Hydrogen generator
OwnerRobert E. Buxbauminventor
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, or palladium alloys.
Claims33
A process for separating a gas component from a mixed gas stream comprising the steps of:
- reacting a mixed gas stream exothermically with a catalyst in the presence of a membrane selective for passing the gas component;
- and
- flowing coolant in thermal communication with the mixed gas stream.
A method of operating a water-gas shift membrane reactor comprising flowing a coolant in thermal communication with said reactor to withdraw heat generated by a water-gas shift reaction.
A membrane reactor comprising:
- a chamber;
- an inlet for introducing a mixed gas stream into said chamber;
- a gas separator membrane having a surface in fluid communication with the mixed gas stream and an opposing surface in contact with a constituent gas of the mixed gas stream that has passed through said membrane, said membrane disposed within the dimensions of said chamber;
- a catalyst disposed within said chamber that facilitates an exothermic chemical reaction of the mixed gas stream;
- a flowing coolant in thermal contact with said chamber withdrawing thermal energy from said chamber;
- a first outlet in fluid communication with the opposing surface of said membrane for removing said constituent gas that has passed through said membrane;
- and
- a second outlet for removing a waste gas stream from said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.