Patent ID: 8038771

Claim:
A method for regulating a temperature of a hydrogen-producing region of a fuel processing system adapted to produce a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases, the method comprising: producing the mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and other gases in a heated hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing system; delivering the mixed gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption assembly having at least one adsorbent bed containing an adsorbent and adapted to produce a byproduct stream containing at least a substantial portion of the other gases and a product hydrogen stream containing a greater concentration of hydrogen gas than the mixed gas stream; adsorbing the other gases from the mixed gas stream to produce the product hydrogen stream containing a greater concentration of hydrogen gas than the mixed gas stream; depressurizing the at least one adsorbent bed to facilitate desorption of the other gases from the adsorbent; purging the at least one adsorbent bed with a flow of purge gas to further facilitate desorption of the other gases, wherein the byproduct stream contains at least a portion of the other gases desorbed from the adsorbent during the depressurizing and is formed from the depressurizing and the purging; combusting the byproduct stream with air in a heating assembly adapted to produce a heated exhaust stream; heating the hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing system with the heated exhaust stream; regulating a flow rate of the byproduct stream that is received and combusted by the heating assembly to maintain the temperature of the hydrogen-producing region within a determined temperature range for producing the mixed gas stream; and regulating the flow of purge gas to the at least one adsorbent bed to produce a sufficient flow of byproduct gas to maintain the hydrogen-producing region within the determined temperature range for producing the mixed gas stream.