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).
Causes and potential solutions for radiator blockage, involving water chemistry and material compatibility.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\3\ Scan085 | |
Date | 22th November 1929 | |
HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}) From R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hl.) c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} X4516. R.1/M22.11.29. X.4516. BLOCKING OF RADIATORS. Is it sodium sulphate, and how much for 40/50 per charge?. I think that the trouble is due to vegetable acid (peat water), not lime, not salt. (Both here and at Le. Canadel there is much salt in the water.) Is this correct? It does not occur with pure distilled water? I understand that if we take away either the cast iron or aluminium it ceases, but suppose we had steel liners in contact with water, as in aero engine practice - (independent of galvanising which cannot last for ever.)?. Will the presence of zinc, as in boiler work, reduce the tendency to attack the iron?. Aluminium in acid is probably electro negative to iron? Does the cast iron coat itself in graphite, (as I have seen,) and then become natural so that the effect would be bad with new castings, and afterwards become less?. An immediate course of action would be to universally use the preventive (sodium salt) which should be sent out in tabloid form at once. If one is introduced into each radiator on the first filling it is understood to be an effective preventive until further filling. Naturally, intime the effect will be lost. Do we recommend draining and refilling, at the same time putting in another tabloid, or do we need to put in another dose periodically (say monthly)?. IN FUTURE: If cast iron and aluminium are not safe together we ought to fit experimentally some engines with cast iron heads, and some with aluminium blocks with dry liners, as originally designed ( or even wet ones) which might excuse us being to fit nitro hardened liners. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||