Patent ID: 8277524

Claim:
A method for pre-heating a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer from a starting temperature to a minimum reforming temperature utilizing an electronic control module, comprising the steps of: a) selecting a fuel type to be combusted; b) determining the latent heat of combustion of said selected fuel type; c) selecting a flow rate of said combustion fuel; d) determining the heat capacity of a catalyst to be heated in said catalytic reformer; e) determining a mass of said reformer to be heated; f) determining said starting temperature of said catalyst in said catalytic reformer; g) utilizing a software construct to produce said fuel combustion time interval, wherein said construct utilizes said latent heat of combustion, said selected combustion fuel flow rate, said heat capacity of said catalyst, said mass to be heated, and said starting temperature; and h) pre-heating said hydrocarbon catalytic reformer using a combustor for said fuel combustion time interval so that said hydrocarbon catalytic reformer reaches said minimum reforming temperature.