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37-641: The National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC) is a former UK government agency, now privately owned as part of Ricardo plc , providing information related to chemical accidents (spillages and fires) to emergency services in the United Kingdom and other countries. The NCEC is headquartered on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in the Vale of White Horse in Oxfordshire . The NCEC

74-697: A Kestrel V12 to diesel operation using single sleeve valve technology: Captain George Eyston used the new engine in the Flying Spray , which, at 159 miles per hour (256 km/h), broke the world diesel speed record at Bonneville in May 1936. Also in the 1930s, Sir Henry Tizard , Chairman of the Aeronautical Research Committee , who was a proponent of a high-powered "sprint" engine for fighter aircraft and who had foreseen

111-544: A North American P-51 Mustang for engine installation trials. This prompted a series of studies for a Crecy version and the Mustang turned out a more suitable mount than the Spitfire. However these studies were not taken further. As the possibility of a flight-worthy engine approached, on 28 March 1943 Hawker Henley L3385 was delivered to Hucknall for fitting with a Crecy. However the engine never became available and

148-478: A 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8, which became known as the McLaren M838T , for its supercars. At around the same time, the company working in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries , developed a semi-robotic tug, Taxibot , which clamped around the aircraft's nosewheel and was controlled remotely by the pilot; the product was intended to reduce aviation fuel consumption. The Ministry of Defence selected

185-453: A 4-stroke crosshead-type engine for the Mark V tank which produced 150 brake horsepower (110 kW) but emitted no visible smoke detectable by the enemy. After the war, the company developed a side-valve engine, which minimised the clearance between the piston and cylinder head thereby achieving all the advantages of overhead-valve engines without the cost. This new type of engine, known as

222-535: A Crecy engine and compared this to a Griffon 61 -powered variant. The report stated that the Crecy's maximum power output would be too much for the Spitfire airframe but that a derated version would have considerable performance gains over the Griffon-powered fighter. Studies on the de Havilland Mosquito also showed it to raise complex problems with Crecy installation. In 1942 Rolls-Royce Hucknall received

259-601: A new diesel speed record of 350.092 miles per hour (563.418 km/h) at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, in the JCB Dieselmax with the aid of a diesel engine designed with Ricardo combustion-chamber technology. The company went on, in around 2008, to develop an engine capable of switching between two-stroke and four-stroke cycles in collaboration with Denso , Jaguar Land Rover and the Centre for Automotive Engineering at

296-619: A proportion of exhaust gas with fresh oxygen. In the 1970s, Opel used Ricardo combustion-chamber technology for the Opel 2100D engine which was installed in the Opel Rekord Series D . General Motors used the same technology in the Chevrolet Suburban in the 1980s. In 1990, the company undertook the development of an automatic layshaft transmission as part of an integrated power-train control system. Then, in 1994,

333-529: A type of sprint engine for home defence....there was the question as to how far fuel consumption could be disregarded. Mr Ricardo had raised this point in a recent conversation by enquiring whether a high fuel consumption might not be permissible under certain circumstances, for if so, an investigation of the possibilities of the two-stroke petrol engine appeared to be attractive." Previous experience gained between 1927 and 1930 using two converted Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines through an Air Ministry contract had proven

370-550: A vehicle developed by Ricardo and Force Protection , known as Ocelot , to replace the Snatch Land Rover in 2010. In 2011, Ricardo developed a carbon-fibre flywheel with a magnetic coupling and gearing system for energy-storage purposes: the product was known as "TorqStor". In April 2015, the company acquired Lloyd's Register Rail for £42.5 million , with the intention of developing the company's rail expertise. Rolls-Royce Crecy The Rolls-Royce Crecy

407-631: Is listed on the London Stock Exchange . The company was founded by Sir Harry Ricardo as Engine Patents Limited in February 1915. Later in 1915, during the First World War , the company helped develop a 600 brake horsepower (450 kW) engine for a flying boat . In spring 1916, it helped with the design of a device to manoeuvre 25 tonnes (28 tons) battle tanks into position aboard railway wagons. Later in 1916, it designed

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444-530: The University of Brighton : it was claimed that the engine could improve fuel economy by up to 25%. The company collaborated with Xtrac by assisting with some parts manufacture for the 1044 gearbox, supplied in 2010 to three Formula One teams: Lotus , Virgin and HRT . This gearbox was mated to the Cosworth CA2010 engine. In 2009, McLaren Automotive selected Ricardo to develop a new engine,

481-488: The crankshaft . The Crecy sleeve valves were of similar construction but differed in their operation compared to the rotary sleeve valve design that was pioneered by Roy Fedden , and used successfully for the first time in an aircraft engine, the Bristol Perseus , in 1932. Supercharging was used to force the charge into the cylinder, rather than crankcase compression, as on most two-stroke engines. This allowed

518-424: The 1950s, the company worked with the railway locomotive designer, Lieutenant Colonel Louis Frederick Rudston Fell, to develop an engine for the 4-8-4 Fell locomotive . The United States Navy placed a contract with the company, in 1968, to develop a diesel power unit capable of running for extended periods at ocean depths of up to 600 feet (180 m); the concept was known as "recycle diesel" and involved blending

555-487: The Chief Designer. Bore was 5.1 in (129.5 mm), stroke 6.5 in (165.1 mm), compression ratio 7:1 and weight 1,900 lb (862 kg). The firing angle was 30 degrees BTDC , and 15 lbf/in² (100 kPa ) supercharger boost was typical. In bench-testing it produced 1,400 horsepower (1,000 kW), but there were problems with vibration and the cooling of the pistons and sleeves. The thrust produced by

592-524: The Crecy itself, in conjunction with the Ricardo company , the decision had been taken by the Air Ministry to revert to a more conventional spark-ignition layout, although still retaining fuel injection. The Crecy has been described as one of the most advanced two-stroke aero engines ever built. The first complete V12 engine was built in 1941, designed by a team led by Harry Wood with Eddie Gass as

629-777: The UK covers the transport of hazardous chemicals by road. Companies carrying dangerous substances must comply with the legislation. The NCEC worked with the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) to develop a set of safety codes for carrying dangerous chemicals for National Intervention in Chemical Transport Emergencies Centres across Europe. In the 1980s the NCEC developed the Chemdata hazardous material database, which

666-510: The V12 engines with a further 8,600 hours of testing on the V-twins. The fate of the six Crecy engines remains unknown. The Crecy proved a unique exercise and Rolls-Royce did not develop any other two-stroke aero engines, the whole concept of advanced piston engines at that time being overtaken by the advent of the practical jet engine . In the summer of 1941, Supermarine Spitfire Mk II P7674

703-566: The company acquired a major developer of four-wheel drive technology, FF Developments ; this business formed the basis of the company's driveline operations in the UK. In the early 21st century, the company undertook work to improve the BMW K1200 series motorcycle engines which were subsequently fitted to the BMW Motorrad K1300S, K1300GT and K1300R models. In August 2006, Wing Commander Andy Green successfully achieved

740-579: The company developed the V-16 engine for the Alfa Romeo Tipo 162 , a car with highly streamlined bodywork. In 1941, the company developed a relief valve subsequently named "Barostat", which automatically reduced the pressure in the fuel lines as the aircraft gained altitude, thereby avoiding the risk of the engine overspeeding : the Gloster E.28/39 , designed by Frank Whittle , used this device. In

777-507: The exceptionally loud two-stroke exhaust was estimated as being equivalent to a 30% increase in power at the propeller on top of the rated output of the engine. The power of the engine was interesting in its own right, but the additional exhaust thrust at high speed could have made it a useful stop gap between engines such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin and anticipated jet engines. Serial numbers were even, because Rolls-Royce practice

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814-526: The need for such a powerplant as early as 1935 with the threat of German air power looming. It has been suggested that Tizard influenced his personal friend Harry Ricardo to develop what eventually became the Crecy. The idea was officially discussed for the first time at an engine sub-committee meeting in December 1935. "The Chairman remarked that if it was the desire of the Air Ministry to develop

851-540: The need for such a powerplant with the threat of German air power looming, encouraged Ricardo to develop what eventually became the Rolls-Royce Crecy engine. In 1931, Harry Ricardo gave a lecture to the Royal Society of Arts , in which he invited his audience to "accompany me inside the cylinder of a diesel engine", passionately describing the process of diesel combustion, in great detail. In 1938,

888-516: The project was cancelled in December 1945, overtaken by the progress of jet engine development. The engine was named after the Battle of Crécy , after Rolls-Royce chose battles as the theme for naming their two-stroke aero engines. Rolls-Royce did not develop any other engines of this type. Sir Henry Tizard , Chairman of the Aeronautical Research Committee (ARC), was a proponent of a high-powered "sprint" engine for fighter aircraft and had foreseen

925-482: The project. Crecy s/n 10 achieved 1,798 horsepower (1,341 kW) on 21 December 1944 which after adjustment for the inclusion of an exhaust turbine would have equated to 2,500 horsepower (1,900 kW). Subsequent single-cylinder tests carried out on the Ricardo E65 engine achieved the equivalent of 5,000 brake horsepower (3,700 kW) for the complete engine. By June 1945 a total of 1,060 hours had been run on

962-438: The spark plugs reduced detonation , allowing higher compression ratios or supercharger boost. Supercharger throttling was used as well to achieve idling. The supercharger throttles were novel vortex types, varying the effective angle of attack of the impeller blades from 60 to 30 degrees. This reduced the power required to drive the supercharger when throttled, and hence fuel consumption at cruising power. Later testing involved

999-474: The turbulent head, was patented in 1932. The company went on to design a 6-cylinder diesel engine producing 130 brake horsepower (97 kW) which was manufactured by AEC for use in London bus fleets. This type of engine, branded as The Comet , was taken up by Berliet and Citroën of France, MAN of Germany, and Fiat and Breda of Italy, among others. In the 1930s, the company undertook work to convert

1036-420: The use of a conventional lubrication system, instead of the total-loss type found in many two-stroke engines. Stratified charge was used: the fuel was injected into a bulb-like extension of the combustion chamber where the twin spark plugs ignited the rich mixture. Operable air-fuel ratios of from 15 to 23:1 were available to govern the power produced between maximum and 60%. The rich mixture maintained near

1073-470: The use of an exhaust turbine which was a half-scale version of that used in the Whittle W.1 turbojet , the first British jet engine to fly. Unlike a conventional turbocharger the turbine was coupled to the engine's accessory driveshaft and acted as a power recovery device . It was thought that using the turbine would lower fuel consumption allowing the engine to be used in larger transport aircraft. This

1110-540: The worth of further research into a two-stroke sleeve-valved design. Both these engines had initially been converted to diesel sleeve-valved operation with a lower power output than the original design being noted along with increased mechanical failures, although one converted Kestrel was subsequently used successfully by Captain George Eyston in a land-speed record car named Speed of the Wind . The second engine

1147-474: Was a British experimental two-stroke , 90-degree, V12 , liquid-cooled aero-engine of 1,593.4 cu.in (26.11 L ) capacity , featuring sleeve valves and direct petrol injection . Initially intended for a high-speed "sprint" interceptor fighter, the Crecy was later seen as an economical high-altitude long-range powerplant. Developed between 1941 and 1946, it was among the most advanced two-stroke aero-engines ever built. The engine never reached flight trials and

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1184-527: Was confirmed during testing, but failures due to severe overheating and drive shaft fractures were experienced. The following table summarises the test running programme, hours run, and highlights some of the failures experienced. Data from: The progress of jet engine development overtook that of the Crecy and replaced the need for this engine. As a result, work on the project ceased in December 1945 at which point only six complete examples had been built, however an additional eight V-twins were built during

1221-405: Was delivered to Hucknall and fitted with a Crecy mock-up to enable cowling drawings and system details to be designed. It was planned for the first production Spitfire Mk III to be delivered to Hucknall in early 1942 for fitting of an airworthy Crecy, but this never took place. A Royal Aircraft Establishment report (No. E.3932) of March 1942 estimated the performance of the Spitfire fitted with

1258-530: Was formed in 1973 as a government agency. On 1 March 1979 the Centre launched, in cooperation with the Home Office , its Hazfile computer database, made available to fifteen British fire services, listing over 10,000 chemical compounds; this was later replaced by the Chemdata system. A similar system in the USA is called RTECS ( Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances ). Most chemical safety legislation in

1295-415: Was further converted to petrol injection which then gave a marked power increase over the standard Kestrel. Single-cylinder development began in 1937 under project engineer Harry Wood using a test unit designed by Ricardo. The Crecy was originally conceived as a compression ignition engine and Rolls-Royce had previously converted a Kestrel engine to run on Diesel. By the time they started development of

1332-409: Was provided to British fire services for use in case of chemical accidents. Chemdata lists over 61,600 safety data sheets (SDS) for dangerous substances. It is published in six languages. Ricardo plc Ricardo PLC is a British firm that provides engineering, environmental and strategic consultancy services. Founded by Sir Harry Ricardo , it based at Shoreham-by-Sea , West Sussex. It

1369-473: Was to have even numbers for engines rotating clockwise when viewed from the front. The reciprocating sleeve valves were open-ended, rather than sealing in a junk head . The open end uncovered the exhaust ports high in the cylinder wall at the bottom of the sleeves' stroke, leaving the ports cut into the sleeve to handle the incoming charge only. The sleeves had a stroke of 30% of the piston travel at 1.950 in (49.5 mm) and operated 15 degrees in advance of

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