2008 UMaine Clean Snowmobile Team

Click on the link to go to the UMaine Clean Snowmobile Team website to learn more about the project.

In today’s environmentally conscious world, it’s impossible to watch the news without hearing terms like “global warming” or “carbon footprint”. Human activity is threatening the environment, and green technology has become more of a necessity than an option. Thankfully, scientists and engineers from all backgrounds have realized this and are striving to produce energy efficient products. From Toyota’s hybrid Prius to Seasonic’s line of energy efficient computer power supplies, technology is going green. In an effort to advance green technology and the thinking behind it, the University of Maine’s engineering department has developed the clean snowmobile project. The project is well suited to the university because Maine’s winter climate is ideal for the snowmobiling sport. Under the supervision of Professor Mick Peterson, Ph.D., engineering students can apply what they’ve learned in class to this potent real-world issue. Their goal: re-engineer a production snowmobile to reduce emissions, improve fuel efficiency, and lessen noise. Since 2004, UMaine’s clean snowmobile team has entered a snowmobile in the Society of Automotive Engineer’s Clean Snowmobile Challenge. Their initial entry earned the university a respectable third place and provided the team with real-world feedback on their design. In the years since, the team’s growing knowledge pool has been passed along to new members, resulting in this year’s ambitious plans for the team’s newest asset: a 2007 Yamaha Phazer. Considering last year’s second place finish, the chances of UMaine leaving the 2008 competition grounds with a win are better than ever. Since the current team chose to work on a new snowmobile instead of modifying last year’s machine, there’s a lot of work to do before competition. The design goals include creating a larger gas tank out of composite materials, converting the fuel system to run E85 fuel, and transforming the sled’s throaty roar into a suggestive purr. The ethanol conversion is proving to be the most challenging task, as the snowmobile’s stock engine control unit is incompatible with E85. To solve this, the team is working with Bowling and Grippo to integrate and beta test the latest version of the MegaSquirt ECU with the Phazer’s electronics. If everything goes well, the Phazer should be operational in time to hit the trails once Maine gets a good heaping of snow. Although the team members would smile if asked how much fun the project is, creating a clean snowmobile is no easy task. If not for the hard work of the students and the support of dedicated faculty and benefactors, the project wouldn’t be what it is today. As such, new helping hands of any kind are welcome. If you’re a mechanical engineering student at UMaine who would like to get involved, or someone interested in supporting the project, feel free to contact Mick Peterson at 581-2717 or through email at: michael.peterson@umit.maine.edu. For more information about the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, please visit the competition website.