TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reformer catalyst attains a light-off temperature in at most 30 seconds as measured from the time at which the reformer catalyst was contacted with the combustion gas. The reformer catalyst comprises platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium, ruthenium, tantalum, zirconium, yttrium, cerium, nickel, copper and/or iron. The support comprises oxides of alumina, silica, titanium and/or zirconium. The support may comprise nitride of silicon, nitride of molybdenum, nitride of tungsten, silicide, carbide of silicon, carbide of molybdenum and/or carbide of tungsten. The reformer substrate comprises silicon carbide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Components: The internal combustion engine is a diesel engine. The exhaust control device is particulate trap, nitrogen oxide trap, sulfur trap, catalytic combustor,and/or catalytic converter.Preferred Method: The reformer catalyst is contacted with the combustion gas for a first period of time sufficient to increase the temperature of the reformer catalyst such that a reformate having at least 15 mol % hydrogen, based upon a total amount of moles in the reformate, may be produced in at most 30 seconds as measured from the time at which the reformer catalyst was contacted with the combustion gas. The extinguishing combustion further comprises ceasing the flow of fuel for at most 3 seconds. The method further comprises directing the reformate along with a source of oxygen into an internal combustion engine and/or exhaust control device; and combusting the reformate and source of oxygen for a period of time sufficient to increase the temperature of the internal combustion engine and/or the exhaust control device. The method further comprises directing the reformate into an exhaust control device in operation within an exhaust gas system in a quantity, at a temperature, and for a period of time, sufficient to remove a portion of a material retained by the exhaust control device. The reformate is periodically directed into the exhaust control device for at most 50% of the time (i.e. at most 600 seconds) in which the exhaust control device is in operation within an exhaust gas system. The fuel is for use in a diesel engine.Preferred Parameters: The space velocity is to 100000/hour to 200000/hour. The thermal conductivity of the reformer substrate is at least 40 W/m degrees K.