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 fuel octane requirements for the Kestrel engine under specific test conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan146 | |
| Date | 10th July 1933 | |
| CABLEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, LONDON. TELEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, CHURTON. 81287. ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION Incorporated in the State of Delaware, U.S.A. with limited liability. ABFORD HOUSE, VICTORIA LONDON, S.W.1 Head Office: 135 EAST 42ND STREET NEW YORK, U.S.A Telephone: VICTORIA 5520 10th July, 1933. A.{Mr Adams} C. Lovesey Esq., Experimental Dept., Rolls Royce Ltd., Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Lovesey, Very many thanks for yours of the 7th July and with reference to the tests which you propose carrying out on the "Kestrel" unit with increased cylinder jacket temperature to 150°C. I would say, that you would require a fuel having an Octane number between 85 and 87 when tested under the present conditions for D.T.D. 134., i.e. S.30 engine, 900 r.p.m. and 100°C jacket temperature. Without making an actual test I cannot, of course, tell what the addition of 1.75 c.c.'s of T.E.L. would be in the D.T.D. 134 spirit supplied to you at present, but a fairly accurate guess would be 85 Octane under the conditions specified above. The conditions under which you propose running the "Kestrel" (150°C) are those which definitely favour a "leaded" fuel. That is to say, if you obtained a fuel with benzol added to it in order to bring it up to 86 Octane value under present Air Ministry conditions of test, (see above), its knock rating would depreciate pretty badly at 150°C, whereas that of a "straight run" fuel containing "lead" only would remain substantially the same. Going back to your letter, I would say that the results you have obtained fall in line with the work that has been done in the States and over here, on fuels under different conditions of test. I had a very good trip to Denmark and then went on to Berlin, returning via Amsterdam. I saw the Italian Air Fleet in Amsterdam on my way back. It was quite an imposing sight. I should like to come and see you as soon as it is convenient to yourselves. Could you let me know the best day to come up and whether you think it worth coming up before you have run the tests on the steel valve seats. I have just had a letter from Heron, who is sending me over some samples of Stellited valves, and I would like to be in possession of these before I | ||