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 from Shell-Mex and B.P. discussing aviation fuel types, octane ratings, and supply logistics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan049 | |
| Date | 10th January 1933 | |
| CONTINUATION SHEET No. 1. FROM SHELL-MEX AND B.P. LIMITED. TO Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd. DATE 10/1/33 that your requirements comprised solely an Aviation type fuel which provided an Octane Number of 80 at 150°C. jacket temperature and that only a small amount was required for experimental purposes. We naturally, in order to avoid delay, provided a fuel which had already given an engine test of the order required. This fuel, as you will have observed from the Release Certificate (2/1/33), comprised 75% Persian Aviation 25% Benzole plus 2 c.cs. T.E.L. It was not clear at the time that any considerable quantity of such a fuel would be required in the near future, and neither did we put it forward as the only, or most suitable, product. If considerable quantities of 80 O.N. fuels are needed we should appreciate an opportunity to submit alternative types - especially if the new D.T.D. Specification involves more stringent cold tests, lead limitations, or other items which must be adjusted in accordance with economical considerations. We are somewhat surprised to learn that the Persian/benzole/lead fuel just referred to does not possess an 80 O.N. in your opinion, since three tests with different engines (one of which was a C.F.R. @ 150° jacket temperature) confirmed that it had a somewhat slightly higher value than 80 O.N. It would, therefore, be of considerable interest to us if you would favour us with your test conditions when forming this conclusion. We shall be only too happy to give you all the assistance we can in determining suitable types of fuels, and to ensure that adequate supplies are always available. It is somewhat difficult, however, to do this at the moment, since in the first place a number of different fuels are repeatedly called for - and secondly, our storage capacity at Derby is by no means unlimited. Additionally, cases frequently arise wherein varying concentrations of lead are required in batches of fuel and under present conditions | ||