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).
Two fan failures on the Phantom III and Wraith models during fan belt tests.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 94\5\ scan0072 | |
| Date | 20th September 1938 | |
| 324 also. 624 To By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. c. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} c. Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} c. Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.10/MH.{M. Huckerby}20.9.38. PH.III AND WRAITH FIVE BLADE FANS. During the course of tests on fan belts which Messrs. Ferodo Ltd. are carrying out for us, we have had two fan failures - (a) A fan flange failure on the original Cadillac fan off our Cadillac V.16 car which was the prototype for our Ph.III five blade fan, and which has done a good deal of test bed running. It failed after 11 hours running on Messrs. Ferodo's rig (4,500 r.p.m.) (b) Fan blade failure on a Ph.III fan identical with that standardised for 'F' series Ph.III and supplied to customers for overheating complaints - this failed after 5 hours running. Attached report from Hl/EJW. gives an analysis of the failures and while the failure of the American fan flange does not concern us particularly, that of the Ph.III fan is important. It will be noted that the Ph.III fan blades were below the brinell hardness specified on drawing (40) and think that this should be taken up with the suppliers. In view of this failure we think the fan blade material for Ph.III should be changed for a better one (e.g. Dural) and Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} should arrange to inspect those Ph.III five blade fans in service, where possible, to ensure that there are no signs of the blades failing. We do not think it necessary to change material on the Wraith blades as these are smaller and have completed a lot of endurance running satisfactorily - no blades should be accepted, however, with a lower brinell hardness than 40 and the suppliers should be warned of this. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. | ||