Hydrogen separation apparatus and process for manufacturing the same

• US 8,834,612 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hoshino, Maki, Izumi, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUMATE, ANTHONY R
• Application Number:
  US12/595,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20100101419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,294 Days
• Field of Search: 95/43, 95/45, 95/55, 96/4, 96/11
• US Class Current: 96/11
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/16 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/42 Catalysts within the flow path
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/04 Characteristic thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 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 Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/087 Single membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0069 by deposition from the liquid phase, e.g. electrochemical deposition B01D67/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0072 by deposition from the gaseous phase, e.g. sputtering, CVD, PVD
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0076 Pretreatment of inorganic membrane material prior to membrane formation, e.g. coating of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/105 Support pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/12 Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/0221 Group 4 or 5 metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/02231 Palladium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/025 Aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/066 with fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/503 characterised by the membrane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/505 Membranes containing palladium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/20 Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0618 Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0687 : Reactant purification by the use of membranes or filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A hydrogen separation apparatus, provided with an independent hydrogen permeable membrane, capable of suppressing or preventing deformation of the hydrogen permeable membrane. The hydrogen separation apparatus includes a porous support member, an independent hydrogen permeable membrane disposed adjacent to the porous support member, and a joining member for joining the porous support member and the hydrogen permeable membrane. A production process for the hydrogen separation apparatus includes (1) disposing a joining member forming material at a surface side of a porous support member, to be opposite to an independent hydrogen permeable membrane, (2) disposing the independent hydrogen permeable membrane adjacent to the porous support member at the surface side of the porous support member to which surface side the joining member forming material is disposed, and (3) joining the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane with the joining member forming material.

Claims

1. A hydrogen separation apparatus comprising:

a porous support member;

an independent hydrogen permeable membrane disposed above the porous support member, the independent hydrogen permeable membrane being planar and different from a coating film; and

a joining member for joining the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane, the joining member being independent from the independent hydrogen permeable membrane and fixedly disposed to the porous support member and being formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of palladium, silver, palladium-silver, copper and palladium-copper,

wherein the joining member includes a plurality of joining members disposed to the porous support member, wherein the joining members are disposed separate from each other by a certain distance in a direction parallel with an interface between the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane,

wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane has a substantially uniform thickness _hmp.

wherein the certain distance is 200 t_tmhor smaller,

wherein the joining member has a thickness equivalent to or more than a pore diameter of the porous support member at an interface of the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane in a direction of a normal line of the interface between the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane,

wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane is singly treatable before the joining member joins the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane,

wherein the porous member is provided with a protective layer disposed at a Surface side opposite to the independent hydrogen permeable membrane, and

wherein the porous support member and the protective layer exist on a same plane, which is parallel to the interface between the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane.

2. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the certain distance is 50 to 200 t_hpm.

3. A process for producing the hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

(1) the step of disposing a joining member forming material at a surface side of the porous support member, to be opposite to the independent hydrogen permeable membrane;

(2) the step of disposing the independent hydrogen permeable membrane above the porous support member at the surface side of the porous support member to which surface side the joining member forming material is disposed; and

(3) the step of joining the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane with the joining member forming material,

wherein the step (1) is conducted such that, after the step (3), the joining member forming material turns into the plurality of joining members disposed to the porous support member, wherein the joining members are disposed separate from each other by a distance of 200 multiplied by t_hpmor smaller, in a direction parallel with the interface between the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane.

4. A process for producing the hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein a method of disposing the joining member forming material at the step (1) is at least one selected from the group consisting of a plating method, an impregnation method, a sputtering method, a spraying method, and an ion implantation method.

5. A process for producing the hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 3. wherein the joining member forming material and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane are brought into contact with each other, prior to the step (3), in order to join the porous support member and the independent hydrogen permeable membrane with the joining member forming material at the step (3).

6. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane has a thickness of 0.1 to 20 μ

m

7. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane has a thickness of 0.1 to 10 μ

m.

8. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane has a thickness of 0.1 to 5 μ

m.

9. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the independent hydrogen permeable membrane has a thickness of 20 μ

m or less.

10. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica and zirconia.

11. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective layer is discontinuous and a joining member is disposed in a void of the protective layer.

12. A hydrogen separation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, Wherein the protective layer is formed of a material configured to prevent alloying of the protective layer with the independent hydrogen permeable membrane.