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 discussing ignition spark theory and the potential effects of fitting sparking plug suppressors.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 63\3\ scan0027 | |
| Date | 14th June 1934 | |
| 86/53 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Wst.3/MA. 14th June, 1934. Mr. E.A. Watson, Messrs. Joseph Lucas Ltd., Great King Street, Birmingham, 19. Dear Mr. Watson, You will remember some time ago we had a discussion regarding the function of the capacity component of an ignition spark in igniting an explosive mixture. The theory generally held following the discoveries of Morgan and yourself and also more or less confirming Professor Taylor Jones theory, was that the capacity component of an ignition spark was responsible for ignition and that by cutting out the capacity component the satisfactory ignition of an explosive gas was seriously impaired. Professor Finch recently demonstrated, however, on the other hand that the capacity component was not strictly responsible for ignition. I am writing this to you because it appears to me that the fitting of sparking plug suppressors for the purpose of eliminating the capacity component of the spark has more or less proved Finch's theory. I should very much like to have your opinion as to whether you anticipate any deleterious affect can possibly occur to the ignition performance due to the fitting of such suppressors. From tests we have done ourselves it would appear that not only is the capacity component eliminated but the inductance component is also highly damped. | ||