Hydrogen-selective metal membrane modules and method of forming the same
AssigneeIdaTech, LLC
InventorsDavid J. Edlund, William A. Pledger, Todd Studebaker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Membrane modules that contain one or more hydrogen-selective membranes, methods for preparing the same, and hydrogen purification systems, fuel processors and devices containing the same. In some embodiments, the membrane modules include one or more hydrogen-selective membranes supported on a screen structure, of which a variety of embodiments are disclosed. In some embodiments, the membrane or membranes are adhesively mounted on the screen structure during assembly. In some embodiments, the screen structure includes a plurality of screen members adhesively mounted together during assembly. In some embodiments, the screen structure includes a coating.
Claims79
A fuel processor, comprising:
- a hydrogen-producing region adapted to receive a carbon-containing feedstock and water and produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases therefrom, wherein the hydrogen-producing region includes at least one reforming region containing a reforming catalyst bed;
- and
- a membrane module adapted to receive the mixed gas stream and to separate the mixed gas stream into a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases and a product stream containing at least substantially hydrogen gas, the membrane module comprising:
- a hydrogen-selective membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the product stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through the membrane and the byproduct stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that does not pass through the membrane;
- and
- a support adapted to support the membrane, wherein the support includes a surface adapted to engage the permeate side of the membrane, and further wherein the surface includes a coating that is adapted to prevent intermetallic diffusion between the membrane and the surface, and further wherein the coating is selected to be thermodynamically stable with respect to decomposition in the presence of hydrogen.
A fuel processor, comprising:
- a hydrogen-producing region adapted to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases;
- and
- a membrane module adapted to receive the mixed gas stream and to separate the mixed gas stream into a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases and a product stream containing at least substantially hydrogen gas, the membrane module including at least one membrane envelope, comprising:
- a pair of hydrogen-selective membrane regions having a feed side and a permeate side, wherein the membrane regions are spaced-apart from each other and oriented with their permeate sides generally facing each other to define a harvesting conduit extending therebetween, and wherein the product stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through at least one of the membrane regions to the harvesting conduit, and further wherein the byproduct stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that does not pass through at least one of the membrane regions to the harvesting conduit;
- and
- a support within the harvesting conduit adapted to support the membranes, wherein the support includes a pair of generally opposed surfaces which are adapted to provide support to the permeate sides of the membrane regions and which include a coating on at least a portion of the surfaces, wherein the coating is adapted to prevent intermetallic diffusion between the membrane regions and the support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.