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).
Car interior heating, ventilation, and the comparative testing of proprietary heater units.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 137\3\ scan0021 | |
| Date | 23th January 1939 | |
| To Mr. from Mr/Std. C. RB.{R. Bowen} C. HJ. C. CZ. i/c. C. US. C. DB{Donald Bastow - Suspensions}/WV. C. NX. C. JAL. i/c/LH.{Mr Haworth} C. WY/SL. C. HY{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer}/Ed.{J. L. Edwards} INTERIOR HEATING BY R.R. CARS, AND AS CONSOLIDATED VENTILATION AND DEMISTING AND DEFROSTING. We have taken an active interest in the above schemes because we believe that eventually all higher priced cars will be fitted with built in heater units as part of their standard specification, either as simple heaters or as combined heating and ventilating units. The Vauxhall 25 h.p. car is at present sold with a combined heater and demister fitted to its driving compartment as standard equipment, while both the Nash and Studebaker cars are equipped with schemes which are termed 'air conditioning equipment', (but which simply provide fresh air which can be cold or warm as required, as optional extra equipment. With the idea of some such standardisation of a heating unit in view, we have endeavoured to find the most suitable scheme for this purpose, both from the point of view of results and cost, and also to compare the various proprietary heater units available for the purpose. Road tests have been qualitative rather than quantitative, owing to the difficulties of quantitative measurement applied to air flow into and out of car bodies, as well as temperature and heat measurement of same; and also due to the variation from one person to another of the degree of heating, ventilation, draughts etc., considered desirable. In the case of actual available heat and air outputs of various heater units, we have been able to make strictly comparable quantitative tests where necessary, thanks to Messrs. Clayton Dewandre of Lincoln. Although tests of this type on the three heaters which are now of most interest (the Smith 'Mabena', AD Sphinx and R.R. design Keraton made heater) are not yet completed. | ||