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).
Harrison's developments in radiator and oil cooler technology, including tests and design specifics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149a\3\ scan0099 | |
| Date | 6th February 1934 | |
| -3- They have various other developments in hand, particulars of which they showed me, but these have not yet reached a production stage. We can have the Harrison water passage strip in any thickness we like up to .009 so we ought to be far better for leaks than previously. The indirect strip, of course, remains at .004 for lightness. Their new water-way is .085" wide, giving almost certain immunity from any form of choking up, and reducing the possibility of cavitation on the suction side of the pump. They have developed a vibration test for radiators. Four years ago no radiator made by G.M. would last more than 5 mins. on it; to-day any type going into production must last 24 hours. OIL COOLING. The Corporation's first paper on this was printed in the S.A.E. Journal of April 1931. I missed it as we were not in trouble at that time. The oil cooler we got from Buick's was much on the lines of the paper, and is still their standard production. If you will get hold of the S.A.E. number you will see the BTU's they can deal with, and compare them with our results. My own feeling is that, on the 12 cyl. if we carry the water as far down the cyl. barrels as we can (on one engine Harrison's found that the oil ran 400F. cooler when this was done), use a fully balanced shaft, and keep the journal and pin dias. from being excessively great, with Kelmit or Dural big ends, we shall be able to get away with an oil cooler of exceedingly modest dimensions, which will be more of a warmer than a cooler - in fact for European conditions might be dispensed with. As you know, I am running on Mobile A.{Mr Adams} to get easy starting (see S.A.E. paper previously referred to), but the consumption is less than 700 M.P.G. at 40 M.P.H. average, so that indicates that this oil is too thin for anything except zero use. Harrison's latest development on oil coolers is to evolve an oval tube fitted with baffles which the water surrounds, the oil being passed through it, tubes being arranged in parallel. | ||