Patent ID: 7972420

Claim:
A hydrogen-processing assembly, comprising: an enclosure, comprising: a body defining an internal volume and having an internal perimeter, the internal volume including a mixed gas region and a permeate region; at least one input port extending through the body and through which a fluid stream is delivered to the enclosure; at least one product output port extending through the body and through which a permeate stream is removed from the permeate region; and at least one byproduct output port extending through the body and through which a byproduct stream is removed from the mixed gas region; and a hydrogen-separation assembly positioned within the internal volume in a spaced relation to at least a portion of the internal perimeter of the body of the enclosure, the hydrogen-separation assembly including at least one hydrogen-selective membrane and having an outer perimeter measured in the plane of the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane, wherein the hydrogen-separation assembly is adapted to receive a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases and to separate the mixed gas stream into the permeate stream and the byproduct stream, wherein the permeate stream has at least one of a greater concentration of hydrogen gas and a lower concentration of the other gases than the mixed gas stream, and further wherein the byproduct stream contains at least a substantial portion of the other gases; wherein the permeate region of the internal volume is defined between at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the hydrogen-separation assembly and at least a portion of the internal perimeter of the body of the enclosure, wherein an external surface of the hydrogen-separation assembly includes a plurality of sides, and further wherein the permeate stream contacts a majority of the plurality of sides.