4. Conclusions
The present study aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the exothermic and endothermic reaction characteristics and operation methods of integrated combustion-reforming reactors. Particular emphasis is placed upon the simultaneous implementation of the endothermic steam reforming and the heat-supplying exothermic catalytic combustion such that the thermal stability of the reaction system is increased. The effect of catalyst layer thickness on the reaction characteristics is investigated in order to understand how to design and operate such reactors with high efficiency. The major conclusions are summarized as follows: