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US 10,947,115 B2Granted
Process for separation of hydrogen and oxygen
AssigneeSabic Global Technologies B.V.
InventorsAbdulaziz M. Al-Jodai, Israr Ul Haque, Nasser Ali Aldalaan
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are directed to methods, processes, and systems for safely and reliably purifying hydrogen from a gas mixture containing hydrogen and oxygen.
Claims20
A process for producing hydrogen from water comprising:
- (a) contacting a water source with a water splitting photocatalyst and exposing the water/photocatalyst to light under conditions that split water into hydrogen and oxygen forming a feed source for hydrogen separation and purification;
- (b) separating hydrogen from a feed source by
- (i) compressing a feed source to at least 30 bars in a spark free environment forming a compressed feed source;
- (ii) separating hydrogen from the compressed feed source by contacting a selectively permeable membrane with the compressed feed source, wherein hydrogen selectively permeates the membrane forming a hydrogen permeate and a hydrogen deficient retentate;
- and
- (iii) collecting the hydrogen permeate;
- and
- (c) purifying the hydrogen permeate by
- (i) compressing the hydrogen permeate to at least 30 bars forming a compressed hydrogen permeate, and
- (ii) combusting the compressed hydrogen permeate to remove residual oxygen and forming a purified hydrogen stream comprising residual water or steam;
- and
- (d) collecting, storing, and/or utilizing the purified hydrogen.
9 more elements
A hydrogen purification system comprising:
- (a) a photocatalytic reactor configured to operate at approximately atmospheric pressure and to split water into hydrogen and oxygen;
- (b) a compressor configured to receive a feed stream from the photocatalyic reactor, the compressor being configured to compress the feed stream to at least 30 bar;
- (c) a membrane separation unit comprising a membrane that is selectively permeable to hydrogen and configured to (i) receive a pressurized feed stream from the compressor and (ii) produce a hydrogen permeate;
- (d) a second compressor configured to compress the hydrogen permeate to a pressure of at least 30 bar;
- and
- (e) a hydrogen purification unit configured to receive and combust the pressurized hydrogen permeate to produce a pressurized steam and a purified hydrogen stream.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.