Patent ID: 6511521
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: B01D,C01B,Y10S

Abstract:
Apparatus for removing CO, CO2 and other impurities from a contaminated hydrogen gas produced by a catalytic reformer from hydrocarbon gas, said apparatus using a semipermeable metallic membrane,for separating hydrogen gas from CO, CO2 and other impurities in said contaminated hydrogen gas produced by said catalytic reformer, comprisinga first tubular member for supporting said semipermeable metallic membrane, said first tubular member being perforated all around its tubular wall over a defined length, a second tubular member for supporting said semipermeable metallic membrane, said second tubular member being perforated all around its tubular wall over a defined length substantially equal to said defined length of said first tubular member, said metallic membrane being wrapped around said first tubular member overall of said defined length of perforations thereof, said first tubular member with said wrapped metallic membrane being inserted into said second tubular member, wherein perforations of said second tubular member substantially align with perforations of said first tubular member, wherein both ends of the metallic membrane and of the second tubular member are sealed with respective ends of the first tubular member, thereby sealing said metallic membrane between said first and second tubular members to provide a first sealed membrane assembly, wherein hydrogen molecules pass only through the perforations of said first tubular member, said metallic membrane and the perforations of said second tubular member, wherein only hydrogen molecules pass through said membrane and said perforations in said second tubular member, chamber encapsulating said membrane assembly, an input tube for directing said contaminated hydrogen gas produced by said catalytic reformer connected to said first membrane assembly at one end thereof, an output tube connected to said first membrane assembly at the other end thereof or directing residual contaminated gas out of said membrane assembly, and a side tube connected to a port in said chamber for directing purified hydrogen gas out of said chamber.