Abstract
In this paper is presented a general picture of closed-sequence system controls of hydro-electric plants, covering the relation between water-turbine governors and water level, power, frequency and tie-line controls.
Special mention is made of the difficulty of governing created by the inertia of the water in the pipe-line.
Different types of water-turbine governor are examined. This is followed by an analytical description of the miscellany of devices incorporated into water-turbine governors, including centrifugal devices and their drives, hydraulic and mechanical addition and subtraction, pilot relays, distributing valves and servomotors, temporary-return-motion and acceleration-sensitive devices.
A description is given of the simultaneous control of guide vanes and runner vanes, or guide vanes and relief valve, or spear and diffuser or deflector.
Various arrangements for supplying pressure oil are mentioned for small governors and for very large governors where 300,000 ft.-lb. of energy can be released in a single stroke.
This descriptive analysis is followed by a description of an actual governor.
The paper concludes with an appendix which gives a brief theoretical analysis of the behaviour of a water-turbine governor.
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