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 to Price's Patent Candle Co. Ltd. regarding the unsuitability of glycerine and the benefits of ethelyne-glycol as an anti-freeze.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 151\3\ scan0167 | |
| Date | 19th March 1932 | |
| X1435. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Lid.{A. J. Lidsey}7/MA. March 19th, 1932. Price's Patent Candle Co. Ltd., Battersea, London, S.W.11. Anti Freezing Compounds. Dear Sirs, As a result of prolonged tests on anti freezing mixtures we have been forced to the conclusion that commercially pure glycerine is an unsuitable anti freezing agent for use in motor car engine water systems. Glycerine apparently tends to act upon grease (or rather similar lubricants) which is unavoidably present in an engine water system and possibly in conjunction with lime (present in all tap water in varying degrees) it produces a hard deposit which gradually fills up the cylinder water ways. We have had more than one case of the water system being entirely short circuited due to this cause. On the other hand prolonged use of ethelyne glycol has been entirely satisfactory. We notice that your product 'Zero' in common with other English proprietary compounds appears to be commercially pure glycerine. We should be very much obliged if you would let us have your views on the matter; is there any reason why British manufacturers cannot market an ethelyne-glycol mixture? We are aware that 'Prestone' is covered by a H.S. patent and is nothing more than ethelyne-glycol, perhaps their patent protects the use of this compound as an anti freezing mixture. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS ROYCE LIMITED. | ||