Patent ID: 6994927

Claim:
In a fuel processing system having a hydrogen-production region, in which a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases is produced by steam reforming from a feed stream containing a carbon-containing feedstock and water, and a separation region, in which the mixed gas stream is separated into at least a hydrogen-rich stream from which a product hydrogen stream is formed and a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases, a method for starting up the fuel processing system comprising: delivering a stream containing hydrogen gas from a hydrogen storage vessel to a combustion region and combusting the stream to produce a heated fluid stream; heating the hydrogen-production region with the heated fluid stream until the hydrogen-production region reaches a temperature of at least approximately 250° C.; delivering a feed stream containing water and a carbon-containing feedstock to the hydrogen-production region to produce by steam reforming the mixed gas stream; separating the mixed gas stream into the hydrogen-rich stream and the byproduct stream; delivering at least a portion of the hydrogen-rich stream to the hydrogen storage vessel to at least partially recharge the hydrogen storage vessel and delivering the byproduct stream to the combustion region; and delivering at least a portion of the hydrogen-rich stream to a fuel cell stack to produce an electric current therefrom.