Section Two

Why Do We Need Governors?

What Is A Governor?

Simple Mechanical Governor.

Droop and Isochronous.

Hydraulic-Mechanical Governor.

Storage of Governors

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 Notes:

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 Why do we need Governors ?

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 Why do we need Governors ?

Power sources must be controlled to be

converted to useful work.

Uncontrolled prime movers, not operating
at desired speed or load are examples of
why governors are needed.

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 What is a Governor ???

FlyBall Governor EGB-2P Act./ Gov. EGB-13P Act./ Gov. GatePro

723 Digital Control NetCon 5000 Digital Control MicroNet Digital Control

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 What is a Governor ???

Governor Definition: a: An attachment to a machine for

automatic control or limitation of speed. b: A device giving
automatic control (as of pressure or temperature).

A Governor is a device which controls the energy source to
a prime mover to control its power for a specific purpose.

Basic governors sense speed and sometimes load of a
prime mover and adjust the energy source to maintain the
desired level.

Advanced governors are often referred to as Control
Systems.

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 Constant Load

DESIRED SPEED

ACTUAL SPEED

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 Constant Load

The driver of the car is the control or governor.

The speed limit sign is the desired speed setting.

The speedometer senses actual speed.

The driver compares desired speed to actual speed, If they
are the same, fuel is held steady.

If desired speed and actual speed are different, the fuel
setting is adjusted by the driver to make actual speed equal
desired speed.

Fuel is held steady until a speed or load change occurs.

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 Increased Load
SPEED
LIMIT
60

Increase
Fuel

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 Increased Load

The car starts up the hill, load increases, speed decreases.

The actual speed is less than desired speed.

Driver increases the fuel to increase the speed, which
returns the actual speed to the desired speed.

Before the actual speed reaches the desired speed, the
driver reduces the fuel to prevent overshoot of speed. This
is called Compensation and is adjusted to match the
response time of the prime mover.

It takes more fuel to pick up load than to maintain load.

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 Decreased Load

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 Decreased Load

The car starts down the hill, load decreases, speed

increases.

Actual speed is greater than desired speed.

Driver decreases fuel to decrease speed, which returns the
actual speed to desired speed.

Before the actual speed reaches the desired speed, the
driver increases the fuel to prevent overshoot of speed.
This is called Compensation and is adjusted to match the
response time of the prime mover.

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 Closing the Loop

Control
Of The
Actual Speed Energy
or Load

Desired Speed or
Load Reference
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 Closing the Loop

The governor functions the same as the car driver.

It automatically changes the Fuel Flow to maintain the
desired speed or load.

Closed Loop Definition: When used as an automatic control
system for operation or process in which feedback in a
closed path or group of paths to maintain output at a
desired level.

If parameter(s) of the loop change, it will effect the entire
loop and fuel will automatically be corrected to maintain the
desired setpoint.

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 Early Mechanical Governor

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EarlyInformation
Mechanical Governor

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 Early Mechanical Governor

This governor is rotated by the prime mover.

Centrifugal force from the Flyballs rotating provides a force
to sense speed.

The faster the prime mover is turning, the further the
flyballs move out from center.

The flyballs are attached to the collar on the rotating shaft.

Load change causes speed changes.

The flyballs move in when load increases, the collar moves
down and increases the fuel. The opposite happens when a
load is decreased.

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 Force Balance

Actual Desired
Speed Speed
Force Force
F(a) F(d)

1000 lb 1000 lb

Decrease Increase
Fuel Fuel

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 Force Balance

In the governor, Actual Speed and the Desired

Speed are converted to a force that represents
their respective actions.

These forces must be balanced in order to
maintain the speed/load constant.

If they are not balanced, the governor will
increase or decrease fuel until they are balanced.

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 Simple Flyweight System

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Simple Flyweight System

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 Simple Flyweight System

F(a) = Actual Measure of the Centrifugal force = Actual

Speed.

F(d) = Actual measure of the compressed speeder spring =
Desired Speed.

F(a) = F(d) for a balanced system.

In other words, when the force of the compressed speeder
spring equals the centrifugal force, the system is in
equilibrium.

The forces are summed together in a thrust bearing.

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 Flyweights and Pilot Valve

Thrust
Bearing

Compensating
Land Pilot
Valve
Control Plunger
Land
Pilot
Control
Valve
Port
Bushing
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 Flyweights and Pilot Valve

The pilot valve plunger fits into the pilot

valve bushing and is attached to the thrust
bearing.

The pilot valve bushing rotates around the
plunger on a film of oil to help prevent
friction.

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 Pilot Valve Bushing and Porting

Round
Slot Hole

Plunger
Pilot
and
Valve
Bushing
Plunger

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 Pilot Valve Bushings and Porting

Pilot Valve Bushings are cut differently to

compensate for different size prime movers and
prime mover responses.

Pilot Valve Bushings are cut with holes or slots.

Very tight tolerances are required on both the
pilot valves and pilot valve bushings for exact
controlling.

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 Unstable Governor

Prime Mover
Acceleration Actual
Speed
Load
Added
SPEED

Time

Desired
Speed
Unstable Governor Prime Mover Setpoint
Deceleration
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 Unstable Governor

As load is added, speed decreases. Fuel is added,

increasing speed until speed equals speed setpoint.

Due to the acceleration and lag time of the prime mover,
speed overshoots thus decreasing the fuel.

Speed decreases until speed equals speed setpoint.

Due to the deceleration and lag time of the prime mover,
speed undershoots thus decreasing the fuel.

Process is repeated remaining unstable or in some
conditions becoming more and more unstable.

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 Droop Governor

Load
Added
SPEED

Load
Removed

Droop Governor
Time
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 Droop Governor

A droop governor allows the feedback arm

to increase or decrease the force on the
speeder spring, thus increasing or
decreasing the speed reference with a
change in load (fuel demand) or speed.

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 Droop Curve

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 Droop Curve

Droop Definition: A decrease in desired

speed setpoint for an increase in load or
output servo position (feedback).

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 Droop Calculation

No Load Speed - Full Load Speed

% Droop = X 100
Rated Speed

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 Droop Calculation
Example of
5% Droop

3600 RPM Mechanical Load

(no load speed) or
(rated speed) Gen. set loaded by a load bank

3420 RPM 3600 RPM - 3420 RPM

X 100
(full load speed) 3600 RPM
0% = 5% Droop
LOAD 100%

3780 RPM
63 Hz
(no load speed) Example of
5% Droop

3600 RPM GEN. SET

60 Hz Loaded to Utility Bus
(full load speed) or
& Other GEN. SETS
(rated speed)

3780 RPM - 3600 RPM

X 100
0% LOAD 100% 3600 RPM
= 5% Droop

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 Isochronous Definition

ISOCHRONOUS
(ISO+CHRONOS = SAME +TIME)

CONSTANT SPEED
No change in speed setting
with an change in load

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 Isochronous Curve

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 Dashpot Compensated Governor

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 Dashpot Compensated Governor

The dashpot compensated governor was

the first governor designed to be an
isochronous governor.

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 Pressure Compensated Governor

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 Pressure Compensated Governor
Response

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 Storage of Mechanical-Hydraulic
Governor / Actuators

OR

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 Storage of Mechanical-Hydraulic
Governor / Actuators

To protect the governor / actuator from corrosion or rust damage,
certain storage procedures must be followed if the governor /
actuator will not be used within 90 days of receiving.

 Unbox governor / actuator and fill with lubricating oil if possible.

Beware of vent hole in the sight glass.
 Replace all shipping plugs, seal in plastic bag and store in original
box.
 For extra protection, seal inside two plastic bags with Desiccant (moisture
absorbent) between the two plastic layers.
 Store in a cool, dry place - preferably in a temperature and humidity
controlled environment.

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 Review Questions

What do the flyweights do in a mechanical

governor?

What sets the desired speed of the prime mover?

Where are the actual speed and desired speed
forces summed?

What is the definition of isochronous?

What is the definition of droop?

Any other questions / comments?

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 Notes:

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