the effect of ni/mg mole ratio of ni-mgo/gamma-al2o3 cordierite monolithic catalysts on dry reforming of model biomass fuel gas(h-2/co/c2h4/ch4/co2/n-2 = 16.0/12.1/2.5/15.1/22.0/32.3, vol.%) was investigated in a lab-scale stainless steel tubular reactor. the results showed that ch4 and co2 conversions, h-2 and co yields and h-2/co ratio in the tail gas was 87.2%, 54.4%, 65.2%, 43.0%, and 1.17 respectively at 750 degrees c over the optimized mcni0.51mr0.49o (the ratio was 0.51:0.49 with 8.3 wt% nio loading amount) during 60 h of time on stream (tos). and the formation of nio-mgo solid solution structure would restrain the active ni-0 centers from agglomeration and decrease carbon deposition. cold test of the vertical-placed tubular reformers (packed by monolith of 7 mm cell spacing) indicated that the pressure drop was as low as 850 pa at 1.57 m/s of gas velocity with 330 g/m(3) fly ash added. the reforming of real biomass fuel gas (h-2/co/c2h4/ch4/co2/n-2 = 10.2/16.8/0.5/6.4/15.2/51.0, vol.%, from air gasification of 200-250 kg/h pine sawdust in the pilot plant) in the multi-tube reformer packed with mcp (larger in size than mcni0.51mg0.49o) exhibits the pressure drop of less than 700 pa, ch4 and co2 conversions of about 84% and 38.5% and the decrease of tar content from 4.8-5.3 g/m(3) to 0.12-0.14 g/m(3) during 60 h tos at 670 degrees c. the characterization of the spent catalysts by tg, xrd and icp-aes proved the anti-sintering and anti-carbon deposition properties of nio-mgo solid solution monolithic catalyst. (c) 2011 elsevier ltd. all rights reserved.