Hydrogen generation assemblies and methods of generating hydrogen are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving a feed stream in a fuel processing assembly of the hydrogen generation assembly; and generating a product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly from the received feed stream. Generating a product hydrogen stream may, in some embodiments, include generating an output stream in a hydrogen generating region from the received feed stream, and generating the product hydrogen stream in a purification region from the output stream. The method may additionally include receiving the generated product hydrogen stream in a buffer tank of the hydrogen generation assembly; and detecting pressure in the buffer tank via a tank sensor assembly. The method may further include stopping generation of the product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly when the detected pressure in the buffer tank is above a predetermined maximum pressure.

A hydrogen generator having a reforming catalyst that causes hydrocarbon gas and steam to carry out a reforming reaction and reform into a hydrogen rich reformed gas, a reformer that is filled with said reforming catalyst and in which said reforming reaction is carried out, and a combustion chamber for combusting a fuel gas and obtaining reaction heat that is applied to said reforming reaction. At least the reforming region carrying out the reforming reaction is disposed inside the combustion chamber. A steam generator that introduces steam into the reformer is provided outside the combustion chamber.

Photoactive catalyst and methods of producing H.sub.2 by photocatalytic water splitting. The photoactive catalyst includes an upconverting material, a photocatalyst material, and plasmonic metal nanostructures deposited on the surface of the photocatalyst material. The upconverting material is not embedded in or coated by the photocatalyst material. The upconverting material is capable of emitting light at a first wavelength that has an energy equal to or higher than the band gap of the photocatalyst material and at a second wavelength that can be absorbed by the plasmonic metal nanostructures.

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.

Hydrogen generation assemblies and methods of generating hydrogen are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving a feed stream in a fuel processing assembly of the hydrogen generation assembly; and generating a product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly from the received feed stream. Generating a product hydrogen stream may, in some embodiments, include generating an output stream in a hydrogen generating region from the received feed stream, and generating the product hydrogen stream in a purification region from the output stream. The method may additionally include receiving the generated product hydrogen stream in a buffer tank of the hydrogen generation assembly; and detecting pressure in the buffer tank via a tank sensor assembly. The method may further include stopping generation of the product hydrogen stream in the fuel processing assembly when the detected pressure in the buffer tank is above a predetermined maximum pressure.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include a permeate frame with a membrane support structure having first and second membrane support plates that are free from perforations and that include a plurality of microgrooves configured to provide flow channels for at least part of the permeate stream. In some embodiments, the assemblies may include a return conduit fluidly connecting a buffer tank and a reformate conduit, a return valve assembly configured to manage flow in the return conduit, and a control assembly configured to operate a fuel processing assembly between run and standby modes based, at least in part, on detected pressure in the buffer tank and configured to direct the return valve assembly to allow product hydrogen stream to flow from the buffer tank to the reformate conduit when the fuel processing assembly is in the standby mode.

The invention discloses a methanol-water mixture reforming hydrogen production generator, including an electronic control system, a methanol-water mixture feed system, a hydrogen production system and a power generation system, where the electronic control system includes a control mainboard, a power supply device and a power output port, and the control mainboard controls operations of the methanol-water mixture feed system, the hydrogen production system and the power generation system; the power supply device includes a rechargeable battery; the methanol-water mixture feed system includes a main feed pipe, a transfer pump, a start-up feed solenoid valve, a start-up feed branch pipe, a hydrogen production feed solenoid valve and a hydrogen production feed branch pipe. All the systems coordinate with each other well, the electronic control system provides stable control, power from external power sources is not needed when during start-up, and the methanol-water mixture feed system has low costs and good cohesion.

The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for producing carbon and syngas from carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The system includes a first reactor (7) for producing solid carbon (15) from a feed including CO.sub.2 and a volatile organic compound such as methane (1), and a second reactor (20) for producing syngas. Reactions in the first reactor (7) are conducted in a limited oxygen atmosphere. The second reactor (20) can use dry reforming, steam reforming, and/or partial oxidation reforming to produce the syngas (22).

The invention relates to a catalyst useful in the steam reforming of hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons. The invention provides a method for preparing a catalyst comprising heating a spinel of formula ANi.sub.xFe.sub.(1-X)CrO.sub.4 where A is Mn or Mg and x is from 0 to 0.75 under reducing conditions at a temperature of from 800 to 1500 C., and catalysts obtainable by said method.

Methods and systems for emissions free dispatchable power supply, emissions free chemical energy storage, and emissions free chemical energy distribution are disclosed. Methods include providing water and/or carbon dioxide to an electrolyser; providing electricity from a regional electrical power grid to the electrolyser for electrolysis of the water and/or carbon dioxide to produce oxygen; and providing the oxygen from the electrolyser to a hydrocarbon oxidation device for the oxidation of a hydrocarbon.