KLK751: Development of an Ethanol Fueled, Two-Stroke, Direct-Injection Snowmobile for Use in the Clean Snowmobile Challenge and National Parks

Principal Investigator

Karen Den Braven

Type of Research

20 percent basic; 80 percent applied

Project Objectives:

This project addresses two of the NIATT goals:

Goal 2, Strategy 2.1 (Advance state-of-the-art in transit, hybrid, and recreational vehicle design)
Goal 3, Strategies 3.2 and 3.3 (Increase opportunities to engage undergraduate and graduate students in transportation problems)

This project develops an advanced recreational vehicle by forming and supporting a team of undergraduate and graduate students, the UI Clean Snowmobile Challenge Team.

Task Descriptions

Due in part to stringent noise and air pollution control measures imposed by the US National Park Service (NPS), in 2000 the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) instituted a student competition called the Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC). The competition was designed to encourage the development of a snowmobile that will meet or exceed specific required pollution and noise control measures, while allowing students to gain valuable "real-world" design experience.

The University of Idaho has competed in 2001-07, winning the 2002 and 2003 competitions with a snowmobile powered by a four-stroke motorcycle engine. The winning UI entry consisted of a lightweight Snocross chassis coupled to a four-stroke BMW motorcycle engine. Emissions measurements showed that the UI competition snowmobile was not only cleaner than the other student snowmobiles, but it was also cleaner than the two commercially available four-stroke snowmobiles that were tested.

However, this four-stroke platform had the disadvantage of a much lower power-to-weight ratio than a stock two-stroke powered snowmobile. Also, while four-stroke snowmobiles have become widely available in the marketplace, many consumers prefer the performance advantages of a two-stroke engine.

One way of achieving better fuel economy and lower emissions in a two-stroke engine is by use of direct fuel injection, as shown by Evinrude in their outboard engines. However, a direct injection snowmobile has not been marketed by the manufacturers.

Since winning the CSC in 2002 and 2003, the UI Clean Snowmobile Team has been working on developing a two-stroke direct-injected snowmobile, including designing and machining engine parts and working on fuel mapping and tuning of the new engine. Several years of difficult effort by UI engineering students came to fruition in March 2007, when the UI CSC team once again brought home First Place in the Clean Snowmobile Challenge and numerous other awards including:

• Best Fuel Economy
• Best Handling
• Best Design
• Best Ride and
• Best Value.

The UI two-stroke snowmobile also met NPS sound reduction requirements, and is very close to meeting their pollution emissions requirement.

Primary technical tasks involve modification of the winning snowmobile to run on E85, retuning of the engine to reduce emissions to meet National Park Service Requirements, and further noise isolation efforts. Primary technology transfer efforts include participation in the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge in March 2008, production of at least two peer-reviewed papers and presentations for SAE, several MS theses, proposals to industry for technology development, and preparation of the final NIATT report. Efforts will also be made to partner with the National Park Service to test the UI snowmobile for possible acceptance as allowable into the National Parks.

Budget Information

UTC funds committed to this project: $90,004.77

Student Involvement

Two graduate students; 12 unfunded team members; 2 undergraduate interns.

Technology Transfer Activities

As shown above, the CSC competition in Michigan in March is our primary activity. This competition attracts student teams and media attention from across the US and Canada. It is anticipated with our recent victory that we will be very active in media activities this next year in association with the CSC both at home and at next year’s competition.

Other activities include our continued participation in the professional SAE Small Engine Technology Conferences. We will submit papers both from our competition snowmobile work, and on ongoing work into adding a turbocharger, and into use of E85 fuel. We will make presentations in conjunction with acceptance of these peer-reviewed papers. SAE meetings are attended by major manufacturers of engines, vehicles, government agencies, researchers and engineers focused on exchanging information about cutting-edge transportation vehicle technology. We also participate in meetings and conferences of the Combustion Institute (CI), an international organization of researchers, educators, and engineers devoted to enhancing the understanding of combustion phenomena. CI publishes the leading journals in the discipline and encourages the participation of students by providing modest travel awards to those who present their mature research or work-in-progress.

We will continue to work with industry in promoting DI technology. UI students have had numerous internships and permanent job offers in the recreational vehicle industries. We will continue to submit peer-reviewed papers for publication by the Combustion Institute and SAE. We will respond to state and federal agency request-for-proposals related to vehicle work. We will also prepare our final NIATT report for submission to US DOT.

Potential Benefits of the Project

A method of modifying a two-stroke engine without the use of unavailable proprietary technology would be a boon to the industry. EPA envisions that snowmobile emissions will be reduced over the next 10 years by using a mix of technologies, including four-stroke and direct injected two-stroke engines and cleaner fuels. Results from the 2007 CSC show that direct injection technology is close to meeting National Park Service Best Available Technology (BAT) standards. The Idaho two-stroke competition snowmobile showed emissions reductions of 90-95 percent reduction in unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, and similar nitrous oxide reduction over a more typical two-stroke snowmobile. Fuel economy was 19.6 miles per gallon, highest in the competition.

The real advantage of the two-stroke engine is the improved power-to-weight ratio over a comparable four-stroke engine. The 2007 snowmobile was the lightest combustion powered snowmobile in the competition, more than 90 pounds lighter than the nearest competitor. This increases fuel economy, and improves acceleration and handling characteristics. The use of lightweight components allowed for addition of sound-deadening materials without altering the handling characteristics of the snowmobile.

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is unique among SAE student competitions because it addresses not only technology improvement, but also political challenges in the question of recreational vehicle use in sensitive environments such as Yellowstone National Park. The results that Idaho and other universities have produced have been very influential in the development of the Record of Decision regarding snowmobile use in Yellowstone. Results are also in current use in developing the Implementation Policy for this Record of Decision.

As winners for three of the seven years it has competed, the University of Idaho has taken the lead in developing clean, quiet and fuel-efficient snowmobiles. Developing a practical ethanol powered DI two-stroke snowmobile engine will further improve on the present competition snowmobile and show a possible future for the snowmobile tourist industry.

Project status:

Complete

Final Report: N09-02