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Kettering University's entry for the 2006 Clean Snowmobile challenge utilizes a Polaris FST Switchback. This snowmobile having a two cylinder, four-stroke engine has been modified to run on ethanol (E-85). The student team has designed and built a new exhaust system which features customized catalytic converters to minimize engine out emissions. A number of improvements have been made to the track to reduce friction and diminish noise.

Clean snowmobile technology has been developed using methods which can be applied in the real world with a minimal increase in cost. Specifically, a commercially available snowmobile using a two cylinder, four-stroke engine has been modified to run on high-blend ethanol (E-85) fuel. Additionally, a new exhaust system which features customized catalytic converters and mufflers to minimize engine noise and exhaust emissions has developed. Finally, a number of additional improvements have been made to the track to reduce friction and diminish noise. The results of these efforts include emissions reductions of 94% when compared with snowmobiles operating at the 2012 U.S. Federal requirements.

Kettering University's entry in the 2003 Clean Snowmobile Challenge entails the installation of a fuel injected four-stroke engine into a conventional snowmobile chassis. Exhaust emissions are minimized through the use of a catalytic converter and an electronically controlled closed-loop fuel injection system, which also maximizes fuel economy. Noise emissions are minimized by the use of a specifically designed engine silencing system and several chassis treatments. Emissions tests run during the SAE collegiate design event revealed that a snowmobile designed by Kettering University produces lower unburned hydrocarbon (1.5 to 7 times less), carbon monoxide (1.5 to 7 times less), and oxides of nitrogen (and 5 to 23 times less) levels than the average automobile driven in Yellowstone National Park. The Kettering University entry also boasted acceleration performance better than the late-model 500 cc two-stroke snowmobile used as a control snowmobile in the Clean Snowmobile testing.

Three-dimensional transient simulations using KIVA-3V were conducted on a 4-stroke high-compression ratio, methanol-fueled, direct-injection (DI) engine. The engine had two intake ports that were designed to impart a swirling motion to the intake air. In some cases, the intake system was modified, by decreasing the ports diameter in order to increase the swirl ratio. To investigate the effect of adding shrouds to the intake valves on swirl, two sets of intake valves were considered; the first set consisted of conventional valves, and the second set of valves had back shrouds to restrict airflow from the backside of the valves. In addition, the effect of using one or two intake ports on swirl generation was determined by blocking one of the ports.

Numerical simulations of lean Methanol combustion in a four-stroke internal combustion engine were conducted on a high-compression ratio engine. The engine had a removable integral injector ignition source insert that allowed changing the head dome volume, and the location of the spark plug relative to the fuel injector. It had two intake valves and two exhaust ports. The intake ports were designed so the airflow into the engine exhibited no tumble or swirl motions in the cylinder. Three different engine configurations were considered: One configuration had a flat head and piston, and the other two had a hemispherical combustion chamber in the cylinder head and a hemispherical bowl in the piston, with different volumes. The relative equivalence ratio (Lambda), injection timing and ignition timing were varied to determine the operating range for each configuration. Lambda (λ) values from 1.5 to 2.75 were considered.

A vehicle’s performance and fuel economy plays an important role in obtaining a larger market share in the segment. This can be best achieved by optimizing the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Aerodynamics can be improved by altering the bodylines on a vehicle. Its drag coefficient can be maintained at a minimum value by properly designing various component profiles. The stability of a vehicle and Passenger comfort are affected by wind noise that is related to the aerodynamics of a vehicle. To study the effects of the above-mentioned parameters, the vehicle is tested inside a wind tunnel. In this paper, the authors study the body profile for different vehicles and analyze them using Computational Fluid Dynamics software - FLUENT. To study the influence of different body profiles on drag coefficient, 3 different vehicle segments are considered.

A numerical study on the combustion of Methanol in a directly injected (DI) engine was conducted. The study considers the effect of the bowl-in-piston (BIP) geometry, swirl ratio (SR), and relative equivalence ratio (λ), on flame propagation and burn rate of Methanol in a 4-stroke engine. Ignition-assist in this engine was accomplished by a spark plug system. Numerical simulations of two different BIP geometries were considered. Combustion characteristics of Methanol under swirl and no-swirl conditions were investigated. In addition, the amount of injected fuel was varied in order to determine the effect of stoichiometry on combustion. Only the compression and expansion strokes were simulated. The results show that fuel-air mixing, combustion, and flame propagation was significantly enhanced when swirl was turned on. This resulted in a higher peak pressure in the cylinder, and more heat loss through the cylinder walls.

Kettering University's entry in the 2002 Clean Snowmobile Challenge involves the installation of a fuel injected four-stroke engine into a conventional snowmobile chassis. Exhaust emissions are minimized through the use of a catalytic converter and an electronically controlled closed-loop fuel injection system, which also maximizes fuel economy. Noise emissions are minimized by the use of a specifically designed engine silencing system and several chassis treatments. Emissions tests run during the SAE collegiate design event revealed that a snowmobile designed by Kettering University produces lower unburned hydrocarbon (1.5 to 7 times less), carbon monoxide (1.5 to 7 times less), and oxides of nitrogen (and 5 to 23 times less) levels than the average automobile driven in Yellowstone National Park. The Kettering University entry also boasted acceleration performance better than the late-model 500 cc two-stroke snowmobile used as a control snowmobile in the Clean Snowmobile testing.

This paper documents the electrical infrastructure design of a Hybrid Go Kart competition vehicle which includes a dual Fuel Cell power system, Ultra Capacitors for energy storage, and a dual AC induction motor capable of independent drive. The Kart was built primarily to compete in the 2009 Formula Zero international event. This paper emphasized the vehicle model and control strategy as a result of three (3) graduate student research projects. The vehicle was fabricated and tested but did not participate in the race competition since the race organization folded. The vehicle model was developed in Simulink to determine whether the fuel cell and ultra-capacitor combination will be sufficient for peak transient power requirement of 14 kW. The vehicle’s functional description and performance specifications are documented including the integration of the fuel cell power modules, energy storage system, power converters, and AC motor and motor controllers.

Doors inside an automotive HVAC module are essential components to ensure occupant comfort by controlling the cabin temperature and directing the air flow. For temperature control, the function of a door is not only to close/block the airflow path via the door seal that presses against HVAC wall, but also control the amount of hot and cold airflow to maintain cabin temperature. To meet the stringent OEM sealing requirement while maintaining a cost-effective product, a “V-Shape” soft rubber seal is commonly used. However, in certain conditions when the door is in the position other than closed which creates a small gap, this “V-Shape” seal is susceptible to the generation of objectionable whistle noise for the vehicle passengers. This nuisance can easily reduce end-customer satisfaction to the overall HVAC performance.

Much development in the automotive industry relates to the use of high-content ethanol blended fuels to reduce the emissions produced by on-road engines/vehicles. However, less research has been done on the effect of operating small off-road engines (SORE) on high-blend ethanol fuels without substantial modifications. Most manufacturers of such engines only certify proper operation on low content ethanol blends such as E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline by volume). This paper focuses on the use of E77 fuel in a small off-road engine which is speed-governed. Such engines are commonly used in lawn mowers, small recreational vehicles, or other equipment. The exhaust emissions and performance of the engine were evaluated using the EPA 6-mode duty cycle for small recreational engines where testing and analysis followed the recommendations of SAE J1088. This test cycle consisted of operating the engine at steady state load points using a fixed engine speed.

This paper deals with a DC motor driven Electric Power Assisted Steering system integrating a manual rack and pinion steering system. The DC motor is controlled by an electronic controller and connected to the steering system through a set of gears. The DC motor and the steering were modeled using principles of bond graphs and combined with Controller to form the system model. The state equations describing the system were developed using the bond graphs. The performance of the system was simulated using Matlab/Simulink. The electronic controller develops an output voltage to control the DC motor, considering vehicle speed and Steering Column torque inputs. This paper used a regression-weighted function to describe the operation of the controller. Transient and steady state performance characteristics of the system were evaluated including its damping characteristics.

Kettering University's Clean Snowmobile Challenge student design team has developed a new robust and innovative snowmobile for the 2005 competition. This snowmobile dramatically reduces exhaust and noise emissions and improves fuel economy compared with a conventional snowmobile. Kettering University has utilized a modified snowmobile in-line four cylinder, four-stroke, engine. The team added an electronically-controlled fuel-injection system with oxygen sensor feedback to this engine. This engine has been installed into a 2003 Yamaha RX-1 snowmobile chassis. Exhaust emissions have been further minimized through the use of a customized catalytic converter and an electronically controlled closed-loop fuel injection system. A newly designed and tuned exhaust as well as several chassis treatments have aided in minimizing noise emissions.

Sliding contact between friction surfaces occurs in numerous torque transfer elements: torque converter clutches, shifting clutches, launch or starting clutches, limited slip differential clutches, and in the meshing of gear teeth under load. The total temperature in a friction interface is the sum of the equilibrium temperature with no sliding and a transient temperature rise, the flash temperature, caused by the work done while sliding. In a wet shifting clutch the equilibrium temperature is typically the bulk oil temperature and the flash temperature is the temperature rise during clutch engagement. The flash temperature is an important factor in the performance and durability of a clutch since it affects such things as the reactivity of the sliding surfaces and lubricant constituents (e.g., oxidation) and thermal stress in the components. Knowing how high the flash temperature becomes is valuable for the formulation of ATF, gear oil, engine oil and other lubricants.

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of a diesel-fueled engine with a pre-chamber located in the cylinder head and a bowl in the piston were performed. The study considers the effect of diesel combustion in the pre-chamber on turbulence generation and hence fuel-air mixing and combustion in the piston-bowl. Diesel fuel was injected directly into the pre-chamber and the piston bowl at different times. In order to better determine the effect of pre-chamber combustion on the main chamber combustion, various pre-chamber injection timings were considered. The results show that pre-chamber combustion caused the average cylinder pressure to increase by up to 20% in some cases.

With many advantages of GDI technology, one major disadvantage is high HC emissions. The primary goal of this study is to determine the optimum values of engine parameters that would result in maximum power output from a GDI engine, with complete combustion, minimum hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, and minimum specific fuel consumption. A two-dimensional engine geometry with a piston-bowl was selected for faster engine CFD simulations. The first part involves a study of the affect of engine parameters on performance and HC emissions. The parameters considered were, equivalence ratio (mass of injected fuel), injection timing, ignition timing, engine RPM, spray cone angle, and velocity of fuel injection. The second part of the study involves determining the optimum values of fuel mass injected, injection timing, and ignition timing in order to maximize power output while limiting the amount of fuel left unburned after the end of the expansion process.

Aerodynamics of trucks and other high sided vehicles is of significant interest in reducing road side accidents due to wind loading and in improving fuel economy. Recognizing the limitations of conventional wind tunnel testing, considerable efforts have been invested in the last decade to study vehicle aerodynamics computationally. In this paper, a three-dimensional near field flow analysis has been performed for axial and cross wind loading to understand the airflow characteristics surrounding a truck-like bluff body. Results provide associated drag for the truck geometry including the exterior rearview mirror. Modifying truck geometry can reduce drag, improving fuel economy.

This paper describes experiments conducted to determine the effect of multiple spark discharge ignition systems and spark plug electrode design on cold start performance of a dedicated E85 fueled vehicle. Tests were conducted using three different ignition configurations: OEM ignition and spark plugs, multiple spark discharge ignition with OEM spark plugs, and multiple spark discharge ignition with large gap circular electrode spark plugs. The multiple spark discharge ignition with OEM spark plugs showed a significant improvement in cold start performance over the OEM ignition, but the addition of the circular electrode spark plugs caused a decrease in cold start performance. The circular ground spark plugs did produce a higher ending coolant temperature than either of the other configurations.

In automotive assembly facilities worldwide, many critical vehicle systems such as brakes, power steering, radiator, and air conditioning require the appropriate fluid to function. In order to insure that these critical vehicle systems receive the correct amount of properly treated fluid, automotive manufacturers employ a method called Evacuation and Fill. Due to their closed-loop design, many critical vehicle systems must be first exposed to vacuum prior to being flooded with fluid. Only after the evacuation and fill process is complete will the critical vehicle system be able to perform as specified. It has long been thought, but never proven, that humidity and entrenched fluid were major hindrances to the Evacuation and Fill process. Consequently, Ford Motor Company Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development, Sandalwood Enterprises, Kettering University, and Dominion Tool & Die conducted a detailed project on this subject.

This paper describes the experiments conducted to determine the effect of high energy multiple spark discharge (MSD) ignition systems and spark plug electrode design, on the cold start performance of a vehicle which was converted for dedicated operation on E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) fuel. Tests were conducted using three different ignition configurations; original equipment manufacturer (OEM) ignition and spark plugs, high energy multiple spark discharge (MSD) ignition with OEM, J-type spark plugs, and high energy MSD ignition with surface gap electrode spark plugs. The high energy MSD ignition with OEM spark plugs showed a significant improvement in cold start performance over the OEM ignition. The addition of the surface gap spark plugs caused a decrease in cold start performance. Despite this, the surface gap spark plugs produced higher ending coolant temperature than the other configurations.