A governor is a 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 Watt or fly-ball governor, which uses weights mounted on spring-loaded arms to determine how fast a shaft is spinning, and then uses proportional control to regulate the shaft speed. Look up device in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wind turbines The scientific definition of a machine is any device that transmits or modifies energy. ... An engine in the broadest sense, is something that produces an output effect from a given input. ... A centrifugal governor is a specific type of governor that controls the speed of an engine by regulating the amount of fuel admitted, so as to maintain a near constant speed whatever the load or fuel supply conditions. ... James Watt James Watt (19 January 1736 – 19 August 1819) was a Scottish inventor and engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution. ... attention A proportional control system is a type of linear feedback control system. ...

History

The Gibbs Governor

Historically, in 1698 the first engine was built by the English engineer Thomas Savery. In 1769 the French engineer Nicolas Cugnot built the first pseudo-automobile, a steam-powered tricycle. Between the years 1775 and 1800 Scottish engineer James Watt in partnership with industrialist Matthew Boulton produced some 500 engines. At the heart of these engines was Watt’s self-designed “conical pendulum” governor, being a set of revolving steel balls attached to a vertical spindle by link arms, and where the controlling force consists of the weight of the balls. Image File history File links Gibbs-governor. ... Image File history File links Gibbs-governor. ... Thomas Savery (c. ... Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot (25 September 1725 - 2 October 1804) was a French inventor who built what may have been the worlds first self-propelled mechanical vehicle or automobile. ... James Watt James Watt (19 January 1736 – 19 August 1819) was a Scottish inventor and engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution. ... Matthew Boulton. ...

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, Gibbs observed that the operation of the device in practice was beset with the disadvantages of sluggishness and a tendency to overcorrect for the changes in speed it was supposed to control. Josiah Willard Gibbs (February 11, 1839 – April 28, 1903) was an American mathematical physicist who contributed much of the theoretical foundation that led to the development of chemical thermodynamics and was one of the founders of vector analysis. ...

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 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 the Gibbs' famous work On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances and in the construction of the Gibbs’ governor, shown adjacent. These formulations are ubiquitous today in the natural sciences in the form of the Gibbs' free energy equation, which is used to determine the equilibrium of chemical reactions; also known as Gibbs equilibrium.^[1] In thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium when it is in thermal equilibrium, mechanical equilibrium, and chemical equilibrium. ... Thermodynamics (Greek: thermos = heat and dynamic = change) is the physics of energy, heat, work, entropy and the spontaneity of processes. ... For other uses, see Heat (disambiguation) In physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is energy transferred from one body or system to another as a result of a difference in temperature. ... In thermodynamics, work is the quantity of energy transferred from one system to another without an accompanying transfer of entropy. ... The free energy is a measure of the amount of mechanical (or other) work that can be extracted from a system, and is helpful in engineering applications. ...

Automobile governors

Automobiles are a common application, and modern automobiles are equipped with such a mechanism for various reasons. There are two types of automobile governors, one limiting the rotational speed of the engine, the other limiting the speed of the vehicle. In small, low power applications, governors are used to protect the engine from damage due to excessive rotational speed, or pushing the engine past its peak abilities. In larger, higher performance engines governors are used to limit the vehicle speed. Many performance cars are limited to a speed of 250 km/h (155 mph)^[2] to limit insurance costs of the vehicle and reduce the risk of tires (tyres) failing. Urban public buses often have speed governors which are typically set at 40 to 55 miles per hour.

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. A propeller can be seen as a rotating fin in water or a wing in air. ...

The German manufacturers initially started the gentlemen's agreement, since high speeds are more likely on the autobahn. Today, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz limit their production cars to 155mph. Certain AMG cars and the Mercedes/McLaren SLR are exceptions. The Rolls-Royce Phantom (BMW) is limited to 149mph (240kph). Jaguar, despite being British, also have a limiter. As do the Swedish Saab and Volvo on cars where it is necessary. It has been suggested that German Autobahns be merged into this article or section. ... Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), is an independent German company and manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. ... Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and has been an almost wholly owned (99. ... Volkswagen AG (ISIN: DE0007664005), or VW, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... AMG is the acronym for the following: All Media Guide: the worlds largest music, movie, and game metadata database company. ... The Rolls-Royce Phantom is an ultra-luxury saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a BMW subsidiary, in the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Jaguar (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Saab (disambiguation). ... Volvo Cars is the luxury car maker using the Volvo Trademark. ...

In European markets, GM sometimes choose to discount the agreement, meaning that certain high-powered Opel or Vauxhall cars can exceed the 155mph mark, whereas their Cadillacs do not. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche, Aston Martin and Bentley also do not limit their cars, at least not to 155mph. Chryslers in Europe such as the 300C SRT8 have no limiter. High-powered Japanese cars such as the Mitsubishi Evo or Nissan Skyline GT-R have no limiter. This article is about the European car manufacturer. ... Vauxhall is an inner city area of south London in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... Cadillac is a brand of luxury vehicles, part of General Motors, produced and mostly sold in the United States and Canada. ... Ferrari Enzo. ... Automobili Lamborghini S.p. ... A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the auto company. ... Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a manufacturer of luxury performance cars, whose headquarters are at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England in the United Kingdom. ... Bentleys winged B badge and hood ornament 1929 Blower Bentley from the Ralph Lauren collection. ... For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... The Schweizer 300C Schweizer 300C Cockpit // Overview The Schweizer Aircraft Corporation model 300C is a piston-powered light utility helicopter. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Nissan Skyline GT-R is an iconic Japanese sports coupé in the Nissan Skyline range. ...

See also

• Regulator

References

1. ^ Wheeler, L. (1951). Josiah Willard Gibbs - the History of a Great Mind. Woodbridge, CT: Ox Bow Press.
2. ^ The "gentlemen's agreement" top speed of 250 km/h (155.2 mph)