Ultra-Thin Sulfur Tolerant, Tubular Palladium Alloy Membrane for Hydrogen Separation from Reformed Gas Streams

The DOE FutureGen program aims to demonstrate the industrial-scale implementation of coal-gasification for the production of electricity and hydrogen, with a provision for carbon sequestration. Separation technology to efficiently remove the hydrogen gas is vital to improve process performance and enable the sequestration of the carbon dioxide by-product. However, no separation technology currently exists that can meet DOE requirements. It has been demonstrated that supported Pd-alloy membranes, which offer high hydrogen flux, could be an effective solution, provided that they could meet the lifetime requirements under the harsh operating conditions expected in FutureGen. This project will improve the Pd membrane by the adding alloying agents and by replacing one of the structural layers of the porous support to improve chemical stability. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The improved Pd alloy membranes should directly benefit the FutureGen program by supplying the enabling separation technology. The reduced cost of hydrogen production should benefit other commercial sectors as well