Appeal 2007-1943
Application 10/443,649
We find that the high initial sulfur content of the decant oils to be
hydrotreated and/or severely hydrotreated in accordance with the
Appellants’ disclosure (>1wt% sulfur (Claim 1); >2 wt% sulfur (Claim 11))
include the low initial sulfur content of the decant oils to be hydrotreated in
accordance with the Didchenko’s disclosure (1-2.5 wt% sulfur in general;
1.2-2.35 wt% sulfur in Didchenko’s Examples 1-6). We find that
Appellants’ hydrotreating steps, like the hydrotreating step of Didchenko’s
process, include catalytic hydrotreating a 1-2.5 wt% sulfur decant oil in a
hydrotreatment chamber at a temperature between about 500 oF to about
800oF and at a pressure between about 800 to about 1,500 psig. Moreover,
we find that the low sulfur pitch feedstocks produced by Didchenko’s
process of making low sulfur pitch feedstock and by Appellants’ processes
of making low sulfur/low PAH petroleum pitch feedstock have many
common properties. For example, see the following tabulation:
Appellants’ and Didchenko’s Low Sulfur Petroleum Pitch Feedstock
Properties Appellants’ Didchenko’s
Softening Point, Mettler, 70-130oC 104oC
(Claims 8 & 25) (Ex. 5, col. 8,
ll. 8-18)
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