Apparatus and methods for gas extraction
OwnerRobert E. Buxbuaminventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for extracting a gas, in particular hydrogen, from a fluid stream utilizing a plate membrane flattened with a wave spring on the low pressure side of the membrane and a turbulence generator on the high pressure side. Alternately, the membrane is folded and wrapped against a central conduit within the membrane fold. Extraction membranes have a substrate layer of Ta—W, V—Co, V—Pd, V—Au, V—Cu, V—Al, Nb—Ag, Nb—Au, Nb—Pt, Nb—Pd, V—Ni—Co, V—Ni—Pd, V—Nb—Pt or V—Pd—Au alloy or combination thereof and a first layer affixed to the outer surface of the substrate towards a mixed gas flow which is composed of palladium, platinum, rhodium, and palladium alloys.
Claims16
A gas purification membrane consisting of:
- a substrate;
- and
- a planar layer having a first surface and an opposing second surface contacting the substrate wherein said layer and said substrate are permeable to a component gas of a contacting gas mixture and the first surface is textured to promote turbulent gas mixture flow thereover.
A gas purification apparatus comprising:
- a central conduit defined by a wall having fluid communication through the wall;
- a hydrogen extraction membrane creased to form a fold having an interior surface permeable to hydrogen within a mixed gas flow and an exterior surface, wherein the exterior surface is wrapped against said central conduit;
- a spacer inserted within the interior surface of the fold;
- a header to introduce the mixed gas flow into contact with the interior surface and preventing the mixed gas flow from contacting the exterior surface;
- a tube for removing hydrogen from said conduit, and
- an outlet for raffinate which is in contact with the interior surface of said fold.
A gas purification membrane comprising:
- a metallic substrate layer having an outer surface and an inner surface wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of:
- Ta—W (W=2.5 to 25%), V—Co (Co=1 to 8%), V—Au (Au=1 to 10%), V—Cu (Cu=1 to 10%) V—Al (Al=5 to 20%), Nb—Ag (Ag=1 to 10%), Nb—Au (Au=1 to 10%), Nb—Pt (Pt=1 to 10%), V—Ni—Co (Ni=0 to 15%, Co=1 to 8%), V—Ni—Pd (Ni=0 to 15%, Pd=1 to 8%), V—Nb—Pt (Nb=0 to 15%, Pt=1 to 10%) and V—Pd—Au (combination Pd, Au concentration=1 to 20%) and combinations thereof;
- and
- a first layer affixed to the outer surface of said substrate, said fist layer selected from the group consisting of:
- palladium, palladium alloys, platinum and platinum alloys.
An improved method for manufacture of a hydrogen purification apparatus having at least two metallic membrane tubes, each of said at least two metallic tubes having an open end for communication with an inlet gas stream, wherein said at least two metallic tubes form around the open ends a gas tight seal to a head assembly, and wherein a region of one tube of the at least two tubes leaks an inlet gas steam therethrough without exacting hydrogen purification, wherein the improvement lies in:
- sealing the region of the one leaking metallic tube against entrance of the inlet gas stream at a position proximal to where the one leaking metallic tube attaches to the head assembly wherein sealing a hydrogen purification membrane tube is accomplished by welding, soldering or brazing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.