Functions of a Governor

What is a Governor:

    ➟ A governor, or controller, or speed limiter is a mechanical device that used to automatically maintain and regulate the rotary speed of an engine or other prime mover within reasonably close limits regardless of the load. 

    ➟ It allows the engine to run at the speed you select, without any effect of changing the load. 

    ➟ The main purpose of the governor is to control the flow of fuel into the engine to maintain a constant speed hence sometimes it is known as speed limiter. 

    ➟ When the load of an engine increases the speed of engine decreases and vice versa when the load on engine decreases speed of engine increases. 

    ➟ This is where governors play an important role to increase or reduce the fuel flow to engine according to the requirements.

Functions of a governor:
    ➟ The functions of a governor is to regulate the mean speed of an engine, when there are variations in the load. 
    ➟ When the load on an engine increases, its speed decreases, therefore it becomes necessary to increases the supply of working fluid. 
    ➟ On the other hand, when the load on the engine decreases, its speed increases and thus less working fluid is required. 
    ➟ The governor automatically controls the supply of working fluid to the engine with the varying load conditions and keeps the mean speed of the engine within certain limits.

 

    ➟ A little consideration will show, that when the load increases, the configuration of the governor changes and a valve is moved to increase the supply of the working fluid; conversely, when the load decreases, the engine speed increases and the governor decreases the supply of working fluid.

Difference between Flywheel & Governor:

    ➟ The functions of a flywheel in an engine is entirely different from that of a governor. 
    ➟ It controls the speed variation caused by the fluctuations of the engine turning moment during each cycle of operation. 

    ➟ It does not control the speed variations caused by a varying load.

    ➟ The varying demand for power is met by the governor regulating the supply of working fluid.