NOVELTY - The combined and highly thermically integrated steam reformer useful in a fuel processing system for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source, comprises a combustor (32) to receive the fuel source and to provide heat to the reformer disposed annularly about the combustor and separated by a wall, a combustor side of the separating wall coated with a catalyst to induce the fuel combustion reactions, a reformer to receive the fuel source and to output hydrogen, a reformer side of the separating wall coated with a catalyst to induce the fuel reforming reactions (31), and tubular sections.    USE - The combined and highly thermically integrated steam reformer is useful in a fuel processing system for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source (claimed), where the hydrogen is useful in internal combustion engines and in fuel cells to produce electricity and co-generate heat and electricity.    ADVANTAGE - The combined and highly thermically integrated steam reformer can economically and efficiently produce the hydrogen with less energy consumption and high energy density thus safely and easily transporting the hydrogen in compressed or liquid form without requiring specialized and bulky equipments.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The combined and highly thermically integrated steam reformer useful in a fuel processing system for the production of hydrogen from a fuel source, comprises a combustor (32) to receive the fuel source and to provide heat to the reformer disposed annularly about the combustor and separated by a wall, a combustor side of the separating wall coated with a catalyst to induce the fuel combustion reactions, a reformer to receive the fuel source and to output hydrogen, a reformer side of the separating wall coated with a catalyst to induce the fuel reforming reactions (31), tubular sections where the internal wall of the tube is coated with the catalyst to induce the combustion reaction and the external wall of the tube is coated with the catalyst to induce the reforming reaction, tube sheets (131, 132) supporting and spacing the tubular sections, a cylindrical wall enclosing the tubular sections, bonded to the tube sheets and having flow passages (40, 41, 43) for feeding the reforming reactants and for removing the reforming products, a first reactor head connected to one of the tube sheet and having a flow passage for feeding the combustor feed, a second reactor head connected to the other one of the tube sheet and having a flow passage for removing the combustor products (33), a flow distributor inside the first reactor head and connected to its associated flow passage, a flame arresting device (17) between the flow distributor and tube sheet, a set of baffles placed inside the cylindrical wall and perpendicular to the tubular sections to direct the reformer flow across the tubular sections in a recurring manner, a distributor plate placed inside the cylindrical wall and between the first flow passage and the tubular sections to direct the reformer feed flow uniformly across the tubes in a cross flow pattern, a collector plate placed inside the cylindrical wall and between the second flow passage and the tubular sections to direct the reformer product flow uniformly across the tubes in the cross flow pattern, and a manifold placed inside the first reactor head with its inlet section passing through the reactor head flow passage and having shaped tips to feed the fuel directly into the inside of each tubular section. The reformer receives heat from the combustor. The separating wall is partially covered with catalyst on each side so establishing heat exchange zones where heat is transferred between the feed of the combustor and the products of the reformer and between the feed of the reformer and the products of the combustor respectively. The air is fed through the first reactor head flow passage and is mixed with the fuel inside the tubular sections. The fuel cell processing system supplies steam and fuel mixture to the reformer to be reformed and produce hydrogen, and supplies fuel and air mixture (32) to the combustor to be combusted and provide the heat to the reformer.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a perspective view of a heat integrated reforming reactor.    Flame arresting device (17)    Reforming reactions (31)    Combustor (32)    Combustion products (33)    Flow passages (40, 41, 43)    Tube sheets. (131, 132)