Pilot-scale tests generate information about the performance of energy systems and thus help in the deployment of new technologies. This work aims at demonstrating the pilot-scale application of palladium-based membrane technology for the purification of H-2. A multitube membrane module with a total permeable area of 1050 cm(2) was tested under actual coal-derived syngas. The module was composed of seven membranes with a Pd/Au/Pd layered structure supported on PSS tubes. The membranes were arranged with one membrane at the center and six equally distributed around it. The membranes had a composition of 7 mu m Pd and 0.4 mu m Au and a cumulative He leak of < 0.01 cm(3)/min/bar before testing. The module was operated at 450 degrees C, 12.6 bar and 10 lb/h of desulfurized syngas provided by a gasification unit and enriched with H-2 to 34%. The module showed a stable H-2 permeance of 16.2 Nm(3) m(-2) h(-1) bar(-0.5) throughout 840 h. The produced H-2 purity was in the range of 99.87-98%. An H-2 production of 6 lb/clay and recovery of 64% were achieved, representing a significant development in the field. The scalability and industrial applicability of this technology was successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, a CFD model illustrated different physical phenomena associated with this multitube configuration.