Systems and methods for increasing the hydrogen permeance of hydrogen-separation membranes in situ

A hydrogen-producing fuel processing system, the system comprising:

• a hydrogen-producing region configured to produce a mixed gas stream that includes hydrogen as a majority component;
• a hydrogen-separation membrane module including at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and configured to receive at least a portion of the mixed gas stream and to separate the mixed gas stream into a product hydrogen stream and a byproduct stream;
• a heating assembly configured to maintain the hydrogen-separation membrane module at a predetermined hydrogen-separation membrane module restoration temperature of at least 200° C.;
• and
• an oxidant delivery system configured to selectively deliver an oxidant-containing stream to the hydrogen-separation membrane module in situ and selectively expose at least a portion of the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane to the oxidant-containing stream to increase a hydrogen permeance of the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane;
• and
• wherein the hydrogen-producing fuel processing system is configured to operate in a restoration regime in which the heating assembly maintains the hydrogen separation membrane module at the predetermined hydrogen-separation membrane module restoration temperature and the oxidant delivery system delivers the oxidant-containing stream to the hydrogen-separation membrane module.