Clarkson, UW Madison Win Clean Snowmobile Challenge
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Email: Marcia Goodrich
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MARCH 15, 2008-A three-person team-two of them freshmen-from Clarkson
University won the internal combustion division of the SAE Clean Snowmobile
Challenge.[NL][NL]"We used a very simplistic design based on a Polaris FST
chassis," said team leader Pete Giovenco. "We just wanted to make it to the
competition, but it's been the experience of a lifetime."[NL][NL]Hosted by
Michigan Technological University, the Clean Snowmobile Challenge is the
Society of Automotive Engineers' newest collegiate design competition.
Engineering students from participating schools take a stock snowmobile and
reengineer it to reduce emissions and noise while maintaining or improving
performance.[NL][NL]Event co-organizer Jay Meldrum, director of the Keweenaw
Research Center, said that in Clarkson's case, simplicity paid off. "They
just boosted the pressure on their fuel pump and added a catalytic
converter," he said, adding, "They deserved to win."[NL][NL]Clarkson also
received the Lotus Engineering and Horiba Instruments Award for Lowest
Emissions and the EMITEC Award for Best Value, which balances cost, fuel
economy and performance. [NL][NL]All entries in the challenge's internal
combustion division were required to run on biofuel, and most, including
Clarkson, chose E85 ethanol. Four schools computed in the zero emissions
division, which was won by the University of Wisconsin at Madison.[NL][NL]UW
Madison team leader Nick Rakovec credited excellent advising and teamwork
for the battery-powered sled's success. It uses a Delphi electric motor
(once used by General Motors in its EV1 electric car) powered by 84 28-volt
lithium-ion batteries and is capable of running up to 20 miles on a single
charge. "We can charge these batteries in half an hour," Rakovec said. "If
the NSF takes it to Greenland, they'll be able to recharge it
quickly."[NL][NL]The team has earned a chance to send members and possibly
its winning sled to the National Science Foundation's Summit Station in
Greenland. Arctic researchers use electric vehicles when traveling across
the ice, since any emissions can contaminate samples taken from ice and the
air. "It's an incredible machine," said Tracy Dahl of Polar Field Services,
representing NSF. "The thing rips."[NL][NL]UW Madison's zero emissions sled
also nabbed the Society of Automotive Engineers Award for Best Design in its
class, first place for the Kreider and Associates Award for Best Paper, the
DENSO Award for Best Ride, the Veco Polar Resource Range Event Award, and
the Caterpillar Corporation Innovation Award.[NL][NL]Taking the Yellowstone
National Park Award for Second Place in internal combustion was the
University of Idaho, which also won the PCB Group Award for the Quietest
Snowmobile (an unusual feat for a two-stroke engine) and the International
Engineering and Manufacturing (Woody's) Award for Best Acceleration. In
addition, Idaho took second place in the Kreider and Associates Best Paper
event.[NL][NL]The University of Wisconsin-Platteville received the American
Council of Snowmobile Associations Award for Third Place in the internal
combustion division, as well as the Polaris Industries Award for Best
Handling and the Aristo Award for most improved snowmobile
team.[NL][NL]Michigan Technological University earned the ThermoAnalytics
Award for Fourth Place in the internal combustion division, plus the Land
and Sea Award for Best Performance.[NL][NL]UW Madison's internal combustion
sled took the SAE Milwaukee Chapter Award for Fifth Place, plus the
BlueRibbon Coalition Award for Most Practical Solution balancing cost, noise
and emissions; the Society of Automotive Engineers Award for Best Design in
the internal combustion class, and third place in the best paper
competition.[NL][NL]Kettering University received the Gage Products Award
for Best Fuel Economy. The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology zero
emissions sled earned the Keweenaw Research Center Draw Bar Pull Award. The
University of Maine was given the Founders' Award for Most Sportsmanlike
Conduct.[NL][NL]Society of Automotive Engineers President Thomas Ryan
described the Clean Snowmobile Challenge as a great opportunity for young
engineers to learn the skills necessary to succeed in their careers. And he
also praised their present efforts. "I rode a couple of your sleds, and I
was impressed. You are leading us down the road that will get us back into
Yellowstone."[NL][NL]The challenge began following a ban on snowmobiling in
Yellowstone due to the machines' noise and emissions. "What you have done is
prove solutions are possible," said Jim Evanoff, an environmental protection
specialist at Yellowstone National Park. "We support fully what you are
doing."[NL][NL]The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is sponsored at Michigan Tech
by the Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical
Engineering-Engineering Mechanics.


Bill Schumann, President
Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs