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Processes for generating electricity using a solid oxide fuel cell are disclosed. The processes are controlled by adjusting the hourly spaced velocity of the hydrocarbon feed through the solid oxide fuel cell. Hydrocarbon fuel is transported at an hourly spaced velocity through a pre-reformer having

Processes for generating electricity using a solid oxide fuel cell are disclosed. The processes are controlled by adjusting the hourly spaced velocity of the hydrocarbon feed through the solid oxide fuel cell. Hydrocarbon fuel is transported at an hourly spaced velocity through a pre-reformer having a catalyst. The hydrocarbon fuel is contacted with the catalyst for a residence time and at a temperature such that a catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel is formed. The hourly spaced velocity determines the residence time of the hydrocarbon fuel in the pre-reformer. The resultant catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel contains at least one gas including one or more of hydrogen gas, methane gas, carbon monoxide gas, or combinations thereof The catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel is then contacted with an anode of a solid oxide fuel cell for a residence time to produce electricity.

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1. A process for generating electricity by a solid oxide fuel cell, the process comprising the steps of: desulfurizing a hydrocarbon fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, naphtha, diesel, and mixtures thereof to produce a desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel;combining the desulfurized hydroc

1. A process for generating electricity by a solid oxide fuel cell, the process comprising the steps of: desulfurizing a hydrocarbon fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, naphtha, diesel, and mixtures thereof to produce a desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel;combining the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel with an anode exhaust gas recycled from the solid oxide fuel cell;supplying the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and anode exhaust gas through a pre-reformer at an hourly spaced velocity, the pre-reformer having a catalyst;contacting the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and the anode exhaust gas with the catalyst in the pre-reformer for a pre-reformer residence time and at a pre-reformer temperature to form a methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel, the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel including methane and one or more gases selected from hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide gas, and combinations thereof;adjusting the conversion of the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel to increase electrical power output from the solid oxide fuel cell by increasing the hourly spaced velocity of the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and anode exhaust gas through the pre-reformer such that conversion of the hydrocarbon fuel by the pre-reformer is decreased;transporting the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel directly from the pre-reformer to a solid oxide fuel cell reformer at the hourly spaced velocity, the solid oxide fuel cell reformer having an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode;contacting the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel with the anode for an anode residence time and at an anode temperature such that electricity is generated by the solid oxide fuel cell; andsupplying the cathode gas and at least a portion of the anode gas to a combustor and combusting said gases. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein pre-reformer air is injected into the pre-reformer while the hydrocarbon fuel is contacting the catalyst. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein the pre-reformer catalyst includes a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Rh, Ru, Pd, Pt, Ir, and combinations of one or more thereof. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the reforming process of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer is an internal reforming process. 5. The process of claim 1, wherein the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel contacts the anode to form an anode exhaust gas. 6. The process of claim 1, wherein cathode air is injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer while the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel is contacting the anode. 7. The process of claim 6, wherein the cathode air is pre-heated prior to being injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer. 8. The process of claim 1, wherein a cathode gas is formed during the time that the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel contacts the anode. 9. The process of claim 8, wherein the cathode gas is used to pre-heat the cathode air prior to the cathode air being injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer. 10. The process of claim 1, wherein the pre-reformer temperature is in the range from 250° C. to 800° C. 11. A process for decreasing electricity generated by a solid oxide fuel cell, the process comprising the steps of: desulfurizing a hydrocarbon fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, naphtha, diesel, and mixtures thereof to produce a desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel;combining the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel with an anode exhaust gas recycled from the solid oxide fuel cell;supplying the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and anode exhaust gas through a pre-reformer at an hourly spaced velocity, the pre-reformer comprising a catalyst;contacting the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and the anode exhaust gas with the catalyst in the pre-reformer for a pre-reformer residence time and at a pre-reformer temperature to form a methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel, the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel including one or more gases selected from hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide gas, and combinations thereof;adjusting the conversion of the hydrocarbon fuel to decrease electrical power output from the solid oxide fuel cell by decreasing the hourly spaced velocity of the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and anode exhaust gas through the pre-reformer such that conversion of the hydrocarbon fuel by the pre-reformer is increased;transporting the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel directly from the pre-reformer to a solid oxide fuel cell reformer at the hourly spaced velocity, the solid oxide fuel cell reformer comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode;contacting the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel with the anode for an anode residence time and at an anode temperature such that electricity is generated by the solid oxide fuel cell; andsupplying the cathode gas and at least a portion of the anode gas to a combustor and combusting said gases. 12. The process of claim 11, wherein pre-reformer air is injected into the pre-reformer while the hydrocarbon fuel is contacting the catalyst. 13. The process of claim 11, wherein the pre-reformer catalyst includes a noble metal selected from the group consisting of Rh, Ru, Pd, Pt, Ir, and combinations of one or more thereof. 14. The process of claim 11, wherein the reforming process of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer is an internal reforming process. 15. The process of claim 11, wherein the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel contacts the anode to form an anode exhaust gas. 16. The process of claim 11, wherein cathode air is injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer while the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel is contacting the anode. 17. The process of claim 16, wherein the cathode air is pre-heated prior to being injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer. 18. The process of claim 11, wherein a cathode gas is formed during the time that the methane-rich catalyzed hydrocarbon fuel contacts the anode. 19. The process of claim 18, wherein the cathode gas is used to pre-heat the cathode air prior to the cathode air being injected into the cathode of the solid oxide fuel cell reformer. 20. The process of claim 11, wherein the pre-reformer temperature is in the range from 250° C. to 800° C.