Controlling Prime Movers
Neil Petchers · River Publishers eBooks · 2020
Prime mover control systems regulate input of energy to the prime mover and the conversion of this energy into power in a safe and efficient manner. The essential role of prime mover control is to continue to operate the prime mover safely in a steady-state mode, while responding to the transient situation as fast as possible with a minimum of instability. A governor is a device that controls the speed, or some other parameter, of a prime mover. All prime movers are rotating machines that derive their power from the flow of some energy input, such as fuel or steam. Most commonly, prime mover speed is controlled by varying the flow of the energy input. Governors may feature mechanical or electronic designs. In mechanical governors, shaft speed is sensed by a fly-ball mechanism that exerts a force proportional to the rotational speed of the prime mover. Hydraulic relays provide input to the control valves.