Editing Governor (device)

{{About|the concept of self-limiting in mechanics|other uses|Self-limiting (disambiguation){{!}}Self-limiting}}
{{other uses|governor (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox electronic component
| name   = Governor
| image  = Speed limiter.jpg
| caption= Electronic governor or speed limiter
| type   = Switch
| symbol = [[File:IEEE 315 Contacts, Switches, Contactors, and Relays Symbols (153).svg]]
}}
{{short description|Device used to measure and regulate the speed of a machine}}
A '''governor''', or [[speed limiter]] or '''controller''', is a [[machine|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 [[James Watt|Watt]] or fly-ball governor on a reciprocating steam engine,  which uses the effect of [[Inertia|inertial force]] on rotating weights driven by the machine output shaft to regulate its speed by altering the input flow of steam.

== History ==
{{See also|Control theory}}
[[File:Centrifugal governor and balanced steam valve (New Catechism of the Steam Engine, 1904).jpg|thumb|Cut-away drawing of steam engine speed governor. The valve starts fully open at zero speed, and is closed as the balls rotate and rise. The speed sensing drive shaft is top right]]
[[File:Ashton Frost engine governor.jpg|thumb|Porter governor on a Corliss steam engine]][[Centrifugal governor]]s were used to regulate the distance and pressure between [[millstone]]s in [[windmill]]s since the 17th century. Early [[steam engine]]s employed a purely reciprocating motion, and were used for pumping water – an application that could tolerate variations in the working speed.

It was not until the Scottish engineer [[James Watt]] introduced the ''rotative'' steam engine, for driving factory machinery, that a constant operating speed became necessary.  Between the years 1775 and 1800, Watt, in partnership with industrialist [[Matthew Boulton]], produced some 500 rotative [[beam engine]]s.  At the heart of these engines was Watt's self-designed "conical pendulum" governor: a set of revolving steel balls attached to a vertical spindle by link arms, where the controlling force consists of the weight of the balls.

The theoretical basis for the operation of governors was described by [[James Clerk Maxwell]] in 1868 in his seminal paper  'On Governors'.<ref name="ben93p48">{{Cite book| publisher = IET
| isbn = 978-0-86341-299-8
| last = Bennett
| first = Stuart
| title = A history of control engineering, 1930-1955
| year = 1992
| page = [https://books.google.com/books?id=VD_b81J3yFoC&pg=PA48 p. 48]
}}</ref>

Building on Watt's design was American engineer [[Willard Gibbs]] who in 1872 theoretically analyzed Watt's conical pendulum governor from a mathematical energy balance perspective.  During his Graduate school years at [[Yale University]], Gibbs observed that the operation of the device in practice was beset with the disadvantages of sluggishness and a tendency to over-correct for the changes in speed it was supposed to control.<ref>{{Citation
  | last = Wheeler
  | first = Lynder Phelps
  | contribution = The Gibbs Governor for Steam Engines
  | year = 1947
  | title = The Early Work of Willard Gibbs in Applied Mechanics
  | editor-last = Wheeler
  | editor-first = Lynder Phelps
  | editor2-last = Waters
  | editor2-first = Everett Oyler
  | editor3-last = Dudley
  | editor3-first = Samuel William
  | pages = 63–78
  | place = New York
  | publisher = Henry Schuman
  }}</ref>

Gibbs theorized that, analogous to the equilibrium of the simple Watt governor (which depends on the balancing of two torques: one due to the weight of the "balls" and the other due to their rotation), [[thermodynamic equilibrium]] for any work producing [[thermodynamic system]] depends on the balance of two entities.  The first is the [[heat]] energy supplied to the intermediate substance, and the second is the [[Work (thermodynamics)|work]] energy performed by the intermediate substance.  In this case, the intermediate substance is steam.

These sorts of theoretical investigations culminated in the 1876 publication of Gibbs' famous work ''On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances'' and in the construction of the Gibbs’ governor.  These formulations are ubiquitous today in the natural sciences in the form of the Gibbs' [[Gibbs free energy|free energy]] equation, which is used to determine the equilibrium of chemical reactions; also known as ''Gibbs equilibrium''.<ref>Wheeler, L. (1951). ''Josiah Willard Gibbs - the History of a Great Mind.'' Woodbridge, CT: Ox Bow Press.</ref>

Governors were also to be found on early motor vehicles (such as the 1900 [[Wilson-Pilcher]]), where they were an alternative to a hand throttle. They were used to set the required engine speed, and the vehicle's throttle and timing were adjusted by the governor to hold the speed constant, similar to a modern [[cruise control]]. Governors were also optional on utility vehicles with engine-driven accessories such as winches or hydraulic pumps (such as [[Land Rover]]s), again to keep the engine at the required speed regardless of variations of the load being driven.

==Speed limiters==
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2009}}
{{main|Speed limiter}}
Governors can be used to limit the top speed for vehicles, and for some classes of vehicle such devices are a legal requirement. They can more generally be used to limit the rotational speed of the [[internal combustion engine]] or protect the engine from damage due to excessive rotational speed.

===Cars===
Today, [[BMW]], [[Audi]], [[Volkswagen]] and [[Mercedes-Benz]] limit their production cars to {{cvt|250|km/h|0}}.  Certain [[Audi Sport GmbH]] and [[Mercedes-AMG|AMG]] cars, and the [[Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren|Mercedes/McLaren SLR]] are exceptions. The BMW Rolls-Royces are limited to {{cvt|240|km/h|0}}. [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguars]], although British, also have a limiter, as do the Swedish [[Saab Automobile|Saab]] and [[Volvo Cars|Volvo]] on cars where it is necessary.

German manufacturers initially started the "[[gentlemen's agreement]]", electronically limiting their vehicles to a top speed of {{cvt|250|km/h|0}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autoevolution.com/news/gentlemens-agreement-not-so-fast-sir-47736.html|title=Gentlemen's Agreement: Not So Fast, Sir!|author=Bogdan Popa|work=autoevolution|date=28 July 2012}}</ref><ref>van Gorp, Anke. "Ethical Issues in Engineering Design; Safety and Sustainability" page 16. Published by 3TU Ethics, 2005. {{ISBN|9090199071}}, 9789090199078 . ISSN 1574-941X</ref> since such high speeds are more likely on the [[Autobahn]].  This was done to reduce the political desire to introduce a legal speed limit.

In European markets, [[General Motors Europe]] sometimes choose to discount the agreement, meaning that certain high-powered [[Opel]] or [[Vauxhall Motors|Vauxhall]] cars can exceed the {{cvt|250|km/h|0}} mark, whereas their [[Cadillac]]s do not.  [[Ferrari]], [[Lamborghini]], [[Maserati]], [[Porsche]], [[Aston Martin]] and [[Bentley]] also do not limit their cars, at least not to {{cvt|250|km/h|0}}. The Chrysler [[Chrysler 300#300C|300C]] SRT8 is limited to {{cvt|270|km/h|0}}.  Most Japanese domestic market vehicles are limited to only {{cvt|180|km/h|0}} or {{cvt|190|km/h|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fv20080413pl.html |title=Why Japan finally got its foot off the brake &#124; The Japan Times Online |publisher=Search.japantimes.co.jp |date=2008-04-13 |access-date=2012-11-08}}</ref>  The top speed is a strong sales argument, though speeds above about {{cvt|300|km/h|-1}} are not likely reachable on public roads.

Many performance cars are limited to a speed of {{cvt|250|km/h|0}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/so-long-guvnor-mercedes-will-unlock-top-speed-on-amg-models-in-the-us-for-a-price-154226.php|title=So Long Guv'nor: Mercedes Will Unlock Top Speed on AMG Models in the US, for a Price|author=Mike Spinelli|work=Jalopnik|date=11 February 2006 }}</ref> to limit insurance costs of the vehicle, and reduce the risk of [[tire]]s failing.

===Mopeds===
[[Mopeds]] in the United Kingdom have required a {{cvt|30|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} speed limiter since 1977.<ref>{{anchor|Dft2008a}} {{cite web|url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/221549/227755/rrcgb2008.pdf|title=Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2008 Annual Report|author=Department for Transport|year=2008|access-date=2010-01-09}} p.179 states: "Mopeds redefined to 30 mph maximum design speed"</ref> Most other European countries have similar rules (see the main article).

===Public services vehicles===
Public service vehicles often have a legislated top speed. [[Coach transport in the United Kingdom|Scheduled coach services in the United kingdom]] (and also [[Bus transport in the United Kingdom|bus services]]) are limited to 65&nbsp;mph.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/History?OpenDocument|title=History of British road safety|access-date=2010-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617064650/http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/History?OpenDocument|archive-date=2010-06-17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Urban public buses often have speed governors which are typically set to between {{cvt|65|km/h|0}} and {{cvt|100|km/h|0}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}

===Trucks===
All [[heavy vehicle]]s in [[Europe]] and [[New Zealand]] have law/by-law governors that limits their speeds to {{cvt|90|km/h|0}} or {{cvt|100|km/h|0}}.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}} [[Fire engine]]s and other emergency vehicles are exempt from this requirement.

==Example uses==

===Aircraft===
[[Propeller (aircraft)|Aircraft propellers]] are another application. The governor senses shaft RPM, and adjusts or controls the angle of the blades to vary the torque load on the engine. Thus as the aircraft speeds up (as in a dive) or slows (in climb) the RPM is held constant.

===Small engines===

Small engines, used to power [[lawn mower]]s, portable [[engine-generator|generators]], and [[lawn]] and [[garden]] [[tractor]]s, are equipped with a governor to limit fuel to the engine to a maximum safe speed when unloaded and to maintain a relatively constant speed despite changes in loading.  In the case of generator applications, the engine speed must be closely controlled so the output [[frequency]] of the generator will remain reasonably constant.

Small engine governors are typically one of three types:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/faqs/browse/governor-system.html|title=How does a small engine governor work? {{!}} Briggs & Stratton|website=www.briggsandstratton.com|access-date=2018-03-22}}</ref>
*'''[[Pneumatic]]''': the governor mechanism detects air flow from the [[flywheel]] [[fan (mechanical)|blower]] used to cool an air-cooled engine.  The typical design includes an [[air vane]] mounted inside the engine's blower housing and linked to the [[carburetor]]'s [[throttle]] shaft.  A [[spring (device)|spring]] pulls the throttle open and, as the engine gains speed, increased air flow from the blower forces the vane back against the spring, partially closing the throttle.  Eventually, a point of [[Thermodynamic equilibrium|equilibrium]] will be reached and the engine will run at a relatively constant speed.  Pneumatic governors are simple in design and inexpensive to produce. They do not regulate engine speed very accurately and are affected by air density, as well as external conditions that may influence airflow.
*'''[[centrifugal governor|Centrifugal]]''': a flyweight mechanism driven by the engine is linked to the throttle and works against a spring in a fashion similar to that of the pneumatic governor, resulting in essentially identical operation.  A centrifugal governor is more complex to design and produce than a pneumatic governor. The centrifugal design is more sensitive to speed changes and hence is better suited to engines that experience large fluctuations in loading.
*'''[[Electronics|Electronic]]''': a [[servo motor]] is linked to the throttle and controlled by an electronic [[Modular design|module]] that senses engine speed by counting [[electrical]] [[Pulse (signal processing)|pulse]]s emitted by the [[ignition system]] or a magnetic pickup.  The frequency of these pulses varies directly with engine speed, allowing the control module to apply a proportional [[voltage]] to the servo to regulate engine speed.  Due to their sensitivity and rapid response to speed changes, electronic governors are often fitted to engine-driven generators designed to power [[computer hardware]], as the generator's output frequency must be held within narrow limits to avoid malfunction.

===Turbine controls===
[[File:From Turbine to Line Shaft.webm|thumb|Operation of a flyball governor to control speeds of a water turbine]]
In [[steam turbine]]s, the [[steam turbine governing]] is the procedure of monitoring and controlling the flow rate of steam into the turbine with the objective of maintaining its speed of rotation as constant. The flow rate of steam is monitored and controlled by interposing valves between the boiler and the turbine.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rathore|first1=M.M.|title=Thermal engineering|date=2010|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-0-07-068113-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hBl2IIcbLy0C|access-date=29 January 2015}}</ref>

In [[water turbine]]s, governors have been used since the mid-19th century to control their speed. A typical system would use a Flyball governor acting directly on the turbine input valve or the [[wicket gate]] to control the amount of water entering the turbine. By 1930, mechanical governors started to use [[PID controller|PID]] controllers for more precise control. In the later part of the twentieth century, electronic governors and digital systems started to replace mechanical governors.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Fasol|first1=Karl Heinz|title=A Short History of Hydropower Control|journal=IEEE Control Systems Magazine|date=August 2002|volume=22|issue=4|pages=68–76|doi=10.1109/MCS.2002.1021646|url=http://ieeecss.org/CSM/library/2002/aug02/04-HistoricalPerspectives.pdf|access-date=29 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151106083244/http://ieeecss.org/CSM/library/2002/aug02/04-HistoricalPerspectives.pdf|archive-date=6 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Electrical generator===
{{main|droop speed control}}
For electrical generation on [[synchronous electrical grid]]s, prime movers drive [[electrical generator]]s which are electrically coupled to any other generators on the grid. With droop speed control, the frequency of the entire grid determines the fuel delivered to each generator, so that if the grid runs faster, the fuel is reduced to each generator by its governor to limit the speed.

===Elevator===
Governors are used in [[elevator|elevators]]. It acts as a stopping mechanism in case the elevator runs beyond its tripping speed (which is usually a factor of the maximum speed of the lift and is preset by the manufacturer as per the international lift safety guidelines). This device must be installed in traction elevators and roped hydraulic elevators.

===Music box===
Governors are used in some wind-up music boxes to keep the music playing at a somewhat constant speed while the tension on the spring is decreasing.

== See also ==
*[[Regulator (automatic control)|Regulator]]
*[[Servomechanism]]
*[[Hit and miss engine]]
*[[Centrifugal governor]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

[[Category:Mechanisms (engineering)]]
[[Category:Mechanical power control]]
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