Patent ID: 7670587

Claim:
A process for reforming a fuel, comprising: providing a hydrogen generation system comprising a reformer assembly having a process inlet, wherein the reformer assembly comprises a vaporization section and a reformer catalyst section; a H 2 purification unit, said H 2 purification unit having a pure H 2 outlet and an off-gas outlet; and a H 2 storage unit connected to the H 2 purification unit pure H 2 outlet, wherein said H 2 storage unit has an outlet selectively connectable to the reformer assembly process inlet; performing a startup phase; heating the reformer catalyst section by the combustion section with an off-gas from the H 2 purification unit along with a combustion air source; receiving the fuel and water in the vaporization section and ensuring the fuel along with the water is fully vaporized to create a vapor; passing the vapor to the reformer catalyst section and producing a reformate gas therein; receiving the reformate gas from the reformer assembly into the H 2 purification unit and separating pure H 2 from the reformate gas; and receiving the pure H 2 into the H 2 storage unit; wherein the startup phase comprises generating heat by combusting H 2 in the combustor section of the reformer assembly by passing H 2 from the H 2 storage unit through the reformer catalyst section, the H 2 purification unit and through the off-gas connection to the combustor section.