NOVELTY - A reforming reactor comprises reactor vessel having inlet for receiving hydrocarbon fuel and outlet for delivering hydrogen-rich reformate; catalyst bed (224) disposed within reactor vessel and having reforming catalyst and carbon dioxide fixing material; oxidation zone disposed within reactor vessel proximate catalyst bed and in fluid communication with catalyst bed; and moderator inlet for introducing temperature moderator into oxidation zone.    USE - The reforming reactor is used for producing a hydrogen reformate by converting a hydrocarbon fuel over the catalyst bed to a reformate comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide fixing material fixing a portion of the carbon dioxide in the reformate to provide a hydrogen-rich reformate and fixed carbon dioxide; removing hydrogen-rich reformate from the catalyst bed; oxidizing a hydrocarbon fuel with an oxidant within the reactor to produce heated oxidation products; adjusting the temperature of the heated oxidation products with a flow of a temperature moderator; and heating the carbon dioxide fixing material with the heated oxidation products to a temperature at which a portion of the fixed carbon dioxide is released to provide a carbon dioxide-laden gas and heated carbon dioxide fixing material (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The invented reforming reactor achieves higher conversion rates of hydrocarbon to hydrogen-rich reformate.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for an apparatus for generating a hydrogen-rich reformate comprising desulfurization unit for removing sulfur-containing compounds from a hydrocarbon fuel; reactor in fluid communication with the desulfurization unit for receiving the desulfurized hydrocarbon fuel and producing a hydrogen-rich reformate; and polishing unit in fluid communication with the reactor vessel.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a cross-sectional view of a reforming reactor.    Reactor (200)    Reactor vessel (205)    Catalyst bed (224)    Inlet zone (224A)    Intermediate zone (224B)