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).
Responding to a radiator difficulty, discussing tube materials, corrosion causes, and water quality.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 66a\4\ scan0289 | |
| Date | 13th May 1929 | |
| Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Y8250 BY6/G.13.5.29. ENGINE COOLING AND WATER CIRCULATION. Referring to Sir Alex Blacks of Grimsby difficulty as reported in Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/NRC{N. R. Chandler}9/NW.{N. Walker - Patents}7.5.29. and commented upon in PN.{Mr Northey}1/WT.10.5.29., we think PN.{Mr Northey} has inadvertently assumed that changes have been made which have reduced the section of the water ways and that our material source has been altered - in both issues he is mistaken. 1/- Whilst the tube diameters have been altered the water space between the tubes remains the same. 2/- We have not altered the material or the makers of the tubes since we have been making the radiators ourselves. The material is a standard 70/30 brass which gives a solid solution of zinc in copper and is recognised as being the best material so far developed for radiator purposes. Being a solid solution it is perfectly homogeneous. 3/- The upper two or three rows only are affected, and from an examination of the deposit made at the time as it lay actually lodged in position it certainly gave the impression of a colloidal clay deposit. During the whole time we have made radiators ourselves we have experienced odd instances of failures, generally from slight corrosive effects. They are in our opinion undoubtedly due to the use of local water, and could all be avoided if our instruction to use rain water were treated seriously, as generally speaking rain water is nearly always available, and the loss of water from radiators today is small. Whilst we are quite interested in hearing what America has to say in regard to their practice, our experience has been that they move too readily, as a result of which what is looked upon as a final cure today in a month or so is frequently forgotten entirely and some other issue is being pushed, in other words their testing does not appear to be adequate. Whilst tinning the tubes as suggested by Hl. with a solder of the composition used for soldering the matrix would be advantageous in certain cases, we certainly think that in others it might be our undoing due to porous places existing | ||