In order to study the dehydrogenation reaction mechanism of ultra-low concentration methane in a thermal reverse-flow reactor, the effects of the cyclic period (120s-240s), the lean methane volume flow (90 Nm(3)/h to 180 Nm(3)/h), and the methane concentration (0.2 vol% to 0.8 vol%) on the dehydrogenation performance were studied systematically by using a thermal reverse-flow experimental system. When the methane concentration is 0.2 vol%, the reactor can achieve self-heat maintaining operation. With the increase in the methane concentration, the width of the high-temperature zone, the exhaust gas temperature, the methane conversion rate, and the maximum temperature of the heat accumulator bed increase. With the increase in the lean methane volume flow, the width of the high-temperature zone, the distance between the center of the high temperature zone and the center of the reactor, the maximum temperature, the exhaust gas temperature, and the methane conversion rate increase. With the increase in the cyclic period, the exhaust gas temperature and the deviation of the high-temperature zone increase, but the methane conversion rate and the maximum temperature decrease slightly. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.