New Cold Room for Simms' Engine-Test Laboratory
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ACOLD ROOM has been added to the engine-test laboratory of Simm,s Motor Units, Ltd. Temperatures down to —40° F. can be obtained and, as the cold room will not be in constant use by Simms, the company is prepared to make the room available to any interested organizations on a hiring basis. The room measures 13 ft. 5 in. by 10 ft. 9 in., and there is a separate airlock compartment through which the room is entered. Engines of up to 300-b.h.p. output can be tested for coldstarting characteristics, and there is a block and takle with a capacity of 1 ton.
The refrigeration plant was supplied by J. and E. Hall, Ltd., Dartford. The cooling unit is at one side of the cold room, and the compressors are housed in a chamber above the ceiling. Twin fans circulate the air over cooling coils through which Freon 22 gas refrigerant is passed. The operation of the fans is thermostatically controlled to maintain the prescribed temperature automatically between limits of + or --i° F.
Starting • with the room at normal ambient temperature, the plant can reduce this to —40° F. within three days. The brick walls have an insulating lining of 12 in. of cork, and the interior is panelled with aluminium sheeting.