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 an oxygen-containing gas into a conduit for routing fluids toward an inlet of a reformer;
• heating a stream of the oxygen-containing gas with at least one of a first source of heat comprising an electric heater disposed in the conduit and a second source of heat disposed in the conduit comprising 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 heated oxygen-containing gas through or proximate to a vaporizer a liquid reformable fuel to provide a heated gaseous reforming reaction mixture;
• and
• reforming the heated gaseous reforming reaction mixture to produce a hydrogen-rich reformate.

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

• generating steam with a source of heat selected from an electric heater, heat of exotherm of a reforming reaction and heat from a hydrogen reformate consuming device;
• introducing the stream of steam through or proximate to a liquid reformable fuel vaporizer to provide a heated gaseous steam reforming reaction mixture;
• and
• reforming the heated gaseous reforming reaction mixture to produce a hydrogen-rich reformate.