Proposed according to the invention are a process and a plant for producing carbon dioxide-based methanol and synthesis gas, wherein the produced synthesis gas may be utilized process-internally for methanol synthesis. Hydrocarbons which are present in a carbon dioxide input gas stream as an impurity and are inert under the conditions of the methanol synthesis are chemically utilized through integration of a reforming unit, in particular a POX unit. This is done by supplying a purge gas stream diverted from the methanol synthesis loop to said reforming unit in which the hydrocarbons are converted into synthesis gas. In a preferred embodiment the purge gas stream is supplied to a hydrogen recovery unit, in particular a membrane unit. The hydrocarbons-enriched purge gas stream produced on the retentate side is subsequently supplied to the reforming unit.

The hydrogen separation filter includes a porous substrate and a super lattice layer on the porous substrate. The super lattice layer includes at least one lattice expansion layer containing a first material and at least two hydrogen dissociation and permeation layers containing a second material selected from the group consisting of Pd, V, Ta, Ti, Nb, and alloys thereof. The at least one lattice expansion layer and the at least two hydrogen dissociation and permeation layers are alternately stacked. The first material and the second material have a same crystalline structure. A lattice constant a.sub.1,bulk of a first bulk material haying a same composition and a same crystalline structure as the first material and a lattice constant a.sub.2,bulk of a second bulk material having a same composition and a same crystalline structure as the second material satisfy Formula (1):

1.03a.sub.2,bulka.sub.1,bulk1.15a.sub.2,bulk(1)

Disclosed are ruthenium-based catalyst systems, hafnium-based catalyst systems, and yttrium-based catalyst systems for use in ammonia decomposition. Catalyst systems include ruthenium, hafnium, and/or yttrium optionally in combination with one or more additional metals that can be catalytic or catalyst promoters. Hafnium-based and yttrium-based catalyst systems can be free of ruthenium. The catalyst systems also include a support material. Disclosed catalyst systems can decompose ammonia at relatively low temperatures and can provide an efficient and cost-effective route to utilization of ammonia as a carbon-free hydrogen storage and generation material.

In general, disclosed herein are methods for forming hydrogen by use of an ammonia decomposition catalyst system. For instance, a method can include contacting a catalyst system with an ammonia source at a temperature of about 450? C. or lower. The catalyst systems can include a support material and a trimetallic catalyst component carried on the support material and within a reactor. Disclosed catalyst systems can decompose ammonia at relatively low temperatures and can provide an efficient and cost-effective route to utilization of ammonia as a carbon-free hydrogen storage and generation material.

A liquid fuel synthesis system includes a liquid fuel synthesis portion and a sweep gas supply unit. The liquid fuel synthesis portion is partitioned into a non-permeation side space and a permeation side space by the separation membrane. A temperature of the sweep gas flowing into the permeation side space is higher than at least one of a temperature of the raw material gas flowing into the non-permeation side space and a temperature of a first outflow gas flowing out of the non-permeation side space. A temperature of a second outflow gas flowing out of the permeation side space is higher than at least one of the temperature of the raw material gas flowing into the non-permeation side space and the temperature of the first outflow gas flowing out of the non-permeation side space.

A compact fuel battery system is provided that has an integrated hydrogen generator. This fuel battery system 1 is provided with a hydrogen generator 10 and a fuel battery cell 20. The hydrogen generator 10 is provided with a plate-shape dielectric 2 having a raw material gas flow path surface 11 in which a raw material gas flow path 13 is formed. An electrode 3 faces the back surface 12 of the dielectric 2. A hydrogen separation membrane 5, which has a first surface 18 and the second surface 19, closes an opening of the raw material gas flow path 13. Furthermore, the hydrogen generator 10 is provided with a high-voltage power supply 6 which generates electric discharge between the hydrogen separation membrane 5 and the electrode 3. The fuel battery system is characterized in that the second surface 19 of the hydrogen separation membrane 5 of the hydrogen generator is arranged facing the fuel electrode 21 of the fuel battery cell 20.

Provided is a hydrogen generating apparatus adaptable to fluctuating hydrogen demand, particularly by enabling large-scale hydrogen production, generating pure hydrogen at a high yield. The hydrogen generating apparatus 1 generates hydrogen gas from a source gas by decomposing the source gas through catalysis and transforming it into plasma through electric discharge. The hydrogen generating apparatus 1 includes a dielectric body 2 defining a source gas flow channel 13, a catalyst 10 that decomposes at least part of the source gas in the source gas flow channel 13 to generate hydrogen gas, an electrode 3 contacting the dielectric body 2, a hydrogen separation membrane 5 facing the electrode 3 across the dielectric body 2, a hydrogen flow channel 18 guiding hydrogen separated by the hydrogen separation membrane 5, and a high-voltage power supply 6 supplying power to cause electric discharge between the hydrogen separation membrane 5 and the electrode 3.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for the production of hydrogen (H.sub.2) from ammonia (NH.sub.3) in a membrane reactor that include using ammonia as a sweep gas. Ammonia is converted to hydrogen and nitrogen (N.sub.2), and the hydrogen is separated from the nitrogen and unreacted ammonia by passing the hydrogen through a hydrogen-permeable membrane while using ammonia as a sweep gas. The ammonia sweep gas can be separated from the permeated hydrogen and continuously recycled.

Method for the manufacture of a hydrogen-permeable membrane having a thickness of not greater than 30 m. The method includes plasma spraying at least one dense layer on a porous substrate such that during the plasma spraying, one sweep of a process beam deposits material particles over the substrate in a form of individual splats which do not produce a cohesive layer and said material particles include a proton-conducting ceramic material and an electron-conducting metallic component. The plasma spraying is LPPS-TF that utilizes a spraying distance of between 200 mm and 2000 mm, a sprayable powder starting material having a particle size range between 1 and 80 m and containing the proton-conducting ceramic material and the electron-conducting metallic component and a process beam dispersing the sprayable powder starting material to a cloud.

A process for direct compression of hydrogen separated from a hydrocarbon source is described herein. The process comprises a first zone wherein a hydrocarbon reaction that produce hydrogen occurs, a ceramic proton conductor which under an applied electric field transport hydrogen from said first zone to said second zone, and a second zone where compressed hydrogen is produced. The heat energy generated by ohmic resistance in the membrane is partially recuperated as chemical energy in the hydrocarbon reforming process to generate hydrogen.