Patent ID: 6953497

Claim:
A hydrogen purification device, comprising: an enclosure defining an internal compartment; wherein the enclosure comprises at least a pair of end plates, wherein the enclosure is adapted to receive under pressure through at least one input port a mixed gas stream comprising hydrogen gas and other gases and to separate the mixed gas stream, via a pressure-driven separation process, into at least one product stream and at least one byproduct stream, and further wherein the enclosure further includes at least one product port adapted to permit removal from the compartment of at least one product stream and at least one byproduct port adapted to permit removal from the internal compartment of at least one byproduct stream; at least one hydrogen-selective membrane supported within the compartment, wherein the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane includes a first surface adapted to be contacted by the mixed gas stream and a permeate surface generally opposed to the first surface, wherein the product stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane to the permeate surface, and the byproduct stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that does not pass through the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane, wherein the enclosure has a different composition than the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane, is formed from a composition that includes an alloy comprising nickel and copper, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is within approximately 10% of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane; and means for supporting the at least one hydrogen-selective membrane within the compartment, wherein the means for supporting permit the product stream to flow therethrough to the at least one product port.