Patent ID: 7527661

Claim:
A method to generate hydrogen from a reaction fuel, the method comprising: providing a hydrogen membrane reactor having a combustion chamber centrally disposed in fluid connection with and in heat exchange relationship between a pair of reaction chambers wherein the reaction chambers each communicate with a membrane assembly on either side of the centrally disposed combustion chamber, each membrane assembly having at least a first and second membrane and a porous membrane support, wherein the first membrane is positioned on a first surface of the membrane support and the second membrane is positioned on a second surface of the membrane support; transporting a reaction fuel to each reaction chamber through a first supply line; transporting air to the combustion chamber through an air supply line; transporting combustion fuel to the combustion chamber through a combustion fuel supply line; reacting the combustion fuel in the combustion chamber to provide heat and combustion by-products; reacting the reaction fuel with water in the reaction chamber to produce hydrogen and tail gases; and removing the hydrogen from the reaction chamber through the membrane supports of the membrane assemblies via a reaction product line.