TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The impurity is removed from the flow of intermediate reformate by directing the flow through at least one adsorbent bed for an adsorption period. The purification unit is operated in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate by adjusting the adsorption period in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate. The adsorption period is adjusted by changing the speed of the motor. The intermediate reformate is compressed in a compressor driven by a fixed or variable speed motor, where the purification unit is operated independent of the speed of the compressor. The method further involves compressing the intermediate reformate in a compression unit to produce a flow of compressed intermediate reformate prior to removing impurity from it; buffering the flow of intermediate reformate prior to removing impurity from the intermediate reformate; sensing the hydrogen-enriched reformate to produce sensed product data and operating the purification unit in response to the sensed product data; controlling the flow of hydrogen-enriched reformate out of the purification unit in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate; sensing the hydrogen-enriched reformate to produce sensed product data and controlling the flow of hydrogen-enriched reformate out of the purification unit in response to sensed product data; selecting a hydrogen-enriched reformate output and determining the calculated flow of intermediate reformate based on the selected hydrogen-enriched reformate output. The calculated flow of intermediate reformate is determined from a look-up table. The method further involves controlling a feed to the fuel processor in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate; and selecting at least one feed to the fuel processor and determining the calculated flow of intermediate reformate in part from the selected feed(s).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Apparatus: The apparatus further comprises a product sensor disposed downstream of the purification unit for sensing the hydrogen-enriched reformate and/or a hydrogen-depleted reformate to generate sensed product data, where the controller operates the purification unit in part in response to the sensed product data; a product valve downstream of the purification unit for controlling the flow of hydrogen-enriched reformate out of the purification unit, where the product valve contains a variable opening valve operated in part in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate; a compression unit disposed downstream from the fuel processor, where the compression unit is capable of receiving the flow of intermediate reformate and producing a flow of compressed intermediate reformate for delivery to the purification unit; a conduit having a variable opening valve capable of controlling a flow of supplemental fluid through the conduit to an inlet of the compression unit, where the controller operates the variable opening valve in part in response to the calculated flow of intermediate reformate; a sensor disposed upstream of the compression unit capable of sensing the pressure and/or flow rate of the intermediate reformate, where the variable opening valve is operated in response to a sensed pressure and/or flow rate; a buffer disposed intermediate the fuel processor and purification unit for buffering the flow of intermediate reformate; a tank disposed downstream from the purification unit capable of receiving and storing the hydrogen-enriched reformate; and a feed to the fuel processor containing fuel, air and/or water and a feed sensor for sensing the feed and relaying feed data to the controller. Preferred Components: The fuel processor comprises an oxidizer and a reformer. The purification unit comprises several adsorbent beds and a valve assembly capable of selectively controlling the flow of intermediate reformate to at least one of the several adsorbent beds, and a variable-speed motor capable of creating rotation between the valve assembly and several adsorbent beds. The several adsorbent beds comprise an adsorbent material for selectively adsorbing impurity from the flow of intermediate reformate. The compression unit comprises a variable or fixed speed compressor. The controller operates the purification unit independent of the speed of the compressor, or operates the purification unit in part in response to the sensed pressure and/or flow rate.