HYDROGEN PURIFICATION DEVICES, COMPONENTS AND FUEL PROCESSING SYSTEMS CONTAINING THE SAME

摘要

A hydrogen purification device (10) includes enclosure (12) that contains a separation membrane assembly (20) adapted to receive a mixed gas stream (24) containing hydrogen gas to produce a stream (34) that contains pure or at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom. Separation assembly (20) includes at least one hydrogen-permeable and/or hydrogen-selective membrane (46), and in some embodiments includes at least one membrane envelope that includes a pair of generally opposed membrane regions that define a harvesti ng conduit therebetween and which are separated by a support. The enclosure (12 ) includes components that are formed from materials having similar or the sam e coefficients of thermal expansion as the membrane or membranes (46). In some embodiments, these components include at least a portion of the support, and in some embodiments, these components include at least a portion of enclosur e (12).