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 the properties of anti-freezing mixtures and rebutting a previous article on the topic.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 151\3\ scan0001 | |
| Date | 28th January 1911 | |
| The Autocar. ANTI-FREEZING MIXTURES. 28-1-1911. [16487.]—Mr. Tucker [16443] seems to be of opinion that the writer of the original article on “Anti-freezers” suggested the use of pure methylated spirit, i.e., without the admixture of water with its boiling point of about 160° F. {Mr Friese} ; no such statement was ever made. I purchased four ounces of methylated spirit from a pharmaceutical chemist. One ounce was poured into a glass measure, and an ounce of water added. The resultant mixture was quite white and cloudy. I purchased another sample of methylated spirit from another chemist, and on adding water the same thing happened. Surely something was wrong, for had not Mr. Tucker stated that “methylated does not produce a precipitate on diluting with water”? Still another sample was procured from still another chemist—again with the same result. A few rough experiments were also made with regard to the boiling points of mixtures of methylated spirit and water. A mixture of 1 in 10 methylated spirit and water boiled vigorously at about 195-200° F. {Mr Friese} , 1 in 5 at 170-180 F. {Mr Friese} , so that there seemed to be no necessity for the mentioning of 160° F. {Mr Friese} which Mr. Tucker states is the temperature at which the engines work best. It seems to me that this statement needs qualifying. I have it from a motor manufacturer that the engine he makes “work best” at 180° F. {Mr Friese} I also remember having a car some years ago which “worked best” when the exhaust leads from the engine were past the temperature of red heat. (Query, what was the engine temperature ?) Mr. Tucker’s far fetched joke as to the “heating” of the driver appears to me to fall flat, for commonsense ought to teach anyone that a substance which boils at 160° F. {Mr Friese} is not permissible in a radiator. The question of soap and soap making did not enter into the scope of the article in question. A fermentation product, alcohol, did, hence the remark made by me as to the production of glycerine. Mr. Tucker also states that glycerine and alcohol “both dissolve perfectly in water.” There is no solution when either alcohol or glycerine is added to water—there is a mixture. Alcohol and glycerine are both perfectly miscible with water. I may also point out that the addition of alcohol to a mixture of alcohol and water is a distinct improvement where the water is circulated by pump—it thins the mixture. I have tried it and know. Mr. Tucker remarks : “There are numerous other points in the article which are quite misleading.” Why not point them out then? Again, “the effect of salt water on aluminium is very small.” Pardon my contradicting this flatly. A last year’s camera, belonging to me, with aluminium fittings corroded so badly in sea air, not sea water, but sea air, that the surfaces had to be carefully cleaned and coated over with two or three layers of protective paint. It would be interesting to know why aluminium is now rarely, if ever, used for motor boat work. PAGE. | ||