GOVERNORS

DEFINITION

A governor, or speed limiter, is a device used to measure and regulate

the speed of a machine, such as an engine. A classic example is the
centrifugal governor, also known as the Watt or fly-ball governor,
which uses weights mounted on spring-loaded arms to determine how
fast a shaft is spinning, and then uses proportional control to regulate the
shaft speed.
The function of the governor is to regulate the mean speed of the
engine, when there are variations in the load e.g. when the load on the
engine increases, its speed decreases, therefore it is necessory the supply
of working fluid. One the other hand , when the load on the engine
decreases, its increases and thus less working fluid is required. The
governor automatically controls the supply of the working fluid to the
engine with the varying load conditions and keep the mean speed within
the certain limits.
Modern governors are used to regulate the flow of gasoline to internal-
combustion engines and the flow of steam, water, or gas to various types
of turbines.
A governor of a steam engine is a device for automatically operating the
throttle, or for shortening the stroke of the slide valve when the
engine attains a dangerous speed.

TERMS USED IN GOVERNORS

The following terms are used in governors are important for subject point
of view.

1. HEIGHT OF THE GOVERNOR

It is the vertical distance from the centre of the ballto a point where
the axes of the arms (or the arms produced ) intersect on the
spindle axis. It is usually denoted by h.

2. EQUILIBRIUM SPEED

It is the speed at which the governor balls, arms etc. are in

complete equilibrium and the sleeve does not tend to move
upwards or downwords.

3. MEAN EQUILIBRIUM SPEED

It is the speed at the mean position of the balls or the sleeve.

 4. MAX. AND MIN. EQUILIBRIUM SPEEDS

The speeds at the maximum and minmum radius of rotation of the ball,
without tending to move eithe way are knwn as max. and min. speeds
respectiverly.

Finding characteristic curves of sleeve position against speed of rotation.

• Finding controlling force curves from the characteristic curves and
comparison with theory.
• Comparison of governor types in terms of sensitivity, stability and the
governor effort.
• On the Porter and Proell governors, the effects of varying centre sleeve
mass.
• On the Hartnell governor, the effect of varying:
• bell-crank arm ratio
• spring rate.
• initial spring compression
• Demonstration of the conditions that make the governor become
unstable.

WATT'S GOVERNOR

When a dangerous speed is acquired, the centrifugal force acting upon a

pair of balls tends to lift a sleeve which, through a bell crank, operates
the throttle.

PORTER'S GOVERNOR

The operation is very similar to that of Watt, but the balls are required to
lift a weight which may be adjusted as desired.

HARTNELL'S EXPANSION GOVERNOR

The balls are thrown out by centrifugal force against the action of a spring
raising the block in the link and thus varying the stroke of the valve.
The balls are controlled by springs acting on them or the sleeve. Three
examples are shown in the diagram.
The Hartnell governor (a) is a well known example of this type.
Each ball is attached at one end of a bell-crank lever and at
the other end to the actuating sleeve. The method of analysis
is to take moments about the pivot of the lever.