Coupled thermochemical reactors and engines, and associated systems and methods

1. A chemical reactor system, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, the reactor vessel receiving steam from a steam source that is coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel;

a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel; and

a transfer passage i) positioned within the reaction zone and ii) coupled in fluid communication with a combustion region to transfer a reactant from the combustion region of an engine to an interior region of the transfer passage,

wherein i) the transfer passage includes a transmissive material that is positioned between the reaction zone and the interior region of the transfer passage, and ii) the transmissive material is capable of allowing the reactant to pass from the interior region of the transfer passage to the reaction zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a heater positioned in thermal communication with the reactor vessel to heat the reaction zone of the reactor vessel.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising insulation positioned to at least restrict heat transfer away from the engine, other than via the transfer passage.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first separator operably coupled between the reactor vessel and the engine to receive products from the reaction zone and segregate a carbon-bearing constituent of the products from a hydrogen-bearing constituent of the products; and

a product passage coupled between the first separator and the combustion region of the engine to deliver to the combustion region at least a portion of the hydrogen-bearing constituent removed from the reaction zone.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a second separator operably coupled to the transfer passage downstream of the reaction zone to separate constituents removed from the transfer passage, the second separator having an outlet coupled to the combustion region.

6. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:

an injector coupled between the product passage and the combustion region to deliver the hydrogen-bearing constituent directly to the combustion region; and

an air intake port positioned to deliver air directly to the combustion region.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the air intake port is positioned to provide an unthrottled flow of air directly to the combustion chamber.

8. A chemical reactor system, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, the reactor vessel receiving steam from a steam source that is coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel;

a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel;

a transfer passage i) positioned within the reaction zone and ii) coupled in fluid communication a combustion region to transfer a reactant from the combustion region of an engine to an interior region of the transfer passage, wherein i) the transfer passage includes a transmissive material that is positioned between the reaction zone and the interior region of the transfer passage, and ii) the transmissive material is capable of allowing the reactant to pass from the interior region of the transfer passage to the reaction zone;

a first separator operably coupled to the reactor vessel to receive products from the reaction zone and segregate a carbon-bearing constituent of the products from a hydrogen-bearing constituent of the products; and

a product passage coupled between the first separator and the combustion region of the engine to deliver to the combustion region at least a portion of the hydrogen-bearing constituent removed from the reaction zone.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a second separator operably coupled to the transfer passage downstream of the reaction zone to separate constituents removed from the transfer passage, the second separator having an outlet coupled to the combustion region.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a heater positioned in thermal communication with the reactor vessel to heat the reaction zone of the reactor vessel.

11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising insulation positioned to at least restrict heat transfer away from the engine, other than via the transfer passage.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

an injector coupled between the product passage and the combustion region to deliver the hydrogen-bearing constituent directly to the combustion region; and

an air intake port positioned to deliver air directly to the combustion region.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the air intake port is positioned to provide an unthrottled flow of air directly to the combustion chamber.

14. A chemical reactor system, comprising:

a reactor vessel having a reaction zone, the reactor vessel receiving steam from a steam source that is coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel;

a hydrogen donor source coupled in fluid communication with the reaction zone of the reactor vessel; and

a transfer passage i) positioned within the reaction zone and ii) coupled in fluid communication with a combustion region to transfer a reactant from the combustion region of an engine to an interior region of the transfer passage,

wherein i) the transfer passage includes a transmissive material that is positioned between the reaction zone and the interior region of the transfer passage, and ii) the transmissive material is capable of allowing the reactant to pass from the interior region of the transfer passage to the reaction zone.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

a first separator operably coupled between the reactor vessel and the engine to receive products from the reaction zone and segregate a carbon-bearing constituent of the products from a hydrogen-bearing constituent of the products.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a second separator operably coupled to the transfer passage downstream of the reaction zone to separate constituents removed from the transfer passage, the second separator having an outlet coupled to the combustion region.

17. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

a product passage coupled between a first separator and the combustion region of the engine to deliver to the combustion region at least a portion of a hydrogen-bearing constituent removed from the reaction zone.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

an injector coupled between the product passage and the combustion region to deliver the hydrogen-bearing constituent directly to the combustion region; and

an air intake port positioned to deliver air directly to the combustion region.

19. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a heater positioned in thermal communication with the reactor vessel to heat the reaction zone of the reactor vessel.

20. The system of claim 14 , further comprising insulation positioned to at least restrict heat transfer away from the engine, other than via the transfer passage.