DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB- IV

(D.O.M LAB)

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 Experiment 01 – Lift o test
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the lowest speed and centrifugal force needed for "lift o " of an unloaded
governor, to help appreciate the speeds needed for the other experiment (loaded speeds
are higher). To do an initial test to check the repeatability of the governor characteristics.

Introduction:
A governor is a mechanical or electronic device used to regulate the speed of an engine or system
by controlling fuel or power supply. It maintains a steady speed despite varying loads, ensuring
ef cient and stable operation.

Applications of Governors:

1. Automobiles: Regulates engine speed and enables cruise control.

2. Power Plants: Controls turbine speed to stabilize power output and frequency.
3. Generators: Maintains a consistent output under load changes.
4. Marine Engines: Ensures stable operation in ships.
5. Industrial Machinery: Keeps machinery at constant speeds for precision work.
6. Aviation: Used in aircraft engines to control speed and optimize performance.
Governors are essential in any system requiring precise speed control for safety and ef ciency.

Types of Governors:
1 Porter Governor
2 Hartnell Governor
3 Proell Governor.

Rotating masses

Sleeve

1. PorterGovernor. 2. Hartnell Governor 3. Proell Governor

Procedure:
1. Create a blank table of results similar to the table below.
- If you have VDAS, the software will create a table for you automatically when you start taking
readings.

2. Fit your chosen governor as shown in gure removing the governors.

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 3. For the porter and proell governor, t no additional weights. For the Hartnell governor, t the
smallest rotating masses and the largest spring. With no compression masses on (X=0). Its spring
should just be held in position.

4. Press the control control that connects the magnetic sleeve lift sensor.

5. Gradually pull the governor rotating masses out to check that the sleeve lift sensor detects the
sleeve lift. Now gently release the rotating masses.

6. Press and hold the zero button on the front of the base unit and t the safety dome.

7. Slowly increase the governor speed until the lift reaches approximately 2 mm and note the
speed.

8. Increase the speed slowly, checking that the lift increases smoothly with speed, up to the
maximum of 20 mm.

S. Lift o speed (N) Rad/sec h Radius r ω2 F (N)

No in rpm ω

F = m ⋅ ω2
m=
Mass of sleeve = kg

9. Decrease the speed to return the lift to 2 mm and check that the speed is similar (within +/- 2
rev/min) to value your records. If it is not, check the governor movement is free and not sticking.
You may need to add a small amount of oil to help (see maintenance, spare parts, and customers
care).

10. Reduce the speed carefully back to zero and change the governor for one of the other two.

11. Repeat for the Hartnell governor with the smallest spring.

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 35 15
R=15

h
85
L2=

138

Rotating mass r=50

m= 2 X 50 = 100g

24
L1=
65

Sleeve mass
M=353g

Fig: Dimensions of porter Governor

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 Basic Sleeve Lift and Velocity Characteristics
A Simple Centrifugal Governor
Figure shows a simple centrifugal governor with its arm, link and sleeve. The rotating mass (m) is
assumed to be much larger than the masses of the arm, link and sleeve. This allows you to ignore
the forces acting due to these components. Also, for any given constant speed, the problem
reduces to a simple case of ideal static equilibrium where the horizontal component of the tension
(T) in the arm balances the forces F.

Figure: A Simple Centrifugal Governor

The height (h) is found by taking moments about 0.

So
Fh = mgr (1)
And
F = mrω2

Substituting this into Equation 1 and rearranging gives the result:

h = g/ω2 or ω2 = g/h (2)

The movement of the sleeve Ali as the shaft speed changes by A gives the sensitivity of the
simple governor.

Di erentiating Equation 2 gives:

−2g
Δh = Δω (3)
ω3

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 This shows that the simple governor is responsive at very low speeds (ω→ 0), but has very little
Movement with which to control the engine at higher speeds. This is one reason for the
development of more complicated governors.

The Porter Governor

Figure: Theory for the Porter Governor

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 The porter Governor is a type of loaded governor. Mechanically it is similar to the simple governor,
but has a weighted sleeve. This means that compared to the simple governor, it gives less sleeve
movement and less sensitivity for the same velocity. Again, this theory assumes the masses of the
arms and links are small compared to the rotating mass and can be ignored. However, the sleeve
mass is now an important part of the analysis. Figure shows the forces acting on the system.

There are several ways of nding the relationship between h and ω. One way is to consider the
equilibrium of the rotating mass m, which is subject to forces T1, T2, F and mg. The tension T2,
can be found by constructing a triangle of forces for the link. Since the next stage is to take
moments about o, it is convenient to consider T2, as having a vertical component of ½ Mg and a
horizontal component of
½ Mg tanφ . The factor ½ occurs because there are two links.
Taking moments about 0,

Fh = mgr+ ½ Mgr+ ½ Mg tanφ x h (4)

If the shaft speed has a constant velocity:

F = mrω2 (5)

Combining Equations 4 and 5 and noting that tan θ = r/h gives:

h[ m( tanθ )]
g M tanϕ
ω2 = 1 + 0.5 1+ (6)

NOTE: The equation allows for the two sets of rotating masses of the governor, each of value m.

Typical calculation:
For 10 mm lift on an unloaded Porter governor,

M = 0.353 kg,
I'= 0.1 kg,
h = 0.0967 m,
ф = 31.13
θ = 31.65

0.0967 [ ( 0.616 )]
9.81 0.604
ω2 = 1 + 1.765 1 +

ω 2 = 101.45[1 + 1.765(1.98)]
ω 2 = 101.45[4.49]
ω = 21.34rad . s−1 = 203.93rev ⋅ min−1

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 Porter Governors with equal length arms
Most governors have arms and links of equal lengths, with pivots either on the shaft axis or o set
by the same distance, so θ and ф would be equal. Then, by geometry:

tan θ = r/h, = tan ф, (7)

Substituting Equation 7 into Equation 6 and rearranging give

ω2 = g/h(1+M/m) (8)
The expression in brackets must always be greater than 1. Therefore, if you compare Equation 8
with equation 2, you can see that same movement (h), the velocity (ω) of the porter governor must
be greater than of the simple centrifugal governor. Alternatively the movement h of the porter
Governor is lower than that of the simple governor at the same speed.

NOTE: The assumption of equal length arms and links is not true for the Porter Governor
on the equipment, which h a s slightly longer arms t h a n links, so the angles ф and
θ are not always the same. This part of the theory is for simple comparison only.

Governor E ort ( E )
When a real governor controls a fuel supply to an engine, if the governor turns at a steady speed
the sleeve exerts no force on the fuel supply mechanism. It only exerts a force if the speed
changes.

The governor e ort E is de ne as the average force exerted as the sleeve for a given percentage
change in speed often 1% or 2%. It is calculated by considering the force needed to keep the
sleeve in its original position after a speed change.

The Porter Governor

If the original speed is ω1 and the nal speed is ω2, Equation 4 and 5 give the following (se again
gure)

[ 2]
M 1
mr1ω12 h = m + gr + Mghtanϕ
2

[ 2]
M 1 1 1
mr1ω12 h = m + gr + Mghtanϕ + Er + Ehtanϕ
2 2 2

Note that the radius r1 remains the same because the sleeve is assumed to be held down.
Subtracting equation 27 from 28 and noting that (ω22 - ω12) = 2ω(ω2 - ω1) leads to the result:

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 The Proell Governor
A similar analysis based on Equation 5 and 9 gives the result:

The Hartnell Governor

Based on Equation 5 and 12 the e ort of a Hartnell Governor for a 1% change in speed is:

Figure: Governor E ort

Figure compares the e ort of the governors. For governors of a similar size, the Hartnell will exert
more e ort over a wider range of lift. The Proell and Porter governors will give similar values to
each other across the lift range.

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 Governor Lift of speed Lift of velocity ω2 Radius r for Force F (N)
(Rev/min) (rad/sec) ω 2mm sleeve lift

Porter

Hartnell (large
spring)

Proell

Hartnell (small
spring)

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