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).
Cylinder configuration for a proposed Diesel aero engine to ensure smooth running and minimise torque.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\J\December1922\ Scan42 | |
| Date | 28th December 1922 | |
| TO RG.{Mr Rowledge} FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. c. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}✔ ORIGINAL RECEIVED R2/M28.12.22 PROGRESS, & PROCEDURE OF AERO WORK. X2064 X1906 I shall be glad if you will arrange to come to WW. soon after the New Year, so that we can perhaps fix up the conference you suggest in your Rg{Mr Rowledge}7/M4.12.22. Regarding the idea of making a Diesel engine, naturally one agrees almost for certain that it must be a two cycle engine, otherwise the number of cylinders requir- ed{J. L. Edwards} to make it smooth running will be prohibitive. It has occurred to me to be worth while making a rough calculation to find the number of cylinders in which the anti-torque due to compression becomes as constant as the ordinary six cylinder four cycle moderate compression engine. Possibly this may be right with six two cycle cylinders, but my impressions are that it will need even more, say about eight. The large number of cylinders and the continuity of turning with all loads appears to be an absolute necessity, not so much from a flywheel point of view, as from a torque re-action causing vibrations to the aeroplane structure. One must look upon the engine as being of slow speed, and having ample exhaust valve so that the temperature of these shall be kept low. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||