Patent ID: 7959897

Claim:
A process for producing hydrogen in a steam methane reformation system that includes a heater having a convection section, wherein said process comprises: combusting a fuel source with said heater to generate a flue gas; passing said flue gas through a membrane reformer unit positioned within said convection section of said heater to raise the temperature of said membrane reformer unit to a desired temperature, wherein said membrane reformer unit comprises: a reaction tube having a reaction tube length, and a membrane tube having a membrane tube length and a membrane tube wall, wherein said membrane tube comprises a porous metal substrate and a hydrogen-selective membrane, wherein said hydrogen-selective membrane overlies said porous metal substrate, wherein said reaction tube is positioned external to and surrounding said membrane tube thereby defining a reaction zone along said membrane tube length, wherein said reaction zone is packed with a reaction catalyst, wherein said reaction tube and said membrane tube are operatively connected so as to provide a reaction tube inlet, a reaction tube outlet, a membrane tube inlet and a membrane tube outlet; introducing a mixture of hydrocarbon and steam into said reaction tube inlet; removing carbon dioxide from said reaction tube outlet; and removing hydrogen from said membrane tube outlet.