Hot coke oven gas (COG) with a temperature of about 1050 K was produced from a test unit for coke production, the capacity of which was 80 kg of coal. The COG was introduced into an experimental unit with a tar converter where oxygen and steam were injected. Over 98% of the total carbon in the hot COG was partially oxidized, reformed with steam and converted to hydrogen and CO. About 1 Nm(3)/h of hydrogen was continuously produced for 5 h in this experiment. The experimental results suggest that three to five times the amount of hydrogen and CO that were present in the original COG could be recovered by this technology, utilizing the heat of the hot COG for the reaction. The feasibility study showed that hydrogen can be produced by this technology at a lower cost and higher efficiency than by the separation of cold COG. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.