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).
Failed use of stainless steel for cylinder barrels to prevent corrosion.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154a\1\ scan0069 | |
| Date | 2nd February 1928 | |
| XHH42 To BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Fl. c. to Rg. {Mr Rowledge} c. to Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Bd. {Mr Berend} FL.4/AV/D22.2.28. AJS BY. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} raised the question of the use of Stainless Steel for cylinder barrels in order to stop corrosion. Messrs. Napiers, who suffer very severely indeed from internal cylinder corrosion, have experimented for the past 2 years in an endeavour to produce a stainless steel cylinder but without results giving the slightest hope of success. Napiers have been working in close co-operation with Firths, whose standard stainless steel was found to bring about seizure of the piston inside about 4 hours. Steel having a higher carbon content was then tried but the results were no better. It is considered that it would be necessary to harden the steel to make it work. The seizure is not brought about by expansion difficulties but seems to be due to the stainless steel having what is described as a 'pile' which takes hold of the aluminium and causes it to drag and subsequently seize. Fl. | ||