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).
Bench tests for vehicle cooling systems, focusing on radiator design and fan efficiency.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\2\ 02-page125 | |
| Date | 28th June 1929 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- the Works producing SS.{S. Smith} axles as soon as possible. We should like you to make this test No.1. on your programme. (4) Cooling. I have been carrying out a great many bench tests which show that the resistance through our radiators has been getting progressively greater and greater. This is because our radiators have been getting narrower and deeper. The result of the restriction through the radiator is owing to the big depression on the suction side of the water pump at high speeds; steam forms round the water pump and when the temperature is as low as 90°C, the circulation ceases. This explains why once a SS.{S. Smith} car has been raised to boiling point it is so difficult to get it to cool down. The present gap between the tubes is 1 mm. We are about to try building up a radiator with 1 1/2 mm. gap between the tubes which we think will give an all round improvement. We propose to send this out to you and get you to compare it with the radiator at present on the car. In connection with cooling, we have also confirmed once again that if we push the fan close up to the radiator it improves the efficiency of the cooling system in a surprising manner. We have also found that with the SS.{S. Smith} radiator and shutters we appear to be able to do this without producing the objectionable noise which has always previously manifested itself. We are therefore confirming our results on all our experimental cars to make sure that there is no catch in it Radcax contd :- | ||