Cost based substitution ratio control in hydrogen-capable internal combustion engine system

An internal combustion engine system comprising:

• an engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders formed therein, and a plurality of pistons each reciprocable in one of the plurality of combustion cylinders;
• a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) admission valve;
• a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC) admission valve;
• an intake system structured to convey a mixture containing the H2, the HC, and air, to the plurality of combustion cylinders;
• a fuel blending control system including an electronic control unit in control communication with the H2 admission valve and the HC admission valve and structured to:
• receive an inputted emissions cost value and a hydrogen cost value;
• determine a fuel blending control term based on the emissions cost value and the hydrogen cost value;
• control the H2 admission valve and the HC admission valve to supply the H2 and the HC to the intake system at an H2 to HC substitution ratio that is based on the fuel blending control term,
• adjust at least one of the H2 admission valve or the HC admission valve to vary the H2 to HC substitution ratio based on the fuel blending control term;
• and
• vary the H2 to HC substitution ratio in a substitution ratio range from 0% to 25%.

An internal combustion engine system comprising:

• an engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders formed therein, and a plurality of pistons each reciprocable in one of the plurality of combustion cylinders;
• a frac pump operably coupled to a driveshaft of the engine;
• a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) admission valve;
• a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC) admission valve;
• an intake system structured to convey a mixture containing the H2, the HC, and air, to the plurality of combustion cylinders;
• and
• a fuel blending control system including an electronic control unit in control communication with the H2 admission valve and the HC admission valve and structured to:
• receive an inputted emissions cost value and a hydrogen cost value;
• determine a fuel blending control term based on the emissions cost value and the hydrogen cost value;
• and
• control the H2 admission valve and the HC admission valve to supply the H2 and the HC to the intake system at an H2 to HC substitution ratio that is based on the fuel blending control term.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine system comprising:

• receiving as inputs to a fuel blending control system an emissions cost value and a hydrogen cost value;
• controlling, by way of an electronic control unit of the fuel blending control system, positions of each of a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) admission valve and a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC) admission valve;
• forming, based on the controlled positions of each of the H2 admission valve and the HC admission valve, a first combustion charge in an engine containing H2 and HC at an H2 to HC substitution ratio that is based on the emissions cost value and the hydrogen cost value;
• combusting the first combustion charge in the engine;
• and
• increasing, by way of forming a second combustion charge, the substitution ratio of H2 to HC to a substitution ratio ranging from 20% H2 to 25% H2 by volume.