A method of producing hydrogen by reforming a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol.
The method includes preparing a columnar catalytic member having many axial passages
and containing a reforming catalyst, a shift catalyst and an oxidation catalyst;
preparing a reformable gas containing a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol and
water vapor mixed together; rotating the columnar catalytic member, while passing
the gas therethrough transversely with respect to its cross-section such that the
gas first flows along a forward path extending in one direction through a first
portion of the axial passages and then flows along a backward path extending in
the other direction through a second portion of the axial passages, thereby causing
the gas to undergo reforming and shift reactions to form hydrogen for recovery,
while the gas makes a round trip along the forward and backward paths; and introducing
an oxygen containing gas into the forward path and/or the backward path.