Patent ID: 7022165
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: B01D,C01B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A tubular hydrogen permeable metal membrane produced by a fabrication process comprising: a) obtaining a metal alloy foil having first and second surfaces; b) coating each of said first and second foil surfaces with a metal or metal alloy catalytic layer to produce a hydrogen permeable metal membrane; c) sizing said membrane into a sheet with first and second long edges and first and second end edges; d) wrapping said membrane around an elongated expandable rod thereby producing a membrane wrapped rod, wherein said first and second long edges align and overlap to facilitate welding of said first long edge to said second long edge thereby producing a welded seam; e) placing said membrane wrapped rod into a surrounding fixture housing, wherein said aligned and overlapping first and second edges are welding accessible beneath an elongated aperture in said surrounding fixture housing; f) expanding said elongated expandable rod to generate an expanded rod within said surrounding fixture housing to tighten said membrane about said expanded rod; g) welding said first and said second long edges to one another producing said seam and generating a tubular membrane; and h) removing said tubular membrane from within said surrounding fixture housing and said expandable rod from within said tubular membrane.