Ceramic supported capillary Pd membranes for hydrogen separation: Potential and present limitations

Composite ceramic capillaries coated with thin palladium membranes are developed for the production of CO-free hydrogen for PEM fuel cells, via alcohol steam reforming. The composite membranes are tested for pure H-2 and N-2, as well as for synthetic reformate gas. The aim is to develop a heat-integrated compact membrane reformer for decentralized hydrogen production. In this context, a deep knowledge of the performance, behavior, and necessary treatment of the composite palladium membranes plays a decisive role in process design. The current contribution focuses on the main hurdles met while attempting to exploit the potential of ceramic supported capillary palladium membranes.