Caterpillar Inc.

Matthew Parker

Yanchai Zhang

Geetika Dilawari

A control system identifies preferred performance information associated with a hydraulic fracturing system; and obtains engine operation information associated with a plurality of engines included in a plurality of respective pump systems of the hydraulic fracturing system. The control system identifies, based on the engine operation information, a set of one or more engines, of the plurality of engines, that are utilizing gaseous fuel and/or that are capable of utilizing gaseous fuel, and obtains methane number information associated with the set of one or more engines. The control system selects, based on the preferred performance information and the methane number information, a set of one or more operation optimization maps, determines, based on the set of one or more operation optimization maps and the engine operation information, control information associated with the plurality of pump systems. The control system controls, based on the control information, the plurality of pump systems.

Closed-loop control of a plurality of pump systems of a hydraulic fracturing system

A system for estimating methane number of fuel includes a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a heat release of fuel combusted with an internal combustion engine and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the signal from the sensor, determine a methane number of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine based on the signal from the sensor, and output a notification based on the methane number.

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Washington, IL, United States of America

Matthew Parker