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A method for controlling the power and temperature and fuel source of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to supply heat to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual fuel inlet streams including a first fuel stream, and a second fuel stream of anode effluent from the fuel cell and reformate fro

A method for controlling the power and temperature and fuel source of a combustor in a fuel cell apparatus to supply heat to a fuel processor where the combustor has dual fuel inlet streams including a first fuel stream, and a second fuel stream of anode effluent from the fuel cell and reformate from the fuel processor. In all operating modes, an enthalpy balance is determined by regulating the amount of the first and/or second fuel streams and the quantity of the first air flow stream to support fuel processor power requirements.

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1. A method of operating a combustor in a fuel cell system, the method comprising the steps of:determining a thermal load demand for a fuel processor in the fuel cell system based on an operating state of said fuel processor; selectively supplying a first fuel stream to a combustor in the fuel cell

1. A method of operating a combustor in a fuel cell system, the method comprising the steps of:determining a thermal load demand for a fuel processor in the fuel cell system based on an operating state of said fuel processor; selectively supplying a first fuel stream to a combustor in the fuel cell system, said first fuel stream being an anode effluent exhausted from a fuel cell in the fuel cell system; selectively supplying a second fuel stream to said combustor, said second fuel stream being reformate from said fuel processor; determining a thermal output capacity of said combustor combusting said first and second fuel streams supplied to said combustor; and selectively supplying a third fuel stream to said combustor such that combustion of said first, second and third fuel streams in said combustor produces a thermal output from said combustor sufficient to meet said thermal load demand of said fuel processor, said third fuel stream being a hydrocarbon fuel.