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).
C.I. four-stroke engine, Ethylene Glycol coolant tests on the Kestrel engine, and government research support.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179b\3\ img294 | |
| Date | 1st March 1933 | |
| -3- He.4/W.J.3.33. Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} points before any official letter is sent in. I told Mr. Tweedie that my own personal view was that we should not rest with the idea that it was necessary to buy a German design and engine in order to obtain a satisfactory C.I. engine. The Present C.I. Four-Stroke Unit. Mr. Tweedie has agreed to give us a 50 hrs. contract which will cover the running which has recently been done on this engine, and will leave a margin for the future work on the R.R. pump and injector and side injection. He is rather anxious that we shall as soon as possible try and obtain some results on side injection. Ethylene Glycol. We have completed 88 hours of the 100 hours contract on the Single Cylinder Unit running on Ethylene Glycol. Actuall this unit has run for over 220 hours. It has been made use of to carry out tests on modified pistons etc. As a result of all our running we have put up to Mr. Tweedie that we thought it was time experiments on Ethylene Glycol were transferred to a complete 12 cylinder Kestrel engine. It was agreed that we should submit a programme for a 50 hours contract covering a complete Kestrel engine running on the test bench and the hangar. We pointed out that in our opinion we, as the only aero engine maker now producing solely liquid cooled engines, were not receiving the same support and assistance from the Government Research Establishments that the air-cooled people were doing. This was freely admitted by Mr. Tweedie, but he said we had no reason for complaint because we had never submitted a programme of work which we should like carried out. If we would submit a programme of tests and experiments which we think should be carried out in a wind tunnel with a view to reduction of drag on the water cooled installation they would be very pleased to consider it and do what they could to help us. It is a fact that the air-cooled people are continuously pressing for help from the Research Establishment and they expect and do get it. We are firmly convinced that we have got to reduce the drag of our radiator, and although some day we may do this by means of surface cooling, in the meantime we cannot afford to neglect any other means of improvement. This point was discussed with Lr.{Mr Ellor} who agreed that he would submit a programme of work which we should like carried out in the wind tunnel. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||