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Hydrogen purification devices, components thereof, and fuel processors and fuel cell systems containing the same. The hydrogen purification devices include an enclosure, such as a pressure vessel, that contains a separation assembly adapted to receive under pressure a mixed gas stream containing hyd

Hydrogen purification devices, components thereof, and fuel processors and fuel cell systems containing the same. The hydrogen purification devices include an enclosure, such as a pressure vessel, that contains a separation assembly adapted to receive under pressure a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and to produce a stream that contains pure or at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom. In some embodiments, the enclosure is sealed without gaskets. The separation assembly includes at least one hydrogen-permeable and/or hydrogen-selective membrane, and in some embodiments the hydrogen-selective membrane is permanently and directly secured to the enclosure. In some embodiments, the membrane is welded, diffusion bonded or brazed directly to the enclosure. In some embodiments a portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane forms a portion of the sealed enclosure, and, in some embodiments, an interface is formed from consumed portions of the hydrogen-selective membrane and the enclosure.

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We claim: 1. A hydrogen purification device, comprising: a sealed enclosure defining a pressure vessel with an internal compartment, wherein the device is configured to receive into the compartment a mixed gas stream comprising hydrogen gas and other gases, and to produce therefrom a hydrogen-rich

We claim: 1. A hydrogen purification device, comprising: a sealed enclosure defining a pressure vessel with an internal compartment, wherein the device is configured to receive into the compartment a mixed gas stream comprising hydrogen gas and other gases, and to produce therefrom a hydrogen-rich permeate stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas and a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases; and a hydrogen-selective membrane permanently and directly secured to the enclosure to form a seal therewith and extending within the compartment to divide the compartment into a mixed gas region and a permeate region, wherein the membrane includes a mixed gas surface configured to be contacted by the mixed gas stream and a permeate surface generally opposed to the mixed gas surface, wherein the membrane is configured to selectively allow a first portion of the mixed gas stream to pass through the membrane from the mixed gas region to the permeate region and to selectively prohibit a second portion of the mixed gas stream from passing through the membrane from the mixed gas region to the permeate region, and wherein the permeate stream is formed from the first portion of the mixed gas stream, and the byproduct stream is formed from the second portion of the mixed gas stream. 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an interface formed from consumed portions of the hydrogen-selective membrane and the enclosure. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the consumed portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane forms an alloy with the consumed portion of the enclosure. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is welded to the enclosure to form a seal between the membrane and the enclosure. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane is brazed to the enclosure to form a seal between the membrane and the enclosure. 6. The device of claim 2, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is diffusion-bonded to the enclosure to form a seal between the membrane and the enclosure. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a membrane support within the permeate region of the enclosure and is configured to support the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the enclosure includes a first chamber within the permeate region and is configured to receive the membrane support. 9. The device of claim 7, wherein the membrane support is adapted to permit the first portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through the hydrogen-selective membrane to flow through the support. 10. The device of claim 7, wherein the enclosure and the membrane support define a transition therebetween, and further wherein the device includes at least one pad configured to span the transition and to prevent the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane from engaging the transition. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one pad does not create a gas-impermeable seal between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the enclosure. 12. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one pad includes a gasket under less than 30% compression. 13. The device of claim 10, wherein the at least one pad includes a tapered internal perimeter region adapted to minimize wrinkling of the membrane when the device is used. 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a pair of end plates to which the hydrogen-selective membrane is welded. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a pair of end plates that each include an outer perimeter, an inner perimeter, and a sealing region extending between the inner and the outer perimeters, and further wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane extends from the internal compartment at least partially across the sealing regions of the end plates. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes an outer perimeter region that extends at least to the outer perimeter of the end plates. 17. The device of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes an outer perimeter region and the device includes a continuous seal between the outer perimeter region and the enclosure. 18. The device of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is a generally planar membrane having a cross-sectional area that is greater than the cross-sectional area bounded by an inner perimeter of the enclosure across which the membrane extends. 19. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure has an inner perimeter that defines the compartment and further wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes an outer perimeter region that extends external of the inner perimeter of the enclosure. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the outer perimeter region of the hydrogen-selective membrane extends external the enclosure. 21. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a pair of end plates and a perimeter shell to which the hydrogen-selective membrane is permanently and directly secured to form a gas-tight seal between the membrane and the perimeter shell, and further wherein the perimeter shell is permanently and directly secured to the pair of end plates. 22. The device of claim 21, wherein the perimeter shell is separately formed from the pair of end plates. 23. The device of claim 21, wherein the device includes an interface formed from consumed portions of the hydrogen-selective membrane and the perimeter shell. 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the consumed portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane forms an alloy with the consumed portion of the perimeter shell. 25. The device of claim 24, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is at least one of welded to the perimeter shell and diffusion bonded to the perimeter shell. 26. The device of claim 21, wherein a portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane is brazed to the perimeter shell to form the seal therewith. 27. The device of claim 21, wherein the device includes a membrane support adapted to support the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane. 28. The device of claim 27, wherein the membrane support includes an outer perimeter and the perimeter shell overlaps with the membrane support to prevent the permeate surface of the membrane from contacting the outer perimeter of the membrane support. 29. A hydrogen purification device, comprising: a sealed enclosure defining a pressure vessel with an internal compartment, wherein the sealed enclosure is free from gaskets, and wherein the device is configured to receive into the compartment a mixed gas stream comprising hydrogen gas and other gases, and to produce therefrom a hydrogen-rich permeate stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas and a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases; and a hydrogen-selective membrane disposed at least substantially within the compartment, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is permanently and directly secured to the enclosure to form a gas-tight seal with the enclosure and to divide the internal compartment into a mixed gas region and a permeate region, wherein the gas-tight seal is formed without compressible gaskets, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes a mixed gas surface configured to be contacted by the mixed gas stream and a permeate surface generally opposed to the mixed gas surface, wherein the permeate stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through the hydrogen-selective membrane to the permeate surface, and the byproduct stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that does not pass through the hydrogen-selective membrane. 30. The device of claim 29, wherein a portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane forms a portion of the seal. 31. The device of claim 30, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes an outer perimeter region and the outer perimeter region forms a portion of the seal. 32. The device of claim 30, wherein the seal is formed entirely from metal. 33. The device of claim 30, wherein the portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane is a consumed portion of the membrane. 34. The device of claim 33, wherein the consumed portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane forms an alloy with a consumed portion of the enclosure. 35. The device of claim 34, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is welded to the enclosure to form a portion of the seal. 36. The device of claim 33, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane is diffusion-bonded to the enclosure to form a portion of the seal. 37. The device of claim 30, wherein the portion of the hydrogen-selective membrane is brazed to the enclosure to form a portion of the seal. 38. The device of claim 30, wherein the enclosure is formed from at least two components that include sealing regions, wherein the at least two components are secured together at the sealing regions to form the seal with the hydrogen-selective membrane. 39. The device of claim 38, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes an outer perimeter region that spans across at least a portion of the sealing regions. 40. The device of claim 39, wherein the outer perimeter region of the hydrogen-selective membrane extends external the enclosure. 41. The device of claim 29, wherein the enclosure includes a membrane support configured to support the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane. 42. The device of claim 41, wherein the membrane support is adapted to permit the portion of the mixed gas stream that permeates through the hydrogen-selective membrane to flow through the support. 43. The device of claim 41, wherein the enclosure and the membrane support define a transition therebetween, and further wherein the device includes at least one pad configured to span the transition and to prevent the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane from engaging the transition. 44. The device of claim 43, wherein the at least one pad does not create a gas-impermeable seal between the hydrogen-selective membrane and the enclosure. 45. The device of claim 44, wherein the at least one pad includes a gasket under less than 30% compression. 46. The device of claim 43, wherein the at least one pad includes a tapered internal perimeter adapted to minimize wrinkling of the membrane when the device is used. 47. The device of claim 29, wherein the enclosure includes a pair of end plates, and the device includes a seal between the pair of end plates and the hydrogen-selective membrane. 48. The device of claim 47, wherein at least a portion of the membrane and the enclosure is consumed to form the seal. 49. The device of claim 29, wherein the enclosure includes a frame to which the hydrogen-selective membrane is permanently and directly secured to from a gas-tight seal therebetween without the use of compressible gaskets. 50. The device of claim 49, wherein the enclosure further includes a pair of end plates to which the frame is secured. 51. A hydrogen purification device, comprising: a sealed enclosure having a pair of end plates defining a pressure vessel with an internal compartment, wherein the device is configured to receive into the compartment a mixed gas stream comprising hydrogen gas and other gases, and to produce therefrom a hydrogen-rich permeate stream containing at least substantially pure hydrogen gas and a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases; a hydrogen-selective membrane supported within the compartment, wherein the hydrogen-selective membrane includes a mixed gas surface configured to be contacted by the mixed gas stream and a permeate surface generally opposed to the mixed gas surface, wherein the permeate stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that passes through the hydrogen-selective membrane to the permeate surface, and the byproduct stream is formed from a portion of the mixed gas stream that does not pass through the hydrogen-selective membrane; and wherein the enclosure includes an interface formed from portions of the membrane and the pair of end plates that are permanently and directly secured together to form a seal. 52. The device of claim 51, wherein each of the pair of end plates includes an inner perimeter, an outer perimeter, and a sealing region that extends between the inner perimeter and the outer perimeter, and further wherein at least a portion of the membrane extends from within the compartment beyond the inner perimeters of the pair of end plates and between the sealing regions of the pair of end plates. 53. The device of claim 52, wherein at least a portion of the membrane extends external the enclosure. 54. The device of claim 51, wherein the membrane is secured to the end plates through at least one of welding and diffusion bonding. 55. The device of claim 51, wherein the device further includes a membrane support configured to support the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane. 56. The device of claim 55, wherein the membrane support includes an outer perimeter, and further wherein the device includes at least one pad configured to overlap with the outer perimeter of the membrane support to prevent the permeate surface of the hydrogen-selective membrane from engaging the outer perimeter of the membrane support. 57. The device of claim 56, wherein the at least one pad includes at least one of a gasket that does not form a gas-impermeable seal between the membrane and the second end plate, a gasket under less than 30% compression, and gas-permeable material.