snow/ice removal for engine venting system

[GrizzlyRancher]

Hi,

We're modifying a snowmobile engine compartment to allow outside air flow to circulate around the engine. We are planning on opening up vents just above the track (behind the engine), since the motion of the track itself will drive significant airflows through the vents. Only problem, we can foresee large amounts of snow/ice and water spray entering the engine compartment at the same time. Does anyone know of lightweight high-flow filters that could separate snow and ice from the air without quickly clogging up? I'm also thinking of a simple centrifugal system for moisture separation, but am not sure how effective that would be.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[dvd]

The filter screens that are used on window unit air conditioners seem to be easily removable/cleanable. I think that you will have to make something that can be cleaned out quickly, without tools. I envision slinging all kinds of wet crap into your filter and then drawing sub-freezing air across it with the arrangement you mention above drawing air off of the top of the track.

Your centrifugal separator sounds like the best idea, but you would need some kind of blower to get the air through it due to pressure drop across a cyclone separator. I could see jacketing the cyclone with hot air from the exhaust to keep ice melted. No matter how you do this it seems to me that icing will be a big issue resulting in customer complaints.

If I were given this task I would have started investigating a ducted inlet (as high as possible) on the snowmobile fairing.

By re-routing the exhaust it may be possible to run a cooler engine without resorting to additional parts and systems.