Compact devices for generating pure hydrogen

A method to generate hydrogen from a first reaction fuel, the method comprising:

• providing a membrane assembly to be joined to a reaction chamber of a hydrogen generator having a hydrogen plenum to form a leak tight reactor sub-assembly on each side of a central combustion chamber, wherein each of the membrane assemblies comprises a first and a second membrane;
• and a membrane support, wherein the first membrane is positioned on a first surface of the membrane support, the second membrane is positioned on a second surface of the membrane support, and wherein the membrane support is connected to the hydrogen plenum;
• reacting the first reaction fuel in the reactor chambers to provide a reaction product comprising hydrogen and tail gases;
• and
• separating the hydrogen from the tail gases in the reaction product through the membrane assemblies.

A method to generate hydrogen from a reaction fuel comprising:

• providing a pair of membrane assemblies on opposite sides of a generally elongated reaction chamber of a hydrogen generator having a hydrogen plenum, wherein each of the membrane assemblies comprises a first membrane, a second membrane;
• and a membrane support structure therebetween having a plurality of spaces therein, and wherein the spaces within the membrane support are connected to the hydrogen plenum;
• reacting the reaction fuel in the reactor chamber to provide a reaction product comprising hydrogen and tail gases;
• separating the hydrogen from the tail gases in the reaction product through the membrane assemblies;
• and
• routing the tail gases from the reaction product to a combustion chamber in thermal communication with the reaction chamber.