HYDROGEN SEPARATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME

It is an objective of the invention to provide a method for operating hydrogen separation devices which is capable of efficiently suppressing hydrogen embrittlement in a hydrogen separation alloy membrane and to provide a hydrogen separation device that performs favorably during repeated starting/stopping operations thereof. There is provided a method for operating a hydrogen separation device for separating hydrogen from a mixture hydrogen gas using a membrane separation technique with a hydrogen separation alloy membrane. The method comprises the successive steps of: stopping supply of the mixture hydrogen gas to the hydrogen separation alloy membrane with a temperature of the membrane within a range from 300 to 600°C; supplying an oxidizing gas over a predetermined duration to at least an upstream side of the membrane with a temperature of the membrane within a range from 300 to 600°C; and lowering the temperature of the membrane to below 200°C.