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 engine cooling experiments, port jacketing, cylinder head coring, and the future possibilities of car air conditioning.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149a\3\ scan0197 | |
| Date | 20th October 1936 | |
| X 1278. Exptl. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Std.17/KW. 20th October, 1936. Mr. L.P. Saunders, The Harrison Radiator Corporation, Lockport, New York, U.S.A. Dear Mr. Saunders, Have received your letter of the 7th inst., for which many thanks. Your remarks about the effect of louvre position on airflow through the core at low speeds and of port length on heat flow to jacket water were particularly appreciated. We have experiments in hand to determine how much extra heat the jacketting of our ports puts into the water, (As a matter of interest we will send you the results when we obtain them) and also to determine whether we can dispense with these jackets. They were included in our design originally in order to protect the spark plugs and their leads from exhaust heat (we have two plugs per cylinder, one on inlet and one on exhaust side), but we have hopes that we may be able to get away without such expensive insulation! With regard to the coring of our cylinder head, I am entirely in agreement with your remarks, but to remedy the matter appreciably means some such drastic move as lengthening the engine or altering the angle of the Vee - a move which I fear will not be made as long as we are not in serious trouble from this cause. However, I am interested in your suggestion that it would be better to dispense with the water spaces altogether where they are very small, and propose to try this out. And now for three more requests for information - (1) Turning from the question of car cooling to that of car heating, we are now beginning to think about the possibilities of air conditioning. I believe that several of the high priced American cars will probably have this feature next year. | ||