Patent ID: 8043757

Claim:
A method for generating electrical energy in a fuel cell that receives hydrogen from a fuel processor configured to process a fuel source to produce the hydrogen, the method comprising: providing the fuel source to the fuel processor; monitoring both a temperature and an electrical energy output to determine whether a temperature threshold or an electrical threshold is reached; transporting a heating medium from the fuel processor to the fuel cell when one of the electrical threshold and the temperature threshold is reached, wherein the electrical threshold is reached when electrical energy output by the fuel cell includes less than an electrical threshold and the temperature threshold is reached when temperature of a component in the fuel cell is less than a temperature threshold, and wherein the heating medium comprises exhaust of a burner in the fuel processor; heating a portion of the fuel cell; transporting hydrogen from the fuel processor to the fuel cell; detecting temperature of the component or electrical output of the fuel cell; and generating electrical energy in the fuel cell when one of the electrical and temperature thresholds is reached, wherein the temperature threshold is reached when the temperature of the component is about equal to or greater than the threshold temperature and the electrical threshold is reached when electrical energy output by the fuel cell is about equal to or greater than an electrical threshold.