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).
Letter regarding the efficiency and effects of a new alcohol-based fuel on engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan299 | |
| Date | 3rd April 1934 | |
| 81-82 ADELPHI TERRACE HOUSE, 2, ROBERT STREET, ADELPHI, W.C.2. TEMPLE BAR 9183. April 3rd, 1934. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hives Esq., Messrs. Rolls Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Sir, I thank you for your letter of the 23rd ultimo, and quite understand your attitude, but I have every hope that our fuel will be on the market before the end of this year. As there has been in the past a considerable doubt thrown on the efficiency of alcohol mixtures, and particularly regarding the harmful effect they have on engines, I am most anxious that you should be in a position to advise users of your cars as to whether our fuel has any harmful effect on your engines, and as to whether the consumption in your engines is equal to that of petrol. I am quite certain that a prolonged test will show that the lubricating oil consumption will be reduced by quite 50%. We are not concentrating at the moment on developing this fuel in England, but consider that the immediate field for its use is in those countries such as Queensland, India and South Africa, where a huge supply of molasses is available for ready conversion in power alcohol, and in the interiors of these countries petrol is sometimes difficult to obtain and always expensive on account of transport. We are of the opinion therefore, that our fuel will be greatly used by Air-lines, and must be interchangeable with petrol, and undoubtedly your engines will have to use it to a very considerable extent in these countries. For this reason we are anxious that you should try it out so that we can assure prospective users such as Imperial Airways and their subsidiaries, that the fuel gives adequate results without alteration of engine design and without harm to the engine. I am unable to give you the Octane Number at the moment, but the distillation figures are as follows:- | ||