Chemical fuel conditioning and activation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for chemically activating a fuel for injection and ignition in a combustion engine. In one aspect, a method to initiate combustion includes transforming an interim fuel substance into constituents including radicals, the interim fuel substance formed by a chemical conversion using a fuel, in which the interim fuel substance has a lower ignition energy than that of the fuel, injecting the constituents into a combustion chamber of an engine, and providing a gaseous fluid including oxidants in the combustion chamber to react with the constituents in a combustion reaction, in which the combustion reaction of the constituents occurs at a reduced energy than that of a combustion reaction of the fuel substance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to initiate combustion, the method comprising:
 transforming an interim fuel substance into constituents including at least one of ions or radicals, the interim fuel substance formed by a chemical conversion using a fuel, and the interim fuel substance having a lower ignition energy than that of the fuel;   injecting the constituents into a combustion chamber; and   providing a gaseous fluid including oxidants in the combustion chamber to react with the constituents in a combustion reaction,   wherein the combustion reaction of the constituents occurs at a reduced energy than that of a combustion reaction of the fuel substance.   
     
     
         2 - 46 . (canceled)