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).
Experiments testing the effect of Ethyl Gasoline on Elektron metal used for aeroplane gasoline tanks.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan168 | |
| Date | 28th June 1932 guessed | |
| I INTRODUCTION Elektron metal, which is essentially an alloy of magnesium with aluminum, has been employed to a certain extent for the gasoline tanks of aeroplanes as a substitute for the aluminum or duralumin usually employed. The question was recently raised as to the effect of Ethyl Gasoline on this material, and this laboratory has therefore carried out certain experiments designed to give information on this subject. MATERIALS AND METHODS OF TEST The samples of Elektron metal were supplied through the courtesy of the Aluminum Company of America. Samples of aluminum and duralumin were supplied through the courtesy of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. The samples of aluminum and duralumin covered both anodized and unanodized metal. The aluminum samples were in the half hard condition and the duralumin samples were heat treated. The methods of test were as follows: (1) Strips of the metals were placed in glass test tubes and covered for about half of their length with water. Through a jet dipping to the bottom of the test tube, a stream of gasoline (sometimes Ethyl Gasoline, sometimes ordinary gasoline, and sometimes benzol) was introduced so that a continuous stream of gasoline came in contact both with the water and with the metal. Five gallons of fuel were used, and the length of the test was about fourteen hours. (2) Strips of the various metals are placed in glass test tubes and covered either with fuel (Ethyl Gasoline, untreated gasoline, and benzol) or with water and fuel. These samples were allowed to stand in the dark for about ten days. | ||