A fuel cell system includes an anode configured to output an anode exhaust stream comprising hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and water; and a membrane dryer configured to receive the anode exhaust stream, remove water from the anode exhaust stream, and output a membrane dryer outlet stream. The membrane dryer includes a first chamber configured to receive the anode exhaust stream; a second chamber configured to receive a purge gas; and a semi-permeable membrane separating the first chamber and the second chamber. The semi-permeable membrane is configured to allow water to diffuse therethrough, thereby removing water from the anode exhaust stream. The membrane dryer may further be configured to remove hydrogen from the anode exhaust stream.

Facility and method for membrane permeation treatment of a feed gas stream containing at least methane and carbon dioxide including first, second, and third membrane separation units each including at least one membrane that is more permeable to carbon dioxide than to methane, wherein a permeate from the first membrane separation unit is fed to the third membrane separation unit and a retentate from the first membrane separation unit is fed to the second membrane separation unit. A compressor B adjusts the third-permeate suctioning pressure as a function of the feed gas stream pressure and the second retentate methane concentration.

A generator of inert gas from an airflow, in an inerting system for at least one aircraft fuel tank is disclosed. The generator includes a system with an air inlet and means for distributing the airflow to a plurality of air separation modules arranged in parallel on the air system to deplete oxygen in the air and generate a nitrogen-enriched inert gas at the outlet. The generator also includes a programed control unit for the distribution means to selectively supply air to a single, a portion or all of the air separation modules, depending on the flight phase of the aircraft.

A helium-containing stream is recovered from a natural gas feed using a membrane followed by multiple distillation steps. Refrigeration is provided by expanding a bottoms liquid with a higher nitrogen content than the feed, achieving a lower temperature in the process. The helium-enriched vapor is then purified and the helium-containing waste stream is recycled to maximize recovery and reduce the number of compressors needed. The helium-depleted natural gas stream can be returned at pressure for utilization or transportation.

A facility and method for membrane permeation treatment of a feed gas flow containing at least methane and carbon dioxide that includes a compressor, a pressure measurement device, at least one valve, and first, second, third, and fourth membrane separation units for separation of CO.sub.2 from CH.sub.4 to permeates enriched in CO.sub.2 and retentates enriched in CH.sub.4, respectively. The at least one valve adjusts the number of membranes combined and connected to the flow of gas entering into at least one of the membrane separation units as a function of the pressure recorded by the pressure measurement device.

The CO.sub.2 separation system performs, when the internal combustion engine is operating and the vehicle is travelling, a first mode wherein exhaust gas generated by the internal combustion engine is introduced to a CO.sub.2 supply side of a first CO.sub.2 separation device via a first CO.sub.2 supply side introduction flow path, and air from outside the vehicle is introduced to a CO.sub.2 permeation side of the first CO.sub.2 separation device via a first CO.sub.2 permeation side introduction flow path using travelling wind, whereby CO.sub.2 in the exhaust gas selectively permeates from the CO.sub.2 supply side to the CO.sub.2 permeation side of the first CO.sub.2 separation device through a CO.sub.2 permeable membrane of the first CO.sub.2 separation device using a difference in CO.sub.2 partial pressure between the CO.sub.2 supply side and the CO.sub.2 permeation side of the first CO.sub.2 separation device as a driving force.

In a crude oil purification process including phase separators, a vapor recovery unit (VRU), and dew pointing/dehydration and CO.sub.2 removal membranes, instead of compressing the low boiling point (i.e., C.sub.1-5) hydrocarbon vapor stream from the VRU along with the main portion of gas from the separation train and feeding it to the membranes, it is compressed and dehydrated along with the H.sub.2O/C.sub.3+ hydrocarbon enriched permeate from the dew pointing and dehydration membranes.

The invention relates to a specific process and apparatus for separation of gas mixtures with reduced maintenance costs.

Membrane modules for hydrogen separation and fuel processors and fuel cell systems including the same are disclosed herein. The membrane modules include a plurality of membrane packs. Each membrane pack includes a first hydrogen-selective membrane, a second hydrogen-selective membrane, and a fluid-permeable support structure positioned between the first hydrogen-selective membrane and the second hydrogen-selective membrane. In some embodiments, the membrane modules also include a permeate-side frame member and a mixed gas-side frame member, and a thickness of the permeate-side frame member may be less than a thickness of the mixed gas-side frame member. In some embodiments, the support structure includes a screen structure that includes two fine mesh screens. The two fine mesh screens may include a plain weave fine mesh screen and/or a Dutch weave fine mesh screen. The fine mesh screens may be selected to provide at most 100 micrometers of undulation in the hydrogen-selective membranes.

An apparatus and process for separating a gas mixture is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of membrane separation stages comprising a first membrane stage, a second membrane stage, and a third membrane stage. Each of the first, second, and third membrane stages are designed to separate a gas stream provided to them into a permeate stream and a retentate stream. The retentate stream provided from the third membrane stage is configured to be withdrawn as a product, further processed, or discarded. The apparatus further includes a gas transport device with an inlet in communication with the gas mixture and an outlet in communication with the first membrane stage. The controller is in communication with at least one measuring device, and the controller adapts a behavior of the gas transport device in response to a measurement of the at least one measuring device.