Letter to S. Smith & Sons Ltd. regarding the testing of an automatic jet control and experiments on controlled air intake temperature.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 123\1\ scan0117 | |
| Date | 31th August 1938 | |
| 1038. Experimental Dept. Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /CTS. {C. Trot Salt - Carburation} 4/MH. {M. Huckerby} 31st. August 1938. Messrs. S.Smith & Sons Ltd., Cricklewood works, LONDON, N.W.2. For the attention of Mr.F.J.Grosé. Dear Sirs, With reference to the sample automatic jet control recently supplied. This unit is at present being rigged up on one of our experimental cars, and as soon as we get any results we will let you know. In the meantime, we wish to keep in touch with you on the question of automatic carburation, but until we have adapted your thermostat to our requirements there is not much to be said. With reference to our conversation during your visit here, on the matter of controlled air intake temperature. We carried out a simple experiment of controlling this temperature, and the result can be summed up as follows:- First, it is worth mentioning that the compression ratio we use is such that our automatic (governor) ignition advance is set to just avoid detonation at low speeds. This being the only condision under which we are affected by detonation. Increasing the temperature of the intake air caused a power loss in proportion to what would be expected when correcting in accordance with the air standard efficiency formula. But no tendency to increased detonation was shown. In other words, the power lost at low speeds in avoiding detonation, was still in the same proportion, irrespective of intake temperature. | ||
From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).