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 from Ethyl Export Corporation discussing materials and processes like 'fescolizing' and chromium plating for engine exhaust systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 150\1\ scan0101 | |
| Date | 8th January 1936 | |
| CABLEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT. LONDON. TELEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT. SOWEST. X1282 ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION Incorporated in the State of Delaware. U.S.A. with limited liability. THAMES HOUSE, MILLBANK LONDON, S.W.1 Telephone: VICTORIA 5520 Head Office: 135 EAST 42ND STREET NEW YORK, U.S.A [Handwritten Note] Wyman Please note Rem Noted [Signature] 8th January, 1936. W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham, Esq., Experimental Department, Rolls-Royce Ltd., Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, Thanks very much for your letter of the 7th January. With reference to "metallization", I thought that this, as distinct from "fescolizing", could be sprayed on the inside of a bent pipe, and I gathered that this was being done in the case of some radial engine exhaust systems; however, there appear to be many snags in either process. Do you consider the so-called "18 and 8" steel as being too expensive for your purpose, because once the technique of welding it has been mastered it would appear to be a very satisfactory material for such exhaust systems. I would suggest "Inconel" as another very satisfactory material, but this is more expensive than "18 and 8". I do not know whether it is possible to obtain stainless iron tubing, but this might do the job just as well. Unfortunately, I am afraid I have no idea at all of the price of the materials I am suggesting. So far as we have gone with the testing of different materials to ascertain their resistance to corrosion attack by the various lead products of combustion, we find that a chromium treated steel is apparently highly resistant to attack, and it might be a good idea if you asked Van der Horst to try chromium plating some of your pipe work. Fescol's do chromium plating but, in my opinion, it is not so satisfactory as the Dutch process, although eventually, if you did go over to the use of chromium plated pieces, you would probably desire to get the work done in this country; in which case I think Fescol's would probably buy the rights of the Van der Horst process if they saw any likelihood of getting some return for their money. This is rather a lengthy dissertation, and I am afraid I have not got anything to suggest except those methods and materials which are relatively expensive. I should have thought, however, that the "18 and 8" material would have been reasonable for your purpose. Yours sincerely, [Signature] FRB/BB | ||