Process for separation of hydrogen and oxygen

1. A process for producing hydrogen from water comprising:

(a) contacting a water source with a water splitting photocatalyst and exposing the water/photocatalyst to light under conditions that split water into hydrogen and oxygen forming a feed source for hydrogen separation and purification;

(b) separating hydrogen from a feed source by

(i) compressing a feed source to at least 30 bars in a spark free environment forming a compressed feed source;

(ii) separating hydrogen from the compressed feed source by contacting a selectively permeable membrane with the compressed feed source, wherein hydrogen selectively permeates the membrane forming a hydrogen permeate and a hydrogen deficient retentate; and

(iii) collecting the hydrogen permeate; and

(c) purifying the hydrogen permeate by

(i) compressing the hydrogen permeate to at least 30 bars forming a compressed hydrogen permeate, and

(ii) combusting the compressed hydrogen permeate to remove residual oxygen and forming a purified hydrogen stream comprising residual water or steam; and

(d) collecting, storing, and/or utilizing the purified hydrogen.

2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising cooling the hydrogen stream and dehydrating the hydrogen stream.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein combustion is performed at a pressure of at least 10 to 100 kg/cm 2 g.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein combustion is performed at a pressure of at a temperature of about 500 to 2000° C.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein combustion is performed at a temperature of about 1400° C.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein combustion is performed at a pressure of at least 33 kg/cm 2 g and a temperature of about 1400° C.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein combustion is performed by auto-ignition of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst is a platinum catalyst.

9. The process of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the retentate.

10. The process of claim 1 , further comprising mixing the collected hydrogen permeate with an inert gas.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the inert gas is argon or nitrogen.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feed source is compressed to at least 30, 40, 50, or 60 bar.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feed source comprises about 70 mol % hydrogen.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the purified hydrogen permeate comprises at least 94 mol % hydrogen.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process is performed under conditions and using equipment to minimize spark generation.

16. A purified hydrogen stream produced by the process of claim 1 .

17. The purified hydrogen stream of claim 16 , wherein the hydrogen stream comprises at least 95% hydrogen.

18. The purified hydrogen stream of claim 16 , wherein the hydrogen stream comprises at least 99% hydrogen.

19. A hydrogen purification system comprising:

(a) a photocatalytic reactor configured to operate at approximately atmospheric pressure and to split water into hydrogen and oxygen;

(b) a compressor configured to receive a feed stream from the photocatalyic reactor, the compressor being configured to compress the feed stream to at least 30 bar;

(c) a membrane separation unit comprising a membrane that is selectively permeable to hydrogen and configured to (i) receive a pressurized feed stream from the compressor and (ii) produce a hydrogen permeate;

(d) a second compressor configured to compress the hydrogen permeate to a pressure of at least 30 bar; and

(e) a hydrogen purification unit configured to receive and combust the pressurized hydrogen permeate to produce a pressurized steam and a purified hydrogen stream.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a hydrogen storage device to collect and store the purified hydrogen stream.