TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The control device may include a sensor (34) for detecting temperature of catalyst, and the controller is designed to determine whether the catalyst temperature is greater than a first predetermined temperature, to set a fuel injection time to a first predetermined injection amount when the catalyst temperature is less than the first predetermined temperature, to set the fuel injection amount to a second predetermined injection amount larger than the first predetermined injection amount when the catalyst temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature and to command the fuel injector to inject the set injection amount of fuel. The control device also includes a flow control valve (30) for regulating a flow rate of oxygen-containing gas supplied to the catalytic combustor, and a glow plug (12) provided between the fuel injector and catalyst for igniting the fuel. The controller functions to calculate a flow rate of oxygen-containing gas for achieving a fixed excess-air ratio in response to the set fuel injection amount and command the flow control valve to achieve the calculated flow rate of oxygen-containing gas. The controller also functions to calculate a flow rate of oxygen-containing gas for achieving a first excess-air ratio when the elapsed time is less than or equal to the predetermined time or when the catalyst temperature is less than the first predetermined temperature, to calculate a flow rate of oxygen-containing gas for achieving a second excess-air ratio when the elapsed time is greater than the predetermined time or when the catalyst temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature, and to command the flow control valve to achieve the calculated flow rate of oxygen-containing gas.Preferred Parameters: The first predetermined injection amount is a minimum injection amount that allows ignition of the fuel catalyst, and the second predetermined injection amount is an injection amount at which the temperature of catalyst reaches a second predetermined temperature under steady-state operating conditions of catalytic combustion. The second excess-air ratio is higher than the first excess-air ratio. The first excess-air ratio is the lowest value at which an amount of nitrogen oxide produced by the combustion fuel is in an allowable range, and the second excess-air ratio is an excess-air ratio at which the catalyst temperature coincides with the second predetermined temperature under steady-state operating conditions of catalytic combustor. The second predetermined temperature is higher than an activation temperature of catalyst or higher than the first predetermined temperature and lower than a maximum allowable temperature of the catalyst.Preferred Method: Controlling an operation of catalytic combustor may be carried out by supplying oxygen-containing gas to the catalytic combustor, determining temperature of catalyst, determining whether the catalyst temperature is greater than a first predetermined temperature, setting a fuel injection amount to a first predetermined injection amount when the catalyst temperature is less than the first predetermined temperature, setting the fuel injection amount to a second predetermined amount when the catalyst temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature, and injecting the set injection amount of fuel.