LOW-EMISSION SNOWMOBILES - THE 2001 SAE CLEAN SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE 2001-01-1832
The first Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) was held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in late March of 2000.(1)* It drew public attention to environmental issues associated with recreational products such as snowmobiles, and encouraged development of novel solutions through this SAE-sponsored student competition. While much good information was obtained, one area needing improvement was emissions measurement. In 2000, snowmobile emissions were measured using a drive-by infrared-type device. While this provided a rough indication of emission levels, more accurate data was desired to better reflect progress in reducing emissions.
For this year's competition, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) assembled the equipment necessary to provide brake-specific emissions measurement on-site. A truck-mounted mobile unit was outfitted with laboratory-grade instrumentation for measurement of HC, CO, NOx, CO2, and O2. A snowmobile chassis dynamometer was used to load the engines. A modified version of the five mode snowmobile test cycle, as developed by SwRI for the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA), was used for testing.
Fourteen teams entered snowmobiles in the completion, employing a range of technologies, including both 2- and 4-stroke designs and aftertreatment. A detailed summary of competition emission results is included, along with a discussion of the effectiveness of various design approaches in reducing emissions.