Patent ID: 7833311

Claim:
A hydrogen-generation assembly, comprising: a hydrogen-producing assembly adapted to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases from at least one feedstock; a pressure swing adsorption assembly adapted to receive at least a portion of the mixed gas stream and to reduce the concentration of the other gases therefrom through a PSA cycle that includes at least pressurization, adsorption, depressurization, and purge steps and which has a cycle time to produce a product hydrogen stream having greater hydrogen purity than the mixed gas stream; the pressure swing adsorption assembly comprising: a plurality of adsorbent beds, each bed including an adsorbent region containing adsorbent adapted to adsorb at least one of the other gases; and a temperature-based detection system, comprising: at least one temperature sensor adapted to measure a temperature associated with a portion of the adsorbent region; and a controller adapted to compare the temperature associated with a portion of the adsorbent region with at least one reference temperature that includes a temperature associated with a second portion of the adsorbent region and to selectively control the operation of at least the pressure swing adsorption assembly responsive at least in part thereto, wherein the temperature-based detection system is adapted to transition from at least one of the pressurization, adsorption, depressurization, and purge steps of the PSA cycle to another of the steps of the PSA cycle responsive to the relationship between the measured temperature and the reference temperature.