The invented system includes a fuel-cell system comprising a fuel cell that produces
electrical power from air (oxygen) and hydrogen, and a fuel processor that produces
hydrogen from a variety of feedstocks. One such fuel processor is a steam reformer
which produces purified hydrogen from a carbon-containing feedstock and water.
In the invented system, various mechanisms for implementing the cold start-up of
the fuel processor are disclosed, as well as mechanisms for optimizing and/or harvesting
the heat and water requirements of the system and/or maintaining the purity of
the process water used in the system.