Liquid fuel reformer including a vaporizer and method of reforming liquid reformable fuel

A method of reforming a liquid reformable fuel, the method comprising:

• introducing a stream of an oxygen-containing gas into a conduit configured to route fluids into an inlet of a reformer that produces a heat of exotherm during reforming of the reformable fuel;
• in a start-up operating mode, heating the stream of the oxygen-containing gas with a first source of heat comprising an electric heater disposed in the conduit;
• beginning a steady-state operating mode after a selected temperature of the reformer is reached and in the steady-state operating mode, heating the stream of oxygen-containing gas in the conduit with a second source of heat to the conduit comprising the heat of exotherm from the liquid fuel reformer and/or a hydrogen reformate-consuming device external to the liquid fuel reformer to provide a stream of heated oxygen-containing gas;
• introducing into the stream of oxygen-containing gas that had been heated by the first or second source of heat, through or proximate to a vaporizer, a vaporized liquid reformable fuel and mixing the vaporized liquid reformable fuel with the heated oxygen containing gas to provide a heated gaseous reforming reaction mixture;
• and
• reforming the heated gaseous reforming reaction mixture to produce a hydrogen-rich reformate and the heat of exotherm.