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.

An apparatus for steam reforming of hydrocarbons is described including a steam reformer containing a plurality of externally-heated vertical tubes each tube having an inlet for a feed gas mixture including hydrocarbon and steam, and an outlet for a reformed gas mixture, wherein the tubes contain a particulate steam reforming catalyst adjacent the outlet and a structured steam reforming catalyst adjacent the inlet. A process for steam reforming of hydrocarbons using the apparatus is also described.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods to produce hydrogen (H.sub.2) gas from hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S). H.sub.2S is contacted with a catalyst to form H.sub.2 gas and sulfur adsorbed to the catalyst. The adsorbed sulfur is contacted with oxygen (O.sub.2) gas to convert the adsorbed sulfur to sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) and regenerate the catalyst

The invention is directed to a method for heating a process gas in a top or bottom fired reformer, a method for improving the temperature spread over a top or bottom fired reformer, and to a top or bottom fired reformer wherein these methods can applied. This can be achieved by the lane flow rate of at least one outer tube lane being different from the lane flow rate of at least one inner tube lane.

The disclosure discloses a reformer of a system for preparing hydrogen with an aqueous solution of methanol, a system for preparing hydrogen with an aqueous solution of methanol and a hydrogen production method. An end of a reformer of a system for preparing hydrogen with an aqueous solution of methanol has an initiation device, the initiation device includes a holder, the holder has a material input tube, a heating vaporization tube, an ignition device and a temperature detection device; the material input tube and the heating vaporization tube are communicated, the material enters the heating vaporization tube through the material input tube and is exported from an end of the heating vaporization tube; a position of the ignition device is corresponding to the end of the heating vaporization tube, the ignition device is applied to ignite the material exported from the heating vaporization tube.

In a fuel cell system, a preceding-stage fuel cell and a following-stage fuel cell are connected via a fuel flow path. The fuel cell system includes a reformer that supplies reformed gas to the preceding-stage fuel cell; an acquisition unit that acquires the amount of heat generation and the amount of heat absorption of the preceding-stage fuel cell; and a control unit that controls at least one of the amount of current of the preceding-stage fuel cell, the flow rate of air to be supplied to the reformer, and the temperature of the preceding-stage fuel cell if the amount of heat absorption acquired by the acquisition unit is larger than the amount of heat generation acquired by the acquisition unit.

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 method for operating a hydrogen generator includes producing a hydrogen-containing gas from a source gas fed from a hydrodesulfurizer and reforming water with a reformer; feeding part of the hydrogen-containing gas to the hydrodesulfurizer as a recycle gas, and removing a sulfur compound contained in the source gas with the hydrodesulfurizer; condensing water vapor contained in the recycle gas in a recycle-gas channel through which the recycle gas flows, and separating the resulting condensed water from the recycle-gas channel; and regulating the amount of reforming water fed to the reformer on the basis of the temperature of the reformer.

An apparatus for producing synthesis gas at high capacity is described, wherein particularly fast conversion and operation for a long time without interruption is obtained. The apparatus comprises a reactor (1) having a reactor chamber (2) which comprises at least one first inlet (5) connected to a source of hydrocarbon fluid and at least one outlet (15); further a plasma burner (7) having a burner part (11) which is adapted to produce a plasma; and at least one second inlet (6) connected to a source of CO.sub.2 or H.sub.2O. The reactor chamber (2) defines a flow path from the first inlet (5) to the outlet (15), wherein the burner part is located, with respect to the flow path, between the first inlet (5) for hydrocarbon fluid and the second inlet (6) for CO.sub.2 or H.sub.2O; and wherein the second inlet (6) is located with respect to the flow path such that the second inlet (6) is at a location where between 90% and 95% of the hydrocarbon fluid is thermally decomposed. Further a method for operating an apparatus for producing synthesis gas is described.

A hydrogen generator includes a reformer that generates a hydrogen-containing gas from a source gas and reforming water, a condensed water channel through which condensed water flows, a circulating water channel through which circulating water flows, an ion exchange resin filter provided to the circulating water channel and deionizing the circulating water, a reservoir tank including a first reservoir provided to the condensed water channel and a second reservoir provided to the circulating water channel, a first communicator through which the first and second reservoirs are in communication with each other, and a reforming water channel that extends from a junction of the circulating water channel and supplies the circulating water as reforming water to the reformer. The pressure in the inner space of the first reservoir is maintained to be the same as the pressure in the inner space of the second reservoir.