Patent ID: 8070841

Claim:
A method for supplying one or more fuel streams having at least a combined threshold combustion fuel value to a heating assembly adapted to receive and combust such a combustion stream, and for producing a heated exhaust stream therefrom, the method comprising: supplying a feed stream to a heated hydrogen-producing region of a fuel processing system; producing a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas, as a majority component, and other gases, in the heated hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing system; delivering at least a portion of the mixed gas stream to a pressure swing adsorption assembly containing at least an adsorbent bed; separating the mixed gas stream delivered to the pressure swing adsorption assembly into streams forming a product stream containing a greater concentration of hydrogen gas than the mixed gas stream and a byproduct stream containing a substantial portion of the other gases, wherein the separating includes cycling through at least one reduced byproduct period during which the combustion fuel value of the byproduct stream from the pressure swing adsorption assembly is lower than a corresponding, predetermined threshold value, wherein the cycling is performed as part of the separating; selectively supplying the byproduct stream to the heating assembly as a fuel stream; selectively supplying an auxiliary fuel stream to the heating assembly during the at least one reduced byproduct period; combusting the one or more fuel streams supplied to the heating assembly; and heating at least the hydrogen-producing region with the heated exhaust stream to maintain the hydrogen-producing region within a predetermined hydrogen-producing temperature range.