Solid-oxide fuel cell system having a fuel combustor to pre-heat a fuel reformer on start-up

In a solid-oxide fuel cell system, a catalytic reformer unit provides reformate fuel for use by the cells in generating electricity. Both the reformer and the fuel cells require elevated temperatures for satisfactory operation. The reformer unit is provided with a combustion chamber and igniter ahead of the catalytic reformer plates such that, during start-up, fuel/air mixture normally destined for reformation may be ignited in the combustion chamber to provide a hot combustion exhaust which is fed through the catalytic reformer and the anode reformate flow spaces to assist in rapidly bringing the fuel cell system to operating temperature.