TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The heat stream is provided by a heat source, where the heat source is a thermal management module that is a component of a combined cooling, heating, and power system. The heat source is at least one of the components of fuel cell system. The desulfurization appliance further includes: an air stream (212) in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed when the bed characterization is exceeded; includes a control system including a sensor configured to monitor a sulfur content proximate the refined fuel outlet and where the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed has a bed characterization limit and the control system determines whether the bed characterization limit has been exceeded based upon the sulfur content; and a sulfur capture device in fluid communication with the air/purge outlet. The control system includes a sulfur compound sensor configured to detect a purge sulfur content proximate the air/sulfur outlet and to transmit a signal to the control system indicative of the purge sulfur content. The control system is further configured to determine an air/purge sulfur content proximate the air/sulfur outlet, and where the heat stream is further configured to cease providing thermal energy to the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed when the air/purge sulfur content is below a predetermined amount, and where the purge valve is further configured to close when the air/purge sulfur content is below the predetermined amount. The refined fuel outlet valve is in fluid communication with the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed and the fuel cell system. The control system is configured to determine a sulfur content proximate the refined fuel outlet, compare the sulfur content to a first predetermined sulfur amount and/or a bed characterization limit, direct the fuel inlet valve to close, the refined fuel outlet valve to close, the purge valve to open, the heat stream to provide thermal energy and the air stream to provide air, when the sulfur content exceeds the first predetermined sulfur amount and/or the bed characterization limit is reached and further configured to direct the fuel inlet valve to open, the refined fuel outlet valve to open, the purge valve to close, the heat source to cease providing thermal energy, and the air source to cease providing air, after a predetermined amount of time. The sulfur capture device bubbles an exhaust gas received from the air/purge outlet through a fluid, where the exhaust gas includes sulfur and the fluid removes sulfur from the exhaust gas. The heat source and the air source are portable external components configured to be connectable to the desulfurization appliance. The control system includes a sulfur compound sensor configured to detect sulfur proximate the refined fuel outlet valve and to transmit a signal indicative of the sulfur content to the control system. Preferred Method: The self regenerating includes: elevating the temperature of the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed; directing air over the hydrocarbon desulfurization bed; and collecting sulfur compounds in a sulfur capture system. The self regenerating further includes monitoring the collecting. The method further includes: providing the heat source, where the elevating the temperature is accomplished by the heat source; and determining a second sulfur content during the self regenerating; comparing the second sulfur content with a second predetermined sulfur limit; and restarting the desulfurization appliance when the second sulfur content drops below the second predetermined sulfur limit.