Micro fuel cell system start up and shut down systems and methods

Abstract

Described herein are fuel cell systems and methods of using fuel cell systems. The systems include a fuel cell that generates electrical energy using hydrogen and a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel source. The fuel processor includes a reformer and a burner that heats the reformer.

1 . A method for starting a fuel processor including a reformer and a burner that provides heat to the reformer, the method comprising:
 supplying a fuel source to the burner;   generating heat using an electrical heater and transferring the heat to the burner or to the fuel source;   catalytically generating heat in a burner chamber   conductively transferring heat from the burner chamber to the reformer, wherein the fuel processor includes a monolithic structure with a common wall that is shared by the reformer chamber and the burner chamber;   supplying the fuel source to the reformer; and   generating hydrogen in a reformer chamber included in the reformer, wherein the reformer chamber comprises a volume greater than about 0.1 cubic centimeters and less than about 50 cubic centimeters.