This paper describes the operation of a dual functional, membrane/catalytic COx methanator, hydrogen purifier that is well-suited for an integrated fuel processor/fuel cell power system. In combination with a pressure swing reformer (PSR) and a PEMFC, the system provides high overall efficiency and portability for distributed power or onboard vehicle use. Gas testing results illustrate the ability of the purifier to produce fuel cell purity hydrogen at peak power flux. The durability of this purifier is shown by its ability to meet target hydrogen purity even with a membrane that permeates > 3000 ppm CO. Gas purge streams from both fuel cell electrodes are combined with the membrane retentate and combusted in the PSR combustion cycle to provide heat for the reforming reaction leading to high thermal efficiency. Most significantly, it is shown that staging of this purifier, enables recovery of some fraction of the purified hydrogen at pressures substantially approaching that of the feed hydrogen partial pressure. This creates an onboard source of high pressure hydrogen to be optionally fed to a storage device for use during vehicle startup, or to the fuel cell, either directly or via the storage device, under high power load conditions. The beneficial impact of this two-stage, dual functional purifier on membrane cost, dependability and fuel processor/fuel cell integration, will be discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V.Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.