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).
Pros and cons of ethylene glycol versus pressure cooling systems for vehicle engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 131\5\ scan0119 | |
| Date | 5th December 1938 | |
| -5- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.14/MH.{M. Huckerby}5.12.38. From an owners' point of view, ethylene glycol cooling is very undesirable - if he has to replace coolant, through leakage, carelessness, accident, etc., it will cost him approximately £2 per gallon to do so, while it will cost us between 10/- and £1 per gallon to fill our cooling systems before production chassis leave the works (30/- to £3.0.0d. per chassis). There may also be considerable difficulty in obtaining ethylene glycol outside this country - it is for this reason that the Air Ministry are pressing for pressure cooling on service aircraft. Further, if we develop a cooling system suitable for pressure cooling and any trouble is experienced due to pressure, it is only necessary to change the coolant to convert to glycol cooling and after such a change, any customer who ran short of glycol for any reason and could not obtain more, could use water as a makeshift until able to obtain the correct coolant. In connection with the question of radiator reliability, it must be remembered that the pressure cooling system would only have pressure in it for a small percentage of its lift (in the case of cars used in this country this might well never occur) and if the Aero people can attain satisfactory reliability regardless of pressure, we should find it easier to do so. We would like permission to develop a cooling system on the above mentioned lines. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. | ||