Membrane-based hydrogen purifiers having graphite frame members. The purifiers include a hydrogen-separation membrane module with at least one membrane cell containing at least one hydrogen-selective membrane, which includes a permeate face and an opposed mixed gas face, and a fluid-permeable support structure that physically contacts and supports at least a central region of the permeate face. The membrane cell further includes a permeate-side frame member and a mixed gas-side frame member. The permeate-side frame member is interposed between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the fluid-permeable support structure to physically contact a peripheral region of the permeate face and a peripheral region of the fluid-permeable support structure. The mixed gas-side frame member physically contacts a peripheral region of the mixed gas face. At least one of the permeate-side frame member and the mixed gas-side frame member is a graphite frame member.

Hydrogen generation assemblies, hydrogen purification devices, and their components, and methods of manufacturing those assemblies, devices, and components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include frames with membrane support structures and/or may include a microscreen structure configured to prevent intermetallic diffusion.

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.

A gas separation process for treating exhaust gases from multiple combustion sources. The invention involves directing an exhaust gas stream from one combustion step to a carbon capture step. An off-gas stream depleted in carbon dioxide from the carbon capture step is mixed with a second exhaust stream from a second combustion step to form a mixed gas stream. The mixed gas stream is passed as a feed stream across the feed side of a membrane that is selectively permeable to carbon dioxide over nitrogen and carbon dioxide over oxygen. A sweep gas stream, usually air, flows across the permeate side, and picks up the preferentially permeating carbon dioxide. The permeate stream withdrawn from the permeate side of the membrane is then recycled back to the combustor.

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 heat exchange system is disclosed which includes an air inlet, a membrane in fluid communication with the air inlet and adapted to have a partial vapor pressure difference across the membrane to thereby drive water vapor flux through the membrane, wherein the membrane is a selective membrane configured to allow passage of water vapor and block passage of air (O.sub.2/N.sub.2) through the membrane, where the membrane includes a thermally conductive side, a vacuum pump configured to generate the partial vapor pressure difference across the membrane, and a heat exchanger coupled to the thermally conductive side of the membrane configured to provide simultaneous mass and heat transfer.

Proposed is an apparatus for separating CO2 gas captured with ammonia gas as an absorbent and the ammonia gas from a capture solution. The apparatus includes cation and anion exchange membranes spaced apart from each other to form a capture channel therebetween for a capture solution flow, cathode and anode current collector plates and their corresponding cation and anode exchange membranes forming cathode and anode channels therebetween, respectively. In the separate channels, basic and acidic solutions flow. Power applied to the collector plates drives ammonium and bicarbonate ions from the capture solution through the membranes, and then the ions convert into ammonia and CO2 gases in a chemical reaction, respectively. Through the power application with the basic and acidic solution flows through the corresponding channels, and a flow-conductive acid/base electrolytic separation method, gas separation without directly adding an acidic or basic solution to a capture solution is possible.

The invention relates to a method for separating gases which comprises: a first step in which a gas fuel stream comprising combustible substances that produce gas products when oxidised, and an oxygen-rich inlet stream are passed through at least two modules of oxygen-separating ceramic membranes, such that the two streams come into contact through the membranes and exchange heat; a second step of selective diffusion of oxygen from the oxygen-rich stream to the fuel stream, such that the outlet streams from the membrane modules are an oxygen-depleted or completely oxygen-free stream and a partially or completely oxidised stream; and a third step of recovery of at least two separate outlet streams of at least two gases selected from oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Provided is a separation membrane unit that selectively separates carbon dioxide gas from a supply gas containing the carbon dioxide gas and nitrogen gas, the separation membrane unit including: a porous plate in which a plurality of through holes are formed; and a separation membrane including a porous body disposed on the first surface of the porous plate and a resin layer disposed on the porous body and selectively permeating the carbon dioxide gas contained in the supply gas toward the porous body, wherein when the average thickness of the separation membrane is defined as T1, and the average diameter of the plurality of through holes on the first surface is defined as D1, T1/D10.02 is satisfied, and when the carbon dioxide gas permeability of the separation membrane is defined as A, and the nitrogen gas permeability of the separation membrane is B and the gas permeability of the porous plate is C, 1>(B+C)/(A+C)0.8 is satisfied.

Hydrogen purification devices and their components are disclosed. In some embodiments, the devices may include feed frame(s) and/or permeate frame(s) each having at least one elongate hole distinct and spaced from an open region, at least one output aperture, and/or at least one input aperture. The elongate hole may be disposed between the open region and the at least one input aperture. The elongate hole may be capable of receiving a portion of the mixed gas stream that leaks from the open region and/or at least one input conduit. The devices may additionally include gasket frames having at least one notch in one or more edges of a perimeter base. The notch may be in fluid communication with a longitudinal end portion of the elongate hole. The devices may further include first and second side plates that collectively enclose a plurality of frames.