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).
Visit to Leyland to discuss the practicalities of diesel combustion chambers for the Rationalised Engine Project.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 140\3\ scan0236 | |
| Date | 17th February 1939 | |
| 1175 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Jnr.{Charles L. Jenner} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/R.17.2.39. DIESELISING THE RATIONALISED ENGINE PROJECT. We visited Leylands yesterday, accompanied by Jenner and Edwards. Our object was to get a line on what really has been found to be the most practical type of Diesel Combustion Chamber. In our opinion, there is all the difference in the world between people like Leylands who have to keep their engines free from service trouble for 100,000 miles, and Ricardo's who often get remarkable single cylinder results, but have no means of checking these in the hands of operators. Leylands were emphatic that the arrangement of combustion chamber which they had by experience found most satisfactory was the direct injection type. The major troubles experienced with other types were:- (1) Ring-gumming and piston trouble. (2) Inconsistency of nozzle operation. As an example, they state that the 'Cub' engine, which is of the ante-chamber type, gave them piston trouble, and they would not put a similar design into production again if they had a second chance. The Perkins gives a remarkably good output when it is new, but half the nozzle goes out of action after a short time, and so the over-all efficiency of the unit declines very rapidly. Leylands say, that with a naturally-aspirated engine we ought not to anticipate more than 90 B.M.E.P. @ 2,000 R.P.M. They, as well as Dennis, are at present experimenting with exhaust superchargers. I think we should go straight ahead with the direct injection type of head, and see how this and the pump drive fit into the set-up of the Conventional engine | ||