(US4670359-A)      A continuous supply of hydrogen for a fuel cell is produced by passing a superheated mix of water and methanol to a catalyst bed contains a mix of zinc oxide and chromium oxide followed by a high activity bed of zinc oxide and copper oxide on an alumina support. The reaction temp. being 425-600 deg.C and the water/methanol ratio between 2 and 9.    After use in the fuel cell the waste gas stream is burnt and the resulting hot gases used to provide a major part of the energy needed to preheat the water/methanol mix.    USE/ADVANTAGE -   The arrangement enhances the overall energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of the fuel cell system. (9pp)    (US4946667-A)      H2 is produced by A) as known catalytically reacting a gas mixt. of MeOH and water with B) the gas mixt. being heated to 371-593 deg.C. while the ratio water vapour:MeOH and the degree of superheat being maintained at such a level that the heat required for the endothermic reaction is extracted directly from the superheated gas mixt. The catalyst is pref. a mixt. of ZnO and CrO3 on alumina, esp. is a low activity catalyst contg. 40-60 wt.% Zn and 10-30 wt.% Cr. A high activity catalyst is esp. used in a 2nd section of the reactor consisting of ZnO and CuO on alumina. The mol. ratio water:MeOH is 1.0-10.0.    ADVANTAGE -   An effective process using a thermally efficient reactor smaller and cheaper than known ones; the reactor can be integrated with a fuel cell power system. @(9pp)@    (JP95101614-B2)      (A) A continuous hydrogen fuel supply is provided for a fuel cell system by (a) passing a gaseous water/methanol mixt. to a heat exchanger for superheating; (b) passing the superheated mixt. into a catalytic reactor for endothermic reaction to form hydrogen; (c) directing the hydrogen to the fuel electrode of a fuel cell; (d) directing air into the oxygen electrode of the fuel cell for electricity prodn.; and (e) exhausting the gaseous effluent from the fuel electrode, burning the combustible portion of the effluent in a burner and feeding the burner exhaust to the heat exchanger.    (B) A hydrogen prodn. process comprises superheating a gaseous water/methanol mixt. to 700-1100 def.F and then feeding the mixt to a catalytic reactor to produce hydrogen, at least a major portion of the heat for catalytic reaction being extracted from the superheated mixt.    (C) Also claimed are (i) an integrated methanol steam reformer, combustion chamber and methanol superheater unit, and (ii) integrated appts. for hydrogen and electricity prodn.    ADVANTAGE -   Hydrogen prodn. is effected in a thermally efficient steam reformer of reduced size and cost and which can be integrated with a fuel cell power system or used for hydrogen generation alone.