Isotta Fraschini Asso XI
| Asso XI.RC | |
|---|---|
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| Type | V-12 water-cooled piston aircraft engine |
| National origin | Italy |
| Manufacturer | Isotta Fraschini, Milan |
| First run | early 1930s |
| Major applications | CANT Z.501, CANT Z.1007 |
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The Isotta Fraschini Asso XI family of engines were Italian water-cooled, supercharged V12 piston aeroengines produced in the 1930s, powering the CANT Z.501 and CANT Z.1007 and several prototype aircraft.
Design and development
Isotta Fraschini produced a long series of engines with the name Asso (Ace, in English). The Asso XI.RC was an upright, liquid-cooled V-12 engine with maximum power output in the range 670-725 kW (900-970 hp) depending on the degree of supercharging. There were two variants, differing only in their supercharger speed: the R.C.40 ran at a little over 10 times the crankshaft speed and enabled the engine to maintain a rated power of 623 kW (836 hp) to an altitude of 4,000 m (13,120 ft) (hence the 40 in the variant name) whereas the R.2C.15 held 655 kW (880 hp) to 1,500 m (4,920 ft) with a supercharger gearing of 7.[1]
All variants of the RC.40 had much in common constructionally with the earlier Asso-750.RC, though they had two, rather than three, banks of 6 cylinders and 4 rather than 2 valves per cylinder. Cylinder barrels were machined from carbon steel with flat-topped heads and valve seatings. Each barrel had a separate sheet steel water jacket. Cast aluminium head blocks were bolted to each of the two banks of 6 cylinders, providing valve ports, guides, coolant passages and camshaft supports. The pistons were also aluminium castings. The crankshaft was a 6-throw design with 8 plain bearings and a double row ball thrust bearing between the front two. The connecting rods had bronze bush little ends and white metal big ends. The crankcase was cast in two parts, the upper one with the housings for the crankshaft bearings.[1]
Variants
- R
- R.C.
- R.C.15
- R.2C.15
- Supercharger speed 7 times crankshaft; rated power at 1,500 m.
- R.C.40
- Supercharger speed 75/7 times crankshaft; rated power at 4,000 m.
- L.121 R.C.40
- A version of the Asso XI, 671 kW (900 hp)
- A.120 R.C.40
- Inverted version of the L.121
Applications
- CANT Z.501
- CANT Z.505
- CANT Z.508
- CANT Z.1007
- CANT Z.1011
- Caproni Ca.124 idro
- Caproni Ca.134
- Caproni Ca.135
- Caproni Ca.405
- IMAM Ro.45
- Piaggio P.32
- Piaggio P.50
- SAI Ambrosini S.S.4
Specifications (RC.40)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1938[1]
General characteristics
- Type: 12-cylinder supercharged water-cooled 60° V-12 piston aircraft engine
- Bore: 146 mm (5.75 in)
- Stroke: 160 mm (6.30 in)
- Displacement: 32.65 L (1,992 in3)
- Length: 2,128 mm (83.78 in)
- Width: 834 mm (32.83 in)
- Height: 1,106 mm (43.54 in)
- Dry weight: 594 kg (1,310 lb)
Components
- Valvetrain: Two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder, drive via cams and T-shaped tappets from inlet and exhaust pairs of overhead camshafts geared together, one for each bank of 6 cylinders, each pair driven by its own shaft connected indirectly to the crankshaft bevel gear.
- Supercharger: Single speed, single stage centrifugal, running at 10.714 times crankshaft speed.
- Fuel system: 4×Isotta Frachini L.70C updraft carburreters, 2 for each bank of 6 cylinders.
- Oil system: Dry sump with single pressure and scavenge pump shaft driven off crankshaft bevel gear.
- Cooling system: Water-cooled, pump shaft driven off crankshaft bevel gear.
- Reduction gear: 0.743 or 0.512
- Compressed air starter
Performance
- Power output: Rated power 623 kW (836 hp) at 2,250 rpm at 4,000 m (13,120 ft); take off power 596 kW (880 hp) at 2,250 rpm
- Specific power: Rated 19.1 kW/L (0.42 hp/in3)
- Compression ratio: 6.4:1
- Fuel consumption: At Rated output, 194 kg/h (428 lb/hr)
- Specific fuel consumption: 0.312 kg/(kW·h) (0.512 lb/(hp.hr))
- Oil consumption: Cruise: 8 kg/h (17.6 lb/hr)
- Power-to-weight ratio: 1.05 kW/kg (0.64 hp/lb)
See also
- Related lists
References
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