Highlights ► Mobility is key to efficient over-snow resupply in Antarctic and Greenland. ► We have developed lightweight, high efficiency fuel sleds for Polar traverses. ► These plastic sleds cost less and triple the fuel delivered per towing tractor. ► Sled sliding friction decreases with increasing sled–snow interface temperature. ► Solar gain using black bladders could double again per-tractor fuel delivery.

    Abstract We describe here the evolution of lightweight, high-efficiency fuel sleds for Polar over-snow traverses. These sleds consist of flexible bladders strapped to sheets of high molecular weight polyethylene. They cost 1/6th, weigh 1/10th and triple the fuel delivered per towing tractor compared with steel sleds. An eight-tractor fleet has conducted three 3400-km roundtrips to South Pole with each traverse delivering ∼320,000kg of fuel while emitting <1% the pollutants, consuming 1/2 the fuel and saving ∼$1.6M compared with aircraft resupply. A two-tractor fleet in Greenland recently delivered ∼83,000kg of fuel in bladder sleds to Summit with similar benefits. Performance monitoring has revealed that bladder-sled towing resistance is largely governed by sliding friction, which can start high and drop in half over the first 30min of travel. Frictional heating probably produces a thin water layer that lubricates the sled–snow interface. Consequently, towing resistance depends on the thermal budget of the sled. For example, black fuel bladders increase solar gain and thus decrease sled resistance; data suggest they could double again the fuel delivered per tractor. The outstanding efficiency and low cost of these sleds has transformed fuel delivery to Polar research stations.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    High efficiency fuel sleds for polar traverses


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Journal of Terramechanics ; 49 , 3-4 ; 207-213


    Publication date :

    2012-05-06


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    High efficiency fuel sleds for polar traverses

    Lever, James H. | Online Contents | 2012


    High efficiency fuel sleds for polar traverses

    Lever,J.H. / Weale,J.C. / U.S.Army Res.a.Dev.Center,US | Automotive engineering | 2012


    Chemins de traverses

    Perrin, Gilbert | TIBKAT | 1993


    Large Scale High Speed Dynamic Crush Tests Using Two Sleds

    Schoenherr, Eugene / Kim, Homyoung / Song, Seung-Jae | SAE Technical Papers | 2005


    The French SE 1900 and SE 1910 Rocket Sleds

    Jung, P. / International Academy of Astronautics | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1993