There is described a method of producing hydrogen and nitrogen using a feedstock gas reactor. Reaction of feedstock and combustion gases in the reactor produces hydrogen and nitrogen through pyrolysis of the feedstock gas. Parameters of the process may be adjusted to control the ratio of hydrogen to nitrogen that is produced such that it may be suitable, for example, for the synthesis of ammonia.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure.

A method for low hydrogen content separation from a natural gas mixture includes the following steps: a) providing a stream having hydrogen; b) transferring the stream having hydrogen of a) as an inlet stream to a first membrane unit for obtaining a retentate and a permeate, wherein the molar fraction of hydrogen in the permeate is higher that the molar fraction of hydrogen in the retentate, c) transferring the retentate to an electrochemical hydrogen compressor (EHC) for further hydrogen separation and purification.

Disclosed herein is a gas separation section for separating a first gas from one or more other gasses in a separation device, the gas separation section comprising: a first membrane that is substantially planar; a second membrane that is substantially planar; a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the first substrate is on an opposite side of the first substrate than the first surface of the first substrate; a second substrate that has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the second substrate is on an opposite side of the second substrate than the first surface of the second substrate; and a mesh that is arranged between the second surface of the first substrate and the second surface of the second substrate; wherein: the first substrate and the second substrate are sintered plates; the first membrane is on the first surface of the first substrate; the second membrane is on the first surface of the second substrate; the first and second membranes are both permeable by at least a first gas and not permeable by one or more other gasses; the thickness of the first membrane in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the first membrane is less than 10 micrometres; and the thickness of the second membrane in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the second membrane is less than 10 micrometres. Embodiments provide an improved gas separation device over known techniques. Advantages of the separation device according to embodiment include improved performance, easy implementation, a modular design and a scalable design.

A hydrogen-selective membrane including a metal leaf applied to a substrate. A system and method for fabricating a hydrogen-selective membrane, including applying a metal leaf to a substrate, annealing the metal leaf, applying a hydrogen-permeable metal to the annealed metal leaf on the substrate, and annealing the hydrogen-permeable metal and the annealed metal leaf to give an alloy of the hydrogen-permeable metal and the metal leaf. A system and method for repairing a hydrogen-selective membrane having defects including applying a metal leaf to an external surface of membrane material of the hydrogen-selective membrane, annealing the metal leaf and metal of the membrane material to form an alloy of the metal leaf and the metal to repair the defects.

The present disclosure relates to a low temperature method for the production of pure hydrogen using a methane rich stream as raw material, and to perform in-situ catalyst regeneration. The process involves the decomposition of methane into COx-free hydrogen in an electrochemical/chemical membrane/chemical reactor or chemical fluidised reactor. As the methane decomposition reaction progresses, carbon structures (whiskers) are accumulated at the catalyst surface leading eventually to its deactivation. The catalyst regeneration is achieved using a small fraction of the produced hydrogen to react with carbon formed at the catalyst surface provoking the carbon detachment, thus regenerating the catalyst. This is achieved either by chemical/electrochemical methanation of carbon at the catalyst interface with hydrogen/protons or by rising the temperature of the catalyst, ideally keeping the reactor temperature constant. A single compact device is described, enabling the hydrogen production, hydrogen purification and catalyst regeneration.

Disclosed herein is a gas separation section for separating a first gas from one or more other gasses in a separation device, the gas separation section comprising: a first membrane that is substantially planar; a second membrane that is substantially planar; a first substrate that has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the first substrate is on an opposite side of the first substrate than the first surface of the first substrate; a second substrate that has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface of the second substrate is on an opposite side of the second substrate than the first surface of the second substrate; and a mesh that is arranged between the second surface of the first substrate and the second surface of the second substrate; wherein: the first substrate and the second substrate are sintered plates; the first membrane is on the first surface of the first substrate; the second membrane is on the first surface of the second substrate; the first and second membranes are both permeable by at least a first gas and not permeable by one or more other gasses; the thickness of the first membrane in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the first membrane is less than 10 micrometres; and the thickness of the second membrane in a direction orthogonal to the plane of the second membrane is less than 10 micrometres. Embodiments provide an improved gas separation device over known techniques. Advantages of the separation device according to embodiments include improved performance, easy implementation, a modular design and a scalable design.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include at least one foil-microscreen assembly disposed between and secured to first and second end frames. The at least one foil-microscreen assembly may include at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and at least one microscreen structure including a non-porous planar sheet having a plurality of apertures forming a plurality of fluid passages. The planar sheet may include generally opposed planar surfaces configured to provide support to the permeate side. The plurality of fluid passages may extend between the opposed surfaces. The at least one hydrogen-selective membrane may be metallurgically bonded to the at least one microscreen structure. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame having at least one membrane support structure that spans at least a substantial portion of an open region and that is configured to support at least one foil-microscreen assembly.

A catalytic membrane reactor and methods of operating and producing the same are provided that efficiently produces highly pure hydrogen (H.sub.2) from ammonia (NH.sub.3) as well as operates according to other chemical conversion processes. In one embodiment, a tubular ceramic support made from porous yttria-stabilized zirconia has an outer surface that is impregnated with a metal catalyst such as ruthenium and then plated with a hydrogen permeable membrane such as palladium. An inner surface of the ceramic support is impregnated with cesium to promote conversion of ammonia to hydrogen and nitrogen (N.sub.2). The resulting catalytic membrane reactor produces highly pure hydrogen at low temperatures and with less catalytic loading. Therefore, ammonia can be used to effectively transport hydrogen for use in, for example, fuel cells in a vehicle.

Disclosed is a method for producing a palladium-based permeation membrane which is suitable for the separation of hydrogen from gas-gas or liquid-gas mixtures. The permeation membrane is produced by applying a palladium complex, dissolved in a solvent, to a nanoporous support system having pores in a size range of from 0.5 nm to 50 nm, removing the solvent by drying, removing of organic constituents of the palladium complex by a heat treatment, and carrying out a final heat treatment under reducing conditions at a temperature ranging from about 300° C. to about 900° C.