The present invention provides a gas separation system suitable for separating a gas mixture efficiently. A gas separation system of the present invention includes: a first separation membrane that separates a gas mixture into a first permeated gas and a first non-permeated gas; and a second separation membrane that separates the first non-permeated gas into a second permeated gas and a second non-permeated gas. The gas mixture contains a gas A and a gas B different from the gas A. The first separation membrane allows the gas A to preferentially permeate therethrough. The second separation membrane allows the gas B to preferentially permeate therethrough. A membrane area of the first separation membrane is smaller than a membrane area of the second separation membrane. The gas separation system recovers each of the second permeated gas and the second non-permeated gas.

The present invention relates to a hydrogen separation membrane and to a method for manufacturing same, which is provided for restraining the diffusion of and for imparting excellent bonding characteristics between a porous support and a palladium-based metal separation membrane. The hydrogen separation membrane according to the present invention comprises: a porous support of a metal material or a ceramic material; a buffer layer formed as a plurality of columns by using a ceramic material on the porous support; and a palladium-based metal separation membrane formed on the buffer layer for separating hydrogen. In said case, the buffer layer includes an oxide-based ceramic material of either MO.sub.y (M is Ti, Zr), wherein which the composition of oxygen is 1<y<2, or Al.sub.2O.sub.z, wherein which the composition of oxygen is 2<z<3, and may be formed as a plurality of layers.

Provided are flux enhancing inclusion complexes for preparing highly permeable thin film composite membranes, and processes that include adding the flux enhancing inclusion complexes to the organic phase or aqueous phase prior to interfacial polymerization of the thin film composite membrane. The thin film composite membranes are suitable for nanofiltration, and reverse and forward osmosis. The provided processes can include contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide and a flux enhancing inclusion complex to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer to form thin film composite membranes.

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 an insulation base having insulating material and at least one passage that extends through the insulating material. In some embodiments, the at least one passage may be in fluid communication with a combustion region.

Apparatus and methods of use thereof for the production of carbon-based and other nanostructures, as well as fuels and reformed products, are provided.

A filtration filter comprises a metallic mesh having a circumferential shape and radially inner and outer portions. The metallic mesh is adapted to filter out a filtration target object contained in a fluid passing through the membrane. First and second frame members hold the outer portion there between so as to create first and second bent sections separated by a transition section extending between the first and second bent sections. The transition section includes at least one streaked projection.

The invention discloses residual gas heat exchange combustion-supporting system based on a methanol-water mixture reforming hydrogen production system and a method thereof, wherein the residual gas heat exchange combustion-supporting system comprises a reformer, a heat exchange tube and an air intake device: the reformer is provided with a reforming chamber, a separating device, a combustion chamber and an exhaust vent, the residual gas produced by the reformer is discharged from the exhaust vent to the first delivery passage of the heat exchange, tube; the heat exchange tube has coaxial double-layer first and second delivery passages. The invention enables to fully reclaim the heat from the residual gas discharged by the reformer, so that the outside air is warmed before entering the reformer, which in turn makes the warmed outside air attain a very good combustion-supporting effect.

A hydrogen permeation membrane is provided that can include a metal and a ceramic material mixed together. The metal can be Ni, Zr, Nb, Ta, Y, Pd, Fe, Cr, Co, V, or combinations thereof, and the ceramic material can have the formula: BaZr.sub.1-x-yY.sub.xT.sub.yO.sub.3- where 0x0.5, 0y0.5, (x+y)>0; 00.5, and T is Sc, Ti, Nb, Ta, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, In, Sn, or combinations thereof. A method of forming such a membrane is also provided. A method is also provided for extracting hydrogen from a feed stream.

Battery systems including battery cells and hydrogen-permeable membranes are provided. In one example, a battery system includes a battery cell. The battery cell includes a cell enclosure disposed about a cell interior. At least one multi-layer stack is disposed in the cell interior and includes a cathode, an anode and a separator disposed therebetween. A hydrogen-permeable membrane is in fluid communication with the cell interior and is configured to selectively allow any hydrogen produced in the battery cell to pass from the cell interior through the hydrogen-permeable membrane to outside of the battery cell while substantially preventing other fluids from passing through the hydrogen-permeable membrane.

A vacuum leak detector has a housing enclosing a suction chamber, a vacuum pump evacuating the suction chamber, and a gas detector connected to the suction chamber. The housing has a test leak with a selectively gas-permeable membrane. The test leak connects the outer atmosphere of the housing with the suction chamber.