Centripetal/Mechanical Governors By Aaron Zhou ID#: Objective: To convey an understanding of the basic concept of centripetal governors

What Is It? A centripetal governor is a mechanical feedback device for maintaining a particular revolution rate of a machine. “Negative feedback is a type of feedback, during which a system responds so as to reverse the direction of change. Since this process tends to keep things constant, it is stabilize and attempts to maintain homeostasis. When a change of variable occurs within a stable negative feedback control system, the system will attempt to establish equilibrium” - Common applications… Extends life, gives engine a load, prevents overspeeding and engine failure.

James Watt ( ) Picture taken from watt.gif watt.gif Scottish engineer and inventor Interest in steam engines Work on steam engines and improvements to older models at University of Glasgow The Watt Governor

How It Works Governor uses 2 methods -Butterfly valve -Totally fuel air mixture cut-off Maintain a near constant speed whatever the load or fuel supply conditions Picture taken from :

Demonstation System at rest Begins to rotate Governor at work Equilibrium established Pictures taken from: demonstrations/video/...

Dissection Why Is It Made Of Plastic? Metal is a conductor, cuts magnetic flux of the materials within engine Metals prone to creep and crack propagation Absorbs shock from engine resonant vibrations

References dia/c/ce/centrifugal_force.htmhttp:// dia/c/ce/centrifugal_force.htm