Mechanical Governors

Governors
• Governors serve three basic purposes:
• Maintain a speed selected by the operator
which is within the range of the governor.
• Prevent over-speed which may cause engine
damage.
• Limit both high and low speeds.
 Governors
• Generally governors are used to maintain a
fixed speed not readily adjustable by the
operator or to maintain a speed selected by
means of a throttle control lever.

• In either case, the governor protects against

overspeeding.
 How does it work?
• If the load is removed on an operating engine,
the governor immediately closes the throttle.
• If the engine load is increased, the throttle will
be opened to prevent engine speed form
being reduced.
 Type of governor

The type of governor used on diesel engines is dependent upon the

application required. The six basic types of governors are as follows:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. Mechanical centrifugal flyweight style that relies on a set of

rotating flyweights and a control spring; used since the inception
of the diesel engine to control its speed.
2. Power-assisted servomechanical style that
operates similar to the mechanical centrifugal flyweight but
uses engine oil under pressure to move the operating linkage.
3. Hydraulic governor that relies on the movement of a pilot
valve plunger to control pressurized oil flow to a power piston,
which, in turn, moves the fuel control mechanism.
Type of governor……….
4. Pneumatic governor that is responsive to the air flow (vacuum) in the
intake manifold of an engine. A diaphragm within the governor
housing is connected to the fuel control linkage
that changes its setting with increases or decreases in the vacuum.
5. Electromechanical governor uses a magnetic
speed pickup sensor on an engine-driven component to monitor the
rpm of the engine. The sensor sends a voltage signal to an electronic
control unit that controls the current flow to a mechanical actuator
connected to the fuel linkage.
6. Electronic governor uses magnetic speed sensor to monitor the rpm
of the engine. The sensor continuously feeds information back to the
ECM (electronic control module). The ECM then computes all the
information sent from all other engine sensors, such as the throttle
position sensor, turbocharger-boost sensor, engine oil pressure and
temperature sensor, engine coolant sensor, and fuel temperature to limit
engine speed
 Dead-weight Governors
The radius of the ball path is controlled by lever and
weights the latter being usually attached to the sleeve as
in the Watt (a) Porter (b) or Proell (c) governors
 Spring-loaded Governors.
The balls are controlled by springs acting on them or the sleeve
(a) Hartnell (b) Wilson - Hartnell (c)
Wilson – Hartnell Governor
Hartung Governor
Pickering governor
Porter
Proell
 Definitions

• Sensitivity is defined as the ratio of the mean speed

to the speed range of the governor over its limits of
operation.
 Sensitivity

• Sensitivity is the percent of speed change required to

produce a corrective movement of the fuel control
mechanism.

• High governor sensitivity will help keep the engine

operating at a constant speed.
 Hunting

• Hunting: The governor is said to hunting if the

engine speed is caused to fluctuate continually above
and below the mean speed. This is caused by over-
compensation of the energy supply due to the
governor being too sensitive
 Hunting

• Hunting is a condition whereby the engine

speed fluctuate or is erratic usually when first
started.
• The engine speeds up and slows down over
and over as the governor tries to regulate the
engine speed.
• This is usually caused by an improperly
adjusted carburetor.
 Stability

• Stability: A governor is said to be stable if there is

one equilibrium speed for each radius of rotation and
this speed increases with the radius.
 Stability

• Stability is the ability to maintain a desired engine

speed without fluctuating.
• Instability results in hunting or oscillating due to over
correction.
• Excessive stability results in a dead-beat governor or
one that does not correct sufficiently for load
changes.
 Isochronism

• Isochronism: A governor is said to be isochronous if,

neglecting friction, the equilibrium speed is the same
for all radii of the balls. This implies infinite
sensitivity and the governor will always fly to one or
other extreme position.
 Controlling Force

• Controlling Force is the inward radial force

exerted on each ball of a centrifugal governor
by the arms, spring, etc. which are attached to
it. At any equilibrium speed the controlling
force is equal and opposite to the centrifugal
force.
 Effort and Power

• Effort is the mean force exerted at the sleeve due to

a 1% change in the speed of the governor.

• Power is the work done at the sleeve for a 1%

change in speed. It is called "The Power" and is equal
to the effort times the sleeve displacement.
 Vacuum Governors

• Located between the carburetor and the intake manifold.

• It senses changes in intake manifold pressure (vacuum).
• As engine speed increases or decreases the governor closes
or opens the throttle respectively to control engine speed.
 HYDRAULIC GOVERNOR

Woodward governor is commonly used on board

A hydraulic amplifier amplifies the governor’s signal to the fuel

pump.

The hydraulic pressure for the amplifier is delivered by

the camshaft lubricating oil system.
 ELECTRONIC GOVERNOR

The electronic governor uses a combination of

electrical and mechanical components.

Speed sensing device: magnetic pick-up coil.

The rectified voltage signal is used in conjunction
with a set speed signal to operate a hydraulic unit.

Then the fuel controls are moved in the appropriate

direction to control the engine speed.
 Why Use an Electronic Governor?

• Allows for very precise governing

• Requires very limited amount of moving parts
• Can fit in small areas
• Easy to adjust for changes in application
• Interfaces easily with other controlling devices
 Why Use a Mechanical Governor?

• Could be less expensive

• Can use in wide range of conditions
– Marine Applications
– Extreme Temperatures
• Usually easier to troubleshoot
• More transparent
 Mechanical Governor Shortcomings

• Have a delayed response time called “droop”

• This delay in response time induces something called
“hunting”
– Can be thought of in terms of overshoot and over/under
damping
– Can tune a mechanical system to minimize hunting using
additional external mechanical governors