  Apr. 30, 1991                                                     
                Khinkis    US 5,205,227  Apr. 27, 1993                                                       
                      The Examiner rejects claims 1-3, 7, 13, and 16 under § 102(b) as                       
                anticipated by Kychakoff; claims 10-12 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as                           
                unpatentable over Kychakoff; claims 3-6, 8, 14, and 15 under 35 U.S.C.                       
                § 103(a) as unpatentable over Khinkis in view of Kychakoff; and claims 8                     

                                                     2                                                       

Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  Next

Last modified: September 9, 2013