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 chemical phenomenon of detonation in engines, comparing fuel stratification with a 'Katalite' catalytic coating.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 74\3\ scan0380 | |
| Date | 14th April 1924 | |
| Mr. A.{Mr Adams} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Baker -2- April 14, 1924. without interfering at all with a very satisfactory power output, the mixture on a Katalited engine could be leaned down so much as to require only .45 lbs of gasoline per brake horse power hour. It is my conviction that the chemical side of the phenomenon of detonation in internal combustion engines has been largely misunderstood and that there is a very simple and good reason from a chemical standpoint why a catalytic action such as employed by us should and must have a marked tendency to counteract detonation, particularly if the mixture is leaned down in accordance with our instructions. In this regard Katalite will probably remind you of the various experiments made with the stratification of fuel mixtures showing marked fuel economy and freedom from detonation, but with this fundamental difference, that the effect of stratification was destroyed by turbulence particularly at higher speeds while the Katalite effect is improved by turbulence because the greater the turbulence the greater the percentage of fuel air mixture which comes in contact with the catalytic coating. I thank you very much for your interest and hope that you will be kind enough to keep me posted on the results of your further experiments. I hope to see you in the very near future and am at your disposal any time that you would wish to confer with me. Unless I am prevented by unforeseen reasons, I expect to read next week a paper before the American Chemical Society in Washington on "The Chemical Structure of the Internal Combustion Engine", which paper will also deal with the questions of Katalite and detonation. If you are interested, I shall be very glad to send you a copy. With kindest personal regards, I beg to remain Yours very truly, (signed) Edw.Sokal-EMC | ||