Hydrogen membrane separator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9539558-B2
Application number	US-201414519735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 3, 2008
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

The present application is directed to a hydrophobic membrane assembly ( 28 ) used within a gas-generating apparatus. Hydrogen is separated from the reaction solution by passing through a hydrophobic membrane assembly ( 28 ) having a hydrophobic lattice like member ( 36 ) disposed within a hydrogen output composite ( 32 ) further enhancing the ability of the hydrogen output composite's ability to separate out hydrogen gas and prolonging its useful life.

First claim

We claim:

1. A gas-liquid separation apparatus comprising:
a housing containing a mixture of liquid and gas and a gas output composite comprises at least two gas-permeable, substantially liquid-impermeable membranes and a lattice structure separating the two membranes wherein the gas flows through at least one membrane into the gas output composite to an outlet.

2. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the lattice structure is hydrophobic.

3. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises hydrogen.

4. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises oxygen.

5. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas output composite is flexible.

6. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the gas output composite is capable of being rolled when positioned within the housing.

7. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the membranes are sealed around at least one edge of the lattice.

8. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an outer lattice.

9. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the outer lattice is positioned between the housing and the gas output composite.

10. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the gas output composite is a laminate.

11. The gas-liquid separation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lattice structure is integral with at least a portion of one membrane.

12. A gas output composite adapted for use with a gas-liquid separation apparatus, wherein the gas output composite comprises:
a lattice structure separating two gas-permeable, substantially liquid-impermeable membranes and the gas output composite is sized and dimensioned to be positioned inside a housing of the gas-liquid separation apparatus, which contains a mixture of liquid and gas and wherein the gas flows through one or both of the membranes and around the lattice structure to an outlet of the gas-liquid separation apparatus, wherein at least a portion of the gas output composite is a laminate.

13. The gas output composite of claim 12 , wherein in the lattice structure is hydrophobic.

14. The gas output composite of claim 12 , wherein the gas output composite is flexible.

15. The gas output composite of claim 14 , wherein the gas output composite is capable of being rolled when positioned within the housing of the gas-liquid separation apparatus.

16. The gas output composite of claim 12 , wherein the membranes are sealed around at least one edge of the lattice.

17. The gas output composite of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the gas output composite is a laminate.

18. The gas output composite of claim 12 , wherein the lattice structure is integral with at least a portion of one membrane.

19. A gas-generating apparatus that generates gas to be separated comprising the gas-liquid separation apparatus according to claim 1 .

20. A gas-generating apparatus that generates gas to be separated comprising the has output composite of claim 12 .

Assignees

• Intelligent Energy Ltd
• The Commissariat a L'energie Atomique et Aux Energies Alternatives
• The Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives (Cea)

Inventors

• Curello Andrew J
• Curello Michael
• Stepan Constance R

Classifications

• B01D69/02

  characterised by their properties · CPC title

• B01D53/22 Primary

  by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) · CPC title

• H01M8/065

  by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances · CPC title

• B01D19/0031

  by filtration · CPC title

• B01D53/228

  characterised by specific membranes · CPC title