System and method for estimating hydrogen in exhaust gas stream

Abstract

A system is disclosed that includes a controller configured to perform an operation. The operations include receiving sensor data including information about a first water content in an intake airflow flowing through an intake conduit into an engine and a second water content in an exhaust airflow flowing through an exhaust conduit out of the engine. The operations also include receiving information about an air to fuel ratio of the engine. The operations also include estimating a hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air to fuel ratio. The operations also include one of: increasing an air to fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content is greater than a first threshold; or reducing the air to fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content is less than a second threshold, the second threshold being different from the first threshold.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Application No. 63 / 594,770, filed October 31, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for estimating the hydrogen concentration in the exhaust gas stream of a hydrogen internal combustion engine. Background Technology

[0003] It may be desirable to address the exhaust gases produced by burning hydrogen fuel in hydrogen internal combustion engines (ICEs). Unlike ICEs that burn carbon-containing fuels such as diesel or gasoline, exhaust gases from hydrogen ICEs may not contain hydrocarbons or carbon oxides (e.g., carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide). Instead, the exhaust gases may include sulfur oxides (SOx) from the combustion lubricant and / or nitrogen oxides (NOx) from the combustion of hydrogen fuel in the presence of air. It may be desirable to convert these sulfur oxides (SOx) and / or nitrogen oxides (NOx) into elements less harmful to the environment before they are released into the atmosphere. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One embodiment relates to a system including a controller comprising at least one processor coupled to at least one memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to perform operations. These operations include: receiving information about a first water content in an intake airflow flowing into an engine; receiving information about a second water content in an exhaust airflow flowing out of the engine; receiving information about the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine; estimating a hydrogen content in the exhaust airflow based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio; and one of the following: increasing the air-to-fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content reaches or exceeds a first threshold; or decreasing the air-to-fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content reaches or falls below a second threshold, the second threshold being different from the first threshold.

[0005] Another embodiment relates to a method comprising: receiving, by a controller, information about ambient humidity near a system; receiving, by the controller, sensor data including information about water content in an exhaust gas stream flowing from an engine of the system; receiving system operating data including information about an air-to-fuel ratio; and determining, based on the ambient humidity, the water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio, the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0006] Another embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations. These operations include: receiving information about a first water content in an intake airflow flowing into an engine; receiving information about a second water content in an exhaust airflow flowing out of the engine; receiving information about the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine; estimating a hydrogen content in the exhaust airflow based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio; and adjusting the operation of the engine based on comparing the hydrogen content with one or more threshold values.

[0007] Numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the subject matter of this disclosure. The features described in this disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments and / or implementations. In this respect, one or more features of one aspect of the invention may be combined with one or more features of different aspects of the invention. Furthermore, additional features may be recognized in some embodiments and / or implementations that may not be present in all embodiments or implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an engine system according to an example embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2 According to the example embodiment Figure 1 A block diagram of the system's controller.

[0010] Figure 3 This is an estimate based on the example embodiment. Figure 1 A flowchart of a method for determining the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas of an engine system.

[0011] Figure 4 It is a graph depicting the relationship between hydrogen content and water content according to an example embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The following is a more detailed description of various concepts and implementations related to methods, apparatus, and systems for estimating or otherwise determining the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream of a hydrogen internal combustion engine. Before turning to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or illustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0013] As used herein, the term "content" and similar terms are used to refer to the amount of substance in a mixture. This amount can be expressed as a value such as a mass value (e.g., measured in grams, kilograms, etc.), a weight value (e.g., measured in ounces, pounds, etc.), or another suitable value (e.g., a molar value). In some embodiments, the amount can be expressed as a concentration (e.g., the amount of substance divided by the total amount of the mixture) such as parts per million, weight percentage, mass percentage, molar concentration, volume concentration, etc. For example, the hydrogen content in a gas stream can be the mass of hydrogen, the hydrogen concentration relative to the gas stream, the weight percentage of hydrogen relative to the weight of the gas stream, etc. In another example, the water content in a gas stream can be the mass of water, the water concentration relative to the gas stream, the weight percentage of water relative to the gas stream, etc.

[0014] As used herein, the term "estimate" and similar terms are used to refer to determining a current or past value that is not a measured value such as a measurement from a physical sensor (e.g., temperature measured by a temperature sensor). In other words, an estimate is an approximation of a value that may differ from the actual or measured value. Estimating a current or past value can be based on information from a physical sensor (e.g., sensor data, historical sensor data, real-time sensor data, etc.) or information from another source. In some embodiments, one or more models (e.g., statistical models, artificial intelligence models, machine learning models, etc.) can be used to estimate the current or past value. For example, estimating hydrogen content may include using data such as sensor data and a model to determine the hydrogen content.

[0015] As used herein, the term "operational data" and similar terms are used to refer to data relating to the operation of a system, such as an engine system. In some embodiments, operational data may include settings, values, or other information relating to the operation of the system. For example, operational data for an engine system may include the ratio of the amount of air supplied to the engine for combustion to the amount of fuel (referred to herein as the "air-to-fuel ratio"). In some embodiments, operational data may be measured (e.g., by one or more physical sensors) or estimated (e.g., by one or more virtual sensors or by a computer device or processing circuitry).

[0016] According to the various embodiments described herein, the airflow can be an intake airflow, an exhaust airflow, or both. An intake airflow is the airflow that enters the engine system (e.g., via an inlet). An exhaust airflow is the airflow output from the engine and / or received at the inlet of an aftertreatment system.

[0017] As described herein, an engine system may include an engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system that communicates with the engine in exhaust gas receiving communication. The exhaust aftertreatment system may include one or more components, such as: a particulate filter configured to remove particulate matter, such as soot, from exhaust gas flowing in an exhaust gas duct system; a metering module (e.g., a metering feeder) configured to supply a metered feed fluid to the exhaust gas flowing in the aftertreatment system; and one or more catalyst devices configured to facilitate the removal of exhaust gas components (e.g., nitrogen oxides (NOx)). x ), sulfur oxides (SO x The hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream can be converted into less harmful elements (e.g., water, nitrogen (N2)) through processes such as oxidation catalysts, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, and three-way catalysts. The control system or controller can use one or more sensors (e.g., physical and / or virtual sensors) to collect and / or determine sensor data to monitor one or more parameters of components of the engine system. Specifically, the sensor data may include the water content in the exhaust gas stream. The control system can use this sensor data, along with one or more models, lookup tables, etc., to determine estimated data. Specifically, the control system can use this sensor data, along with one or more models, lookup tables, etc., to determine the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0018] From a technical and benefit perspective, the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein provide an improved control system that uses sensor data to estimate the hydrogen content in an exhaust gas stream. Directly measuring the hydrogen content downstream of a hydrogen internal combustion engine (e.g., via a hydrogen sensor) presents technical challenges. For example, typical hydrogen sensors can be designed for relatively low-temperature environments such as ambient conditions or hydrogen fuel cell applications. Therefore, due to the higher temperatures, typical hydrogen sensors may not be suitable for location downstream of a hydrogen internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the implementation and maintenance costs of typical hydrogen sensors can be high. Due to the conditions downstream of a hydrogen internal combustion engine, sensors downstream of the engine may require relatively high durability requirements (compared to ambient condition applications) to help comply with various emission standards, which can increase upfront and / or operating costs. The systems, computer-readable media, and methods described herein advantageously estimate hydrogen content without the need for direct measurement (e.g., via a sensor). The systems, computer-readable media, and methods described herein provide a relatively accurate, low-cost, reliable, and durable method for estimating the hydrogen content in an exhaust gas stream. In other words, the systems, computer-readable media, and methods described herein provide a technical solution to the problem of estimating the hydrogen content in exhaust gas streams without requiring direct measurement of hydrogen content via sensors.

[0019] It may be desirable to obtain an accurate estimate of the amount of unburned hydrogen (H2) in the exhaust gas stream of a hydrogen fuel cell internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the estimate of unburned H2 (e.g., the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream) can be used to understand the engine's combustion, performance, and / or emission (CPE) status. In some embodiments, the estimate of the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream can be used for aftertreatment thermal management optimization. In some embodiments, the estimate of the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream can be used to calibrate one or more sensors in the aftertreatment system.

[0020] In an example embodiment, the engine system includes a hydrogen fuel cell internal combustion engine. The system includes a humidity sensor disposed in an exhaust manifold where condensate is not expected to accumulate (e.g., upstream of a turbine unit such as a turbocharger). The system includes a controller configured to measure and / or monitor the air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) via one or more sensors (e.g., oxygen sensors) disposed in one or more intake and / or exhaust manifolds. For example, the system may include an oxygen sensor (e.g., a narrow-band oxygen sensor, a wide-band oxygen sensor, and / or other suitable sensor) located at or near the exhaust manifold. The controller is configured to estimate the AFR based on the oxygen content detected by the oxygen sensor. For example, the controller may estimate the AFR based on the oxygen content and the known or expected combustion efficiency of the engine. More specifically, the controller may estimate the AFR using one or more models (e.g., mathematical or physics-based models) that correlate the oxygen content and the known or expected combustion efficiency of the engine with the AFR. In another example embodiment, a method for estimating the hydrogen content in an exhaust gas stream may include: receiving data about the AFR and sensor data about the water content in the exhaust gas stream (e.g., exhaust humidity readings), and estimating the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the relationship (e.g., correlation) between the AFR, the water content in the exhaust gas stream, and the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0021] In example scenarios, the control system (e.g., a controller, vehicle controller, etc.) utilizes one or more sensors (e.g., physical sensors and / or virtual sensors) to acquire sensor data regarding the water content in the airflow. As briefly described above, the airflow can be an intake airflow entering the engine system via an inlet, an exhaust airflow output by the engine or received at the inlet of the aftertreatment system, or both intake and exhaust airflows. The intake airflow may include air, water (e.g., water vapor), and other gases present in the environment surrounding the engine system. The exhaust airflow may include air, water (e.g., water vapor), hydrogen, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and / or other gases output by the engine. The control system may estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust airflow based on the sensor data (e.g., the water content in the intake airflow and / or the water content in the exhaust airflow). In some embodiments, the control system may estimate the hydrogen content based on the sensor data and one or more models (e.g., machine learning models, statistical models, etc.). In some embodiments, the control system may estimate the hydrogen content based on a known air-to-fuel ratio (e.g., the amount of air supplied to the combustion cylinders of the engine relative to the amount of fuel, also referred to herein as "AFR"). Using this estimate, the control system can perform one or more actions of the system. For example, the control system can control (e.g., increase, decrease, or maintain) the AFR based on the estimated hydrogen content. From a benefit perspective, this may allow the amount of hydrogen in the aftertreatment system to be controlled, thereby keeping the hydrogen content in the aftertreatment system within a desired range (e.g., above a minimum threshold and / or below a maximum threshold). These and other features and benefits will be described below.

[0022] Now for reference Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a block diagram of an engine system 100 according to an example embodiment. The engine system 100 includes an engine 102 and an aftertreatment system 120 that communicates with the engine 102 for exhaust gas reception. The system 100 may also include a controller 140 (e.g., Figure 2 (as shown) and operator input / output (I / O) devices 130, wherein the controller 140 is communicatively coupled to each of the aforementioned components. In some embodiments, the engine system 100 further includes a turbine assembly 122 disposed between the engine 102 and the aftertreatment system 120, such that the turbine assembly 122 communicates with the engine 102 for exhaust gas reception and with the aftertreatment system 120 for exhaust gas supply. In these embodiments, the aftertreatment system 120 communicates with the engine 102 (e.g., via the turbine assembly 122) for exhaust gas reception.

[0023] exist Figure 1In this configuration, the engine system 100 is included in a vehicle. This vehicle can be any type of on-road or off-road vehicle, including but not limited to wheel loaders, forklifts, long-haul trucks, medium-duty trucks (e.g., pickup trucks), cars, sports cars, tanks, aircraft, boats, and any other type of vehicle. In another embodiment, the engine system 100 may be embodied in stationary equipment such as a generator or generator set. All such variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0024] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated configuration, engine 102 is a hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE). A hydrogen ICE consumes hydrogen fuel to generate power. In other embodiments, engine 102 may be part of a hybrid engine system having a combination of an internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor coupled to at least one battery. In some embodiments, the hybrid engine system may be configured as a mild hybrid system, a parallel hybrid system, a series hybrid system, or a series-parallel powertrain system.

[0025] Engine 102 includes one or more cylinders 104 (e.g., combustion cylinders). Each cylinder 104 has a corresponding igniter 106 (e.g., spark plug, glow plug, etc.). The igniter 106 is configured to ignite fuel (e.g., hydrogen) within the corresponding cylinder 104. Figure 1 As shown, engine 102 includes six cylinders 104. However, it should be understood that engine 102 may include more than... Figure 1 The cylinders 104 may be more or fewer (e.g., at least one). In addition, the cylinders 104 may be provided in different arrangements (e.g., inline, horizontal, V-type or other suitable cylinder arrangements).

[0026] Engine system 100 includes an intake duct 110 and an intake manifold 112. The intake duct 110 is configured to direct an intake airflow, including air (e.g., ambient air), to the intake manifold 112. The intake manifold 112 is configured to direct the intake airflow from the intake duct 110 into the engine 102. More specifically, the intake manifold 112 is configured to direct air from the intake duct 110 to each cylinder in the cylinders 104.

[0027] Engine system 100 includes an intake air throttle (IAT) valve 114. IAT valve 114 is located at intake duct 110 and upstream of intake manifold 112. IAT valve 114 is configured to control the amount of air supplied to engine 102. IAT valve 114 can be actuated between an open position and a closed position (e.g., by an actuator controlled by controller 140). In the open position, IAT valve 114 allows a maximum amount of air to flow from the intake port to engine 102. In the closed position, IAT valve 114 allows a minimum amount of air to flow from the intake port to engine 102. Controller 140 can selectively actuate IAT valve 114 (e.g., by controlling an actuator) between and / or in multiple positions including open and closed positions to adjust the amount of air received by engine 102. In some embodiments, IAT valve 114 is operable to control the amount and / or timing of air supplied to engine 102 to achieve a target air-to-fuel ratio (AFR). For example, controller 140 can control IAT valve 114 to adjust the amount of air supplied to engine 102 relative to the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102.

[0028] Engine system 100 includes an exhaust manifold 116 and an exhaust pipe 118. The exhaust manifold 116 is configured to direct exhaust gas flow from the engine to the exhaust pipe 118. More specifically, the exhaust manifold 116 is configured to direct exhaust gas flow from each of the cylinders 104 to the exhaust pipe 118. The exhaust pipe 118 is configured to direct exhaust gas flow from the exhaust manifold 116 to downstream components, such as an aftertreatment system 120 and / or a turbine unit 122. In some embodiments, a first portion of the exhaust pipe 118 is disposed between the exhaust manifold 116 and the turbine unit 122. The first portion of the exhaust pipe 118 is configured to direct exhaust gas flow from the exhaust manifold 116 to the turbine unit 122. In some embodiments, a second portion of the exhaust pipe 118 is disposed between the turbine units 122. The second portion of the exhaust pipe 118 is configured to direct exhaust gas flow from the turbine unit 122 to the aftertreatment system 120.

[0029] The aftertreatment system 120 communicates with the engine 102 via exhaust gas reception. The aftertreatment system 120 includes components for reducing exhaust emissions, such as a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, an oxidation catalyst (DOC), a particulate filter (DPF), an exhaust fluid metering feeder with exhaust fluid supply, multiple sensors for monitoring the aftertreatment system (e.g., nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensors, temperature sensors, etc.), and / or other components.

[0030] The turbine assembly 122 can be any type of turbomachinery, such as a turbocharger, supercharger, variable geometry turbocharger, or power turbine. The turbine assembly 122 can be operatively coupled to another component of the engine 102 and / or engine system 100, such as a transmission, battery, motor, or other suitable component.

[0031] Engine system 100 also includes fuel system 124. Fuel system 124 is configured to supply fuel (e.g., hydrogen) to engine 102. More specifically, fuel system 124 is configured to supply fuel to each of one or more cylinders 104. Fuel system 124 may include one or more components for supplying fuel to engine 102, such as a fuel storage tank, one or more regulators (e.g., valves, solenoid valves, etc.) for controlling the amount or timing of fuel supplied to engine 102, and / or fuel injectors. In some embodiments, fuel injectors are located at intake manifold 112. In other embodiments, fuel system 124 includes a separate fuel injector for each cylinder 104, such that fuel system 124 directly injects fuel into each of cylinders 104.

[0032] In some embodiments, controller 140 is operatively coupled to fuel system 124 such that controller 140 can control the operation of fuel system 124. More specifically, controller 140 can control fuel system 124 to control the amount and / or timing of fuel supplied to engine 102. In some embodiments, fuel system 124 is operable to control the amount and / or timing of fuel supplied to engine 102 to achieve a target AFR (Air-to-Fuel Flow). For example, controller 140 can control fuel system 124 to adjust the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102 relative to the amount of air supplied to engine 102.

[0033] As shown, multiple sensors 125 are included in the engine system 100. The number, arrangement, and type of sensors included in the engine system 100 are shown for illustrative purposes only. That is, in other configurations, the number, arrangement, and type of sensors may be different. Sensor 125 may be a gas composition sensor (e.g., NO). x Gas composition sensors include sensors such as oxygen sensors, H2O / humidity sensors, temperature sensors, particulate matter (PM) sensors, flow sensors (e.g., mass flow sensors, volumetric flow sensors, etc.), other exhaust emission component sensors, pressure sensors, and combinations thereof. Gas composition sensors may include H2O / humidity sensors configured to acquire data indicating the presence of water in the gas stream (e.g., water content). Data from the H2O / humidity sensor can be used to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, sensor 125 may be located in or near intake manifold 110, intake manifold 112, exhaust manifold 116, and exhaust manifold 118. It should be understood that the sensor location may vary, and engine system 100 may include, for example... Figure 1 The number of sensors may vary. In one embodiment, the engine system 100 may include sensors 125 located before and after the aftertreatment system 120.

[0035] System 100 may also include additional sensors. These sensors may include engine-related sensors (e.g., torque sensors, speed sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors, etc.). These sensors may further include sensors associated with other components of the vehicle, such as aftertreatment system 120, turbine unit 122, or fuel system 124. For example, the sensor may include turbine unit 122 speed sensor, fuel quantity and injection rate sensor, fuel rail pressure sensor, etc.

[0036] Sensor 125 can be physical or virtual (i.e., a non-physical sensor configured as part of the program logic for various estimations or determinations in controller 140). For example, an engine speed sensor can be a physical or virtual sensor arranged to measure or otherwise acquire data, values, or information indicating the rotational speed (typically expressed in revolutions per minute) of engine 102. This sensor is coupled to engine 102 (when configured as a physical sensor) and configured to transmit a signal indicating the rotational speed of engine 102 to controller 140. When configured as a virtual sensor, controller 140 can use at least one input in algorithms, models, lookup tables, etc., to determine or estimate engine parameters (e.g., power output, etc.). Any of the sensors 125 described herein can be physical or virtual.

[0037] Controller 140 is coupled to sensors 125, particularly communicatively coupled to these sensors. Therefore, controller 140 is configured to receive data from one or more sensors 125 and to provide instructions / information to one or more sensors 125. Controller 140 can use the received data to control multiple components in system 100 and / or for monitoring purposes and / or for hydrogen content estimation purposes.

[0038] Operator input / output (I / O) device 130 can be coupled to controller 140 so that information can be exchanged between controller 140 and I / O device 130, wherein the information may involve Figure 1The determination of one or more components or controllers 140 (described below). Operator I / O device 130 enables the operator of system 100 to communicate with... Figure 1 The system 100's controller 140 communicates with one or more components. For example, the operator input / output device 130 may include, but is not limited to, an interactive display, a touchscreen device, one or more buttons and switches, a voice command receiver, etc. In this way, the operator input / output device 130 can provide the operator with one or more instructions or notifications, such as a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). Additionally, the vehicle may include a port that allows the controller 140 to connect to or couple to a scanning tool to obtain fault codes and other information about the vehicle.

[0039] The controller 140 is configured to at least partially control the operation of system 100 and associated subsystems such as engine 102 and operator I / O device 130. Communication between and among the components can be made via any number of wired or wireless connections. For example, wired connections may include serial cables, fiber optic cables, CAT5 cables, or any other form of wired connection. In contrast, wireless connections may include the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a controller local area network (CAN) bus provides the exchange of signals, information, and / or data. The CAN bus includes any number of wired and wireless connections. Because the controller 140 is communicatively coupled to... Figure 1 The system and components, therefore the controller 140 is configured to... Figure 1 One or more of the components shown receive data. The structure and function of controller 140 will be combined Figure 2 Further description.

[0040] because Figure 1 The components are shown as being included in system 100, so controller 140 can be configured as one or more electronic control units (ECUs), such as one or more microcontrollers. Controller 140 may be independent of or included in at least one of a transmission control unit, an exhaust aftertreatment control unit, a powertrain control module, an engine control unit, an engine control module, etc.

[0041] Now for reference Figure 2 This illustrates an example embodiment. Figure 1A schematic diagram of the controller 140 of system 100 is shown. As shown, controller 140 includes at least one processing circuit 202 having at least one processor 204 and at least one memory device 206, a hydrogen estimation circuit 210, and a communication interface 216. Controller 140 is configured to determine, and more particularly, estimate, the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. The estimated hydrogen content may be based on the air-to-fuel ratio, the water content in the intake gas stream, and / or the water content in the exhaust gas stream. Specific methods for estimating the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream will be described below.

[0042] In one configuration, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is embodied as instructions executable by a processor such as processor 204. As described herein and among other uses, these instructions facilitate the performance of certain operations to achieve the reception and transmission of data. For example, a machine-readable medium can provide instructions (e.g., commands, etc.) to, for example, acquire data. In this respect, the machine-readable medium may include programmable logic defining the data acquisition frequency (or data transmission frequency). The computer-readable medium instructions may include code that can be written in any programming language, including but not limited to Java and any conventional procedural programming language, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program code can be executed on one processor or multiple remote processors. In the latter case, the remote processors can be connected to each other via any type of network (e.g., CAN bus, etc.).

[0043] In another configuration, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is embodied as a hardware unit such as one or more electronic control units. Therefore, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 can be embodied as one or more circuit components, including but not limited to processing circuitry, network interfaces, peripheral devices, input devices, output devices, etc. In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 can take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (e.g., integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-a-chip (SoC) circuits, microcontrollers, etc.), telecommunication circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of "circuit". In this respect, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 can include any type of component for performing or facilitating the implementation of the operations described herein. For example, the circuits described herein can include one or more transistors, logic gates (e.g., NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc. The hydrogen estimation circuit 210 can also include programmable hardware devices such as field-programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic units, programmable logic devices, etc. The hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may include one or more memory devices for storing instructions executable by a processor of the hydrogen estimation circuit 210. The one or more memory devices and the processor may have the same definitions provided below with respect to memory device 206 and processor 204. In some hardware unit configurations, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may be geographically distributed across individual locations within the vehicle. Alternatively, and as shown, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may be embodied in or within a single unit / housing, which is shown as controller 140.

[0044] In the illustrated example, controller 140 includes processing circuitry 202 having processor 204 and memory device 206. Processing circuitry 202 may be configured or constructed to execute or implement the instructions, commands, and / or control processes described herein with respect to hydrogen estimation circuitry 210. The depicted configuration indicates that hydrogen estimation circuitry 210 is embodied in a machine- or computer-readable medium. In some embodiments, these instructions may be included in memory device 206. However, as mentioned above, this illustration is not intended to be limiting, as this disclosure contemplates other embodiments in which hydrogen estimation circuitry 210 is configured as a hardware unit. All such combinations and variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0045] Processor 204 may be implemented as one or more single-chip or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or suitable processors (e.g., other programmable logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc.) to perform the functions described herein. The processor may be a microprocessor, a set of processors, etc. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, a combination of one or more microprocessors with a DSP core, or any other computing device of this configuration. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be shared by multiple circuits (e.g., hydrogen estimation circuitry 210 may include or otherwise share the same processor, which in some example embodiments may execute instructions stored or otherwise accessed via different regions of memory). Alternatively or additionally, one or more processors may be configured to perform or otherwise execute certain operations independently of one or more coprocessors. In other example embodiments, two or more processors may be bus-coupled to enable independent, parallel, pipelined, or multithreaded instruction execution. All such variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0046] Memory device 206 (e.g., memory, memory cell, storage device) may include one or more means (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage device) for storing data and / or computer code to perform or facilitate the various processes, layers, and modules described herein. For example, memory device 206 may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Memory device 206 may be communicatively connected to processor 204 to provide processor 204 with computer code or instructions for performing at least some of the processes described herein. Furthermore, memory device 206 may be or include tangible, non-transient volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Therefore, memory device 206 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure to support the various activities and information structures described herein.

[0047] Communication interface 216 may include any combination of wired and / or wireless interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wired terminals) for data communication with various systems, devices, or networks configured to enable in-vehicle communication (e.g., between and within the components of the vehicle) and out-of-vehicle communication (e.g., using a remote server). For example, regarding out-of-vehicle / system communication, communication interface 216 may include Ethernet cards and ports for transmitting and receiving data via Ethernet-based communication networks and / or Wi-Fi transceivers for communication via wireless communication networks. Communication interface 216 may be configured to communicate via local area networks or wide area networks (e.g., the Internet) and may use various communication protocols (e.g., IP, LON, Bluetooth, ZigBee, radio, cellular, near-field communication).

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, the communication interface 216 enables communication with the engine 102, the aftertreatment system 120 (and / or its components), one or more sensors 125, the IAT valve 114, and / or the fuel system 124.

[0049] The hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to receive sensor data (e.g., from sensor 125).

[0050] The sensor data may include the water content in the intake airflow. In some embodiments, the water content in the intake airflow can be measured by a sensor 125 (e.g., a water sensor, humidity sensor, etc.) located at another location upstream of the intake duct 110, intake manifold 112, or engine 102. In some embodiments, the water content in the intake airflow can be estimated (e.g., via controller 140 and / or via virtual humidity sensor 125). For example, the water content in the intake airflow can be equivalent to ambient humidity and / or estimated based on that ambient humidity (e.g., via a lookup table that associates ambient humidity with water content at a specific location, which may be based on experimental data of various ambient humidity levels under various operating conditions of engine 102, such as temperature zones). In some embodiments, the ambient humidity can be measured by an ambient humidity sensor. In other embodiments, the ambient humidity can be received from an external computing system (e.g., from a weather forecast service, etc.) (e.g., received by controller 140 via communication interface 216).

[0051] In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to receive information about the ambient humidity near system 100 from a remote computing system (e.g., a computing system located at a distance from system 100). This information about the ambient humidity may include a water content value, a relative humidity value, an ambient temperature value, and / or other information about the ambient humidity near system 100. In this way, the water content in the intake airflow may include or be based on this information about the ambient humidity.

[0052] Sensor data may include the water content in the exhaust gas stream. In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may determine the water content in the exhaust gas stream based on one or more sensor readings. In some embodiments, the water content in the exhaust gas stream may be measured by a sensor (e.g., a water sensor, humidity sensor, etc.) located at another location downstream of the exhaust manifold 116, exhaust duct 118, or engine 102. In these embodiments, the sensor may be located upstream of the aftertreatment system 120, particularly upstream of the turbine unit 122.

[0053] In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to receive system operating data. This system operating data may include information about the operation of system 100. For example, the system operating data may include the air-to-fuel ratio. In some embodiments, the AFR is a target AFR (e.g., an AFR controlled by controller 140). In other embodiments, the AFR is a measured AFR (e.g., an AFR measured and / or estimated by one or more sensors 125, such as a λ sensor). For example, one or more sensors 125, such as an oxygen sensor, may be located at or within the intake manifold 112 and / or exhaust manifold 116. The oxygen sensor may acquire data about the oxygen content in the intake and / or exhaust airflows. Controller 140 and / or one or more components thereof (e.g., the hydrogen estimation circuit 210) are configured to determine an AFR value based on the oxygen content in the intake and / or exhaust airflows. For example, controller 140 can use one or more of a lookup table or model to associate the oxygen content in the intake and / or exhaust airflow with the AFR value, which can be based on experimental data of various oxygen content values ​​under various operating conditions of engine 102, such as temperature range, fuel injection quantity, and fuel injection timing.

[0054] In some embodiments, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on one or more of the water content in the intake gas stream, the water content in the exhaust gas stream, and / or the AFR (Air-to-Fluid Rate). For example, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may use one or more models (e.g., statistical models, mathematical models, machine learning models, etc.) or lookup tables to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. More specifically, the one or more models and / or the lookup table may correlate the water content in the exhaust gas stream with the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. The one or more models and / or the lookup table may be based on experimental data of various hydrogen content values ​​under various operating conditions of the engine 102, such as various AFR values ​​and / or various water content values ​​for the intake or exhaust gas streams. In some embodiments, the correlation between the water content in the exhaust gas stream and the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is based on a predetermined or known ambient humidity (e.g., the water content in the intake gas stream) and a known AFR. In this way, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the water content in the exhaust gas stream, the water content in the intake gas stream (e.g., ambient humidity), and the AFR.

[0055] In an example embodiment, the hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the expected amount of water in the exhaust gas stream. The expected water content in the exhaust gas stream can be based on hydrogen combustion (as shown in Equation 1 below), AFR, and ambient humidity. As shown in Equation 1, the ratio of hydrogen input to water output of engine 102 is one to one (1:1). Therefore, the expected water content in the exhaust gas stream can be determined based on the sum of the hydrogen input of engine 102 (e.g., based on AFR) and the water content in the intake gas stream (e.g., ambient humidity), which is equivalent to or presumed to be equivalent to the water output of engine 102 attributable to hydrogen fuel combustion. The hydrogen estimation circuit 210 is configured to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream by comparing the expected water content in the exhaust gas stream with the measured water content in the exhaust gas stream. More specifically, the difference between the expected water content in the exhaust gas stream and the measured water content in the exhaust gas stream is equal to or assumed to be equal to the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0056] In some embodiments, controller 140 is configured to adjust the operation of engine 102 (or other components of system 100) based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. For example, controller 140 may be configured to adjust AFR based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. In some embodiments, controller 140 may increase AFR by actuating IAT valve 114 to increase the amount of air supplied to engine 102. For example, controller 140 may actuate IAT valve 114 to a position closer to or fully open, and / or maintain it in the open position for a relatively long period to allow more air to flow into engine 102. In some embodiments, controller 140 may increase AFR by controlling fuel system 124 to reduce the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102. For example, controller 140 may reduce the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102 by controlling fuel system 124.

[0057] In some embodiments, controller 140 can reduce the amount of air supplied to engine 102 by actuating IAT valve 114, thereby reducing AFR. For example, controller 140 can actuate IAT valve 114 to a position closer to or at full closure, and / or maintain it in the closure position for a relatively long period to allow less air to flow into engine 102. In some embodiments, controller 140 can reduce AFR by controlling fuel system 124 to increase the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102. For example, controller 140 can increase the amount of fuel supplied to engine 102 by controlling one or more components of fuel system 124, such as fuel valves and / or fuel injectors.

[0058] In some embodiments, the controller 140 may increase the AFR in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is greater than a first threshold. For example, increasing the AFR may cause a decrease in the hydrogen concentration in the engine 102 (e.g., relative to air concentration), which may in turn cause a decrease in the hydrogen concentration in the exhaust gas stream. In some embodiments, the controller 140 may decrease the AFR in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is less than a second threshold, which is different from the first threshold. For example, decreasing the AFR may cause an increase in the hydrogen concentration in the engine 102 (e.g., relative to air concentration), which may in turn cause an increase in the hydrogen concentration in the exhaust gas stream.

[0059] In some embodiments, controller 140 may determine the “health status” of one or more components of engine system 100 based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. As used herein, the “health status” of a component refers to a measurement of component performance. For example, the health status of a component may include the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream corresponding to that component relative to a hydrogen content threshold. More specifically, the health status of engine 102 (or its components) may include the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream at the engine outlet relative to an engine emission hydrogen content threshold. In one example, controller 140 may determine that a component of engine 102, such as cylinder 104 or igniter 106, has malfunctioned based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream exceeding a predetermined threshold. More specifically, controller 140 may determine that cylinder 104 is leaking fuel and / or igniter 106 is failing to properly ignite fuel based on a hydrogen content value exceeding a predetermined threshold. In an example embodiment, determining the health status of engine 102 includes comparing the hydrogen content to an engine emission hydrogen content threshold. Controller 140 may determine that a component of engine 102 has malfunctioned or may have malfunctioned based on the hydrogen content exceeding a predetermined threshold.

[0060] In another example, the health status of fuel system 124 may include the hydrogen content at or near the outlet of fuel system 124 or the inlet of engine 102 relative to an engine inlet hydrogen content threshold. In some embodiments, controller 140 may determine that a component has failed or may have failed based on a hydrogen content value (e.g., the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas flow near the engine) exceeding a predetermined threshold. For example, controller 140 may determine that the fuel injector of fuel system 124 has failed based on a hydrogen content in the exhaust gas flow near or near the outlet of fuel system 124 or the inlet of engine 102 exceeding a predetermined threshold. More specifically, controller 140 may determine that the fuel injector of fuel system 124 is leaking hydrogen based on a hydrogen content value exceeding a predetermined threshold. In an example embodiment, determining the health status of the fuel system includes receiving information about a hydrogen content value near the inlet of engine 102 (e.g., a second hydrogen content value). Controller 140 then compares this second hydrogen content value with an engine inlet hydrogen content threshold. The controller 140 can determine that a component of the fuel system has malfunctioned or may have malfunctioned based on the second hydrogen content value exceeding a predetermined threshold.

[0061] In some embodiments, controller 140 may determine the health status of one or more components of system 100, such as engine 102 or fuel system 124. Controller 140 may provide an engine status notification to operator input / output device 130, wherein the engine status notification includes the health status (e.g., in text format, such as values, descriptions, or other text and / or images, graphs, or other depictions).

[0062] In some embodiments, controller 140 may activate a fault code (e.g., a malfunction indicator light, a light on a display device, etc.) in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream exceeds a predetermined threshold. The fault code may indicate that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream exceeds the predetermined threshold. Additionally and / or alternatively, controller 140 may perform one or more corrective actions in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream exceeds the predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, these corrective actions may include adjusting the AFR (e.g., by increasing or decreasing the fuel supply to engine 102 and / or by increasing or decreasing the air supply to the engine). In some embodiments, these corrective actions may include adjusting the ignition event by adjusting the operation of igniter 106 (e.g., increasing ignition energy, decreasing ignition energy, adjusting ignition timing, etc.).

[0063] In some embodiments, controller 140 may calibrate one or more sensors 125 based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. In these embodiments, sensor 125 may include an oxygen sensor (e.g., a sensor configured to acquire data on the oxygen content in the gas stream), a nitrogen oxide sensor (e.g., a sensor configured to acquire data on the nitrogen oxide content in the gas stream), and / or other sensors configured to acquire data on the gas composition content in the gas stream. Sensor 125 may be located downstream of engine 102 (e.g., at or within exhaust manifold 118 or aftertreatment system 120). Sensor 125 may have cross-sensitivity to hydrogen. That is, sensor 125 may acquire data on the hydrogen content in the gas stream. Controller 140 may calibrate one or more sensors 125 based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. For example, if the estimated hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is greater than the measured hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream, controller 140 may cause sensor 125 to report a larger value based on the acquired data on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. Similarly, if the estimated hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is less than the measured hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream, the controller 140 can cause the sensor 125 to report a smaller value based on the acquired data about the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0064] Figure 3This is a flowchart of a method 300 for estimating the hydrogen content in an exhaust gas stream according to an example embodiment. Specifically, the controller 140 is configured to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on one or more inputs and using one or more of a lookup table or a statistical model (e.g., a regression model, a machine learning model such as artificial intelligence (including neural networks)).

[0065] At process 302, controller 140 receives sensor data. In some embodiments, the sensor data includes data on the water content of the exhaust gas stream. For example, information on the water content of the exhaust gas stream can be received from a water sensor located downstream of engine 102 and upstream of turbine unit 122.

[0066] In some embodiments, the sensor data includes data regarding the water content of the intake airflow and / or ambient humidity. In some embodiments, the controller 140 receives data regarding ambient humidity (e.g., from a remote computing system). As described above, the data regarding ambient humidity may include water content values, relative humidity values, ambient temperature values, and / or other information regarding the ambient humidity. In these embodiments, the water content in the intake airflow is equal to or based on the data regarding the ambient humidity. In some embodiments, the information regarding the water content in the intake airflow includes an ambient humidity value received from at least one of the remote computing system or an ambient humidity sensor. In these embodiments, the water content is or is based on the ambient humidity value.

[0067] In some embodiments, the sensor data is detected by a physical sensor 125. In other embodiments, the first parameter value is a determined value estimated by a virtual sensor 125. In some embodiments, when the sensor data includes ambient humidity, at least a portion of the sensor data (e.g., the ambient humidity) can be received from a remote computing system such as a server, a third-party computing system, or a weather forecast service.

[0068] At process 304, controller 140 receives system operating data. This system operating data may include information about the operation of system 100. For example, controller 140 may receive information about the amount of air supplied to the engine for combustion relative to the amount of fuel (e.g., AFR). In some embodiments, this AFR is or is based on a target AFR (e.g., an AFR controlled by controller 140). In other embodiments, this AFR is a measured AFR (e.g., an AFR measured and / or estimated by one or more sensors 125).

[0069] At process 306, controller 140 estimates the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. As described above, controller 140 may use one or more models (e.g., statistical models, mathematical models, machine learning models, etc.) and / or lookup tables that correlate the water content in the exhaust gas stream with the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream for a known AFR and ambient humidity to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. In an example embodiment, determining the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream may be based on a model that correlates the water content with the hydrogen content under that AFR. In some embodiments, controller 140 may use Figure 4 The correlation shown is used to estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream.

[0070] In another example embodiment, controller 140 may estimate or determine the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. For example, controller 140 may determine the hydrogen input to engine 102 based on the air-to-fuel ratio. Then, controller 140 determines the expected water content in the exhaust gas stream based on at least the hydrogen input. Controller 140 determines the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the difference between the expected water content and the measured water content (e.g., a water content value from process 302).

[0071] At process 308, controller 140 adjusts the operation of engine system 100. In some embodiments, controller 140 may increase the exhaust gas recirculation (AFR) in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is greater than a first threshold. Increasing the AFR may include causing fuel system 124 to supply less fuel to engine 102 and / or causing IAT valve 114 to supply more air to engine 102. In some embodiments, increasing the AFR may further include adjusting an exhaust gas recirculation system (not shown) to supply more air to engine 102. In some embodiments, increasing the AFR may include adjusting the operation of turbine unit 122, such as a variable geometry turbocharger, to supply more air to engine 102. In some embodiments, controller 140 may decrease the AFR in response to determining that the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is less than a second threshold, which is different from the first threshold. Decreasing the AFR may include causing fuel system 124 to supply more fuel to engine 102 and / or causing IAT valve 114 to supply less air to engine 102. In some embodiments, decreasing the AFR may further include adjusting an exhaust gas recirculation system (not shown) to supply less air to engine 102. In some embodiments, reducing the AFR may include adjusting the operation of a turbine unit 122, such as a variable geometry turbocharger, to provide less air to the engine 102.

[0072] In some embodiments, adjusting the operation of the engine system 100 may include adjusting the ignition event by adjusting the operation of the igniter 106. For example, the controller 140 may increase ignition energy, decrease ignition energy, adjust ignition timing, and / or otherwise adjust the operation of the igniter 106.

[0073] At process 310, controller 140 provides an engine status notification. In some embodiments, the engine status notification includes an indication of the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream, such as a hydrogen content value, an indication that the hydrogen content is at or above a threshold, or an indication that the hydrogen content is at or below a threshold. In some embodiments, the engine status notification includes the health status of one or more components of engine system 100. As described above, controller 140 may determine the health status of one or more components of engine system 100 based on the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream. Controller 140 may selectively provide an engine status notification that includes an indication of the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream and / or an indication of the health status of one or more components of engine system 100. In some embodiments, controller 140 may cause operator I / O device 130 to display the engine status notification (e.g., by providing a graphical user interface on a display, illuminating one or more status lights, etc.). In other embodiments, controller 140 may provide the engine status notification to a user device (e.g., a smartphone, computer, etc.).

[0074] According to an example embodiment, controller 140 is configured to perform method 300. Controller 140 receives information about a first water content in the intake airflow flowing into engine 102 (e.g., at process 302). Controller 140 receives information about a second water content in the exhaust airflow flowing out of engine 102 (e.g., at process 302). Controller 140 receives information about the air-to-fuel ratio of engine 102 (e.g., at process 304). Controller 140 estimates the hydrogen content in the exhaust airflow based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio (e.g., at process 306). Furthermore, controller 140 may perform one or more optional operations (e.g., at process 308 and / or at process 310). For example, controller 140 may increase the air-to-fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content reaches or exceeds a first threshold (e.g., at process 308). In another example, controller 140 may decrease the air-to-fuel ratio in response to determining that the hydrogen content reaches or falls below a second threshold, which is different from the first threshold.

[0075] According to another example embodiment, method 300 includes receiving information about a first water content in an intake airflow flowing into engine 102 (e.g., at process 302). Method 300 also includes receiving information about a second water content in an exhaust airflow flowing out of engine 102 (e.g., at process 302). Method 300 also includes receiving information about the air-to-fuel ratio of engine 102 (e.g., at process 304). Method 300 also includes estimating a hydrogen content in the exhaust airflow based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio (e.g., at process 306). Method 300 may optionally include adjusting the operation of engine 102, for example, based on comparing the hydrogen content to one or more threshold values.

[0076] According to yet another example embodiment, performing method 300 includes receiving information about the ambient humidity near system 100 (e.g., at process 302). Method 300 also includes receiving sensor data including information about the water content in the exhaust gas stream flowing from engine 102 of system 100 (e.g., at process 302). Method 300 also includes receiving system operating data including information about the air-to-fuel ratio (e.g., at process 304). Method 300 further includes determining the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream based on the ambient humidity, water content, and air-to-fuel ratio (e.g., at process 306).

[0077] Now for reference Figure 4 Figure 400 illustrates the relationship between the water content (e.g., shown along the horizontal axis 402) and the hydrogen content (e.g., shown along the vertical axis 404) in an exhaust gas stream according to an example embodiment. A first curve 406 depicts the estimated hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream relative to the water content in the exhaust gas stream for a known or fixed (e.g., constant) ambient humidity and AFR. Although not shown, it should be understood that Figure 400 may include additional curves that correlate the estimated hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream with the water content in the exhaust gas stream for different ambient humidity and AFR values.

[0078] As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximately,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning and are consistent with common and accepted usage by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Those skilled in the art who read this disclosure will understand that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features described and claimed, without limiting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that non-substantial or irrelevant modifications or alterations to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to fall within the scope of this disclosure set forth in the appended claims.

[0079] It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and its variations, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to imply that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or best examples).

[0080] As used herein, the term "coupling" and its variations mean that two components are directly or indirectly connected to each other. Such connection can be fixed (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such connection can be achieved when two components are directly coupled to each other, when two components are coupled to each other using one or more separate intermediate components, or when two components are coupled to each other using an intermediate component that is integrally formed with one of the two components to form a single whole. If "coupling" or its variations are modified by an additional term (e.g., direct coupling), the general definition of "coupling" provided above is modified by the common linguistic meaning of the additional term (e.g., "direct coupling" means joining two components without any separate intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "coupling" provided above. Such coupling can be mechanical, electrical, or fluid. For example, circuit A being communicatively "coupled" to circuit B could mean that circuit A communicates directly with circuit B (i.e., without intermediaries) or indirectly with circuit B (e.g., through one or more intermediaries).

[0081] References to the position of elements herein (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are used only to describe the orientation of the various elements in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be covered by this disclosure.

[0082] Although Figure 2 Various circuits with specific functions are illustrated herein, but it should be understood that controller 140 may include any number of circuits to perform the functions described herein. For example, the activities and functions of hydrogen estimation circuit 210 may be combined in multiple circuits or as a single circuit. Additional circuits with additional functions may also be included. Furthermore, controller 140 may further control other activities beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0083] As mentioned above, and in one configuration, the "circuit" can be implemented in a machine-readable medium for use as Figure 2The executable code is executed by various types of processors, such as processor 204. Executable code can, for example, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions, which can be organized, for example, into objects, procedures, or functions. However, an executable program does not need to be physically located together, but can include different instructions stored in different locations, which, when logically combined, constitute circuitry and implement the intended purpose of the circuitry. In practice, computer-readable program code circuitry can be a single instruction, or multiple instructions, and can even be distributed across multiple different code segments, different programs, and span several memory devices. Similarly, runtime data can be identified and exemplified within the circuitry described herein, and can be represented in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. Runtime data can be collected as a single dataset, or can be distributed across different locations, including different storage devices, and can exist at least partially as electronic signals on a system or network.

[0084] While the term "processor" has been briefly defined above, the terms "processor" and "processing circuitry" are intended to be interpreted broadly. In this regard, and as mentioned above, a "processor" can be implemented as one or more processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other suitable electronic data processing components configured to execute instructions provided by memory. One or more processors can take the form of a single-core processor, a multi-core processor (e.g., a dual-core processor, a triple-core processor, a quad-core processor, etc.), a microprocessor, etc. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be located external to the device; for example, one or more processors may be remote processors (e.g., cloud-based processors). Alternatively or additionally, one or more processors may be internal to and / or local to the device. In this regard, a given circuitry or its components may be locally located (e.g., as part of a local server, a local computing system, etc.) or remotely located (e.g., as part of a remote server such as a cloud-based server). For this purpose, a "circuitry" as described herein can include components distributed across one or more locations.

[0085] Embodiments within the scope of this disclosure include program products comprising computer- or machine-readable media for carrying or having computer- or machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available medium accessible by a computer. A computer-readable medium can be a tangible computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable program code. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor systems, devices, or apparatuses, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, holographic storage media, micromechanical storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that can contain and / or store computer-readable program code for use and / or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data that cause a computer or processing machine to perform a specific function or a set of functions.

[0086] Computer-readable media can also be computer-readable signal media. Computer-readable signal media can include propagated data signals embodying computer-readable program code, such as in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such propagated signals can take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium can be any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium and can transmit, propagate, or transfer computer-readable program code for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, or apparatus. Computer-readable program code embodied on a computer-readable signal medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic cable, radio frequency (RF), or similar media, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0087] In one embodiment, a computer-readable medium may include a combination of one or more computer-readable storage media and one or more computer-readable signal media. For example, computer-readable program code may be transmitted as an electromagnetic signal via an optical fiber cable for processor execution, and also stored on a RAM storage device for processor execution.

[0088] Computer-readable program code used to perform the operations of various aspects of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more other programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program code may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone computer-readable package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0089] Program code may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that instructs a computer, other programmable data processing device or other apparatus to operate in a particular manner, such that instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of writing, which includes instructions that implement the functions / actions specified by one or more boxes in a schematic flowchart and / or schematic block diagram.

[0090] Although the accompanying drawings and description may illustrate a particular order of method steps, such order may differ from the order depicted and described unless otherwise specified above. Similarly, unless otherwise stated above, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously. Such variations may depend, for example, on the chosen software and hardware system and the designer's choices. All such variations are within the scope of this disclosure. Likewise, the software implementation of the described method can be accomplished using standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to perform various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.

[0091] It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the devices and systems shown in the various exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated into or utilized in any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising: A controller, comprising at least one processor coupled to at least one memory device storing instructions, the instructions causing the controller to perform operations when executed by the at least one processor, the operations including: Receive information about the initial water content in the intake airflow flowing into the engine; Receive information about the second water content in the exhaust gas stream flowing from the engine; Receive information about the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine; Based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio, estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream; and one of the following: In response to determining that the hydrogen content has reached or exceeded a first threshold, the air-to-fuel ratio is increased; or In response to determining that the hydrogen content has reached or fallen below a second threshold, the air-to-fuel ratio is reduced, the second threshold being different from the first threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel system; in, When the instruction is executed by the at least one processor, it causes the controller to perform further operations, the further operations including: Determine the health status of at least one of the engine or the fuel system; and Provide engine status notifications to operator input / output devices, the engine status notifications including the health status.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, Determining the health status of the engine includes the following operations: The hydrogen content is compared with the engine emission hydrogen content threshold; and Based on the fact that the hydrogen content exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that a component of the engine has malfunctioned or may have malfunctioned.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is a first hydrogen content value; and Determining the health status of the fuel system includes the following operations: Receive information about a second hydrogen content value near the inlet of the engine; Compare the second hydrogen content value with the engine inlet hydrogen content threshold; and Based on the fact that the second hydrogen content value exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that a component of the fuel system has malfunctioned or may have malfunctioned.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein reducing the air-to-fuel ratio comprises causing the fuel system to supply more fuel to the engine.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system includes a turbocharger; and Reducing the air-to-fuel ratio includes adjusting the operation of the turbocharger to provide less air to the engine.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system includes an intake valve; and Reducing the air-to-fuel ratio includes adjusting the operation of the intake valve to supply less air to the engine.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein, When executed by the at least one processor, the instruction causes the controller to perform further operations, the further operations including: providing an engine status notification, the engine status notification including at least one of the following: a first indication of the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas flow or a second indication that the hydrogen content reaches or exceeds the first threshold.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, The engine status notification is provided on the operator input / output device via a graphical user interface.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations, the operations including: Receive information about the initial water content in the intake airflow flowing into the engine; Receive information about the second water content in the exhaust gas stream flowing from the engine; Receive information about the air-to-fuel ratio of the engine; Based on the first water content, the second water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio, estimate the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream; and The engine operation is adjusted based on comparing the hydrogen content with one or more thresholds.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, Adjusting the operation of the engine includes one of the following: In response to determining that the hydrogen content reaches or exceeds a first threshold of one or more thresholds, the air-to-fuel ratio is increased; or The air-to-fuel ratio is reduced in response to determining that the hydrogen content has reached or fallen below a second threshold of one or more thresholds, the second threshold being different from the first threshold.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, Adjusting the operation of the engine includes: adjusting the operation of an igniter coupled to the engine in response to the hydrogen content reaching or exceeding a first threshold of one or more thresholds, wherein adjusting the operation of the igniter includes at least one of: increasing ignition energy, decreasing ignition energy, or adjusting ignition timing.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, The information regarding the air-to-fuel ratio includes the oxygen content in the intake airflow received from an oxygen sensor located at or near the intake manifold coupled to the engine, and the air-to-fuel ratio is based on the oxygen content in the intake airflow.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, The information regarding the air-to-fuel ratio includes a target air-to-fuel ratio value, and the air-to-fuel ratio is based on the target air-to-fuel ratio value.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, The information regarding the first water content in the intake airflow includes an ambient humidity value received from at least one of a remote computing system or an ambient humidity sensor, and the first water content is based on the ambient humidity value.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, The information regarding the second water content in the exhaust gas stream is received from a water sensor located downstream of the engine and upstream of the turbine assembly.

17. A method, the method comprising: The controller receives information about the ambient humidity near the system; The controller receives sensor data, including information about the water content in the exhaust gas stream flowing from the engine of the system; Receive system operation data, including information about the air-to-fuel ratio; as well as The hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is determined based on the ambient humidity, the water content, and the air-to-fuel ratio.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is determined based on a model that correlates the water content with the hydrogen content at the air-to-fuel ratio.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, The water content is the water content measured in the exhaust gas stream; and Determining the hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream includes: Based on the air-to-fuel ratio, the hydrogen input of the engine is determined; Based on at least the hydrogen input, determine the expected water content in the exhaust gas stream; and The hydrogen content in the exhaust gas stream is determined based on the difference between the expected water content and the measured water content.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising one of the following: In response to determining that the hydrogen content has reached or exceeded a first threshold, the air-to-fuel ratio is increased; or In response to determining that the hydrogen content has reached or fallen below a second threshold, the air-to-fuel ratio is reduced, the second threshold being different from the first threshold.

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