A 1 kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) balance of power (BOP) system is analyzed using experiments and simulations to optimize the design and operating conditions. The system consists of an autothermal reformer, combined heat exchanger and afterburner, and dummy stack. Thermolib program is used for the simulations. The system exhibits stable operation during a two cycle on/off experiment. The simulated results obtained by zero-dimensional modeling are similar to the experimental results although a discrepancy appears early in operation owing to the simplified modeling. The system's characteristics are also investigated in terms of the fuel utilization, presence or absence of internal reforming and external heat transfer coefficient. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.