# Flyball Governor running on my steam engine



## Brian Rupnow (Dec 11, 2008)

Tech problems mostly fixed---this should work better!!!


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## cfellows (Dec 11, 2008)

It sure looks good Brian, but the video doesn't show the engine running??? Did something get cut off?

Chuck


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## kvom (Dec 11, 2008)

:bow:


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## Maryak (Dec 12, 2008)

Brian's video last words - "I'm happy with it"

And so you jolly well should be 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





That Brian is Super 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










Best Regards
Bob


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## dsquire (Dec 12, 2008)

Brian

Job well done. It looks like it came off the drawing board and went to work just about like it was supposed to. Doesn't look like you need much fine tuning with this. Have a drink on me Brian. :bow: :bow:

Cheers

Don


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## Bernd (Dec 12, 2008)

Very good Brian. I see that the fly balls are doing exactly what they are supposed to, but the engine is not doing what the fly ball governor is telling it to do. If you have ever observed a traction engine belted up to a saw mill you would see that the fly ball governor is used to keep the engine at a constant speed under varying loads. The flay balls on your engine my open the valve to give more pressure but the engine is not keeping a constant speed. It is hard to scale down the dynamics of such an engine and have it work like the real steam engine. Perhaps it would work different using steam instead of air.

The flay ball governor is the mechanical cruise control of the steam engine.

Again nice job on that governor. :bow:

Bernd


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## kustomkb (Dec 12, 2008)

Great job!


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## Brian Rupnow (Dec 12, 2008)

Bernd  said:
			
		

> Very good Brian. I see that the fly balls are doing exactly what they are supposed to, but the engine is not doing what the fly ball governor is telling it to do. If you have ever observed a traction engine belted up to a saw mill you would see that the fly ball governor is used to keep the engine at a constant speed under varying loads. The flay balls on your engine my open the valve to give more pressure but the engine is not keeping a constant speed. It is hard to scale down the dynamics of such an engine and have it work like the real steam engine. Perhaps it would work different using steam instead of air.
> 
> The flay ball governor is the mechanical cruise control of the steam engine.
> 
> ...



I'm pretty sure that was happening because I was only running at 40 PSI. If I was running at 100 PSI for instance, as soon as the load come on, and the flyball moved to allow more flow into the engine through the valve, the higher pressured air rushing in would keep the engine from slowing down. You are right--it is difficult to scale down some of these actions/reactions.


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## tel (Dec 12, 2008)

.... also almost impossible to see the effect unless you can apply a varying load, such as driving a saw would give, to the engine


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## mklotz (Dec 12, 2008)

Very nice work, Brian. Stick your chest out and be proud.

Now that we've got all the fly-ball experts in a huddle, I have a question - something that bothered me when I built the governor on Elmer Verburg's rope drive engine.

Brian's valve has a (round) hole that, as the valve slides, covers/uncovers the (round) holes in the valve body to modulate the air flow.

This arrangement means that, to first order, the valving action is non-linear. Depending on the valve rod position, the change in opening size for a small change in valve rod postion will not be constant.

My question is: Does this matter and, if so, what are the implications? Can anyone with full-size governors tell us how the valving action is accomplished on real governors?

OK, two questions. (I've gotta work on that counting thing.  )


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## Brian Rupnow (Dec 12, 2008)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> Very nice work, Brian. Stick your chest out and be proud.
> 
> Now that we've got all the fly-ball experts in a huddle, I have a question - something that bothered me when I built the governor on Elmer Verburg's rope drive engine.
> 
> ...


Marv---If you take a look at the blown up solid models on this thread, you will see that the round hole in my valve rod is actually a slot!!! I had the same thought that you are having.---Brian


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## Maryak (Dec 12, 2008)

Marv,

Here is a 12" : 1ft Governor for a reciprocating steam generator. The valving action uses cotton reel valves and incorporates a compensating spring and lever in the form of the bell crank.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Brian Rupnow (Dec 12, 2008)

I just posted a complete set of engineering drawings for this governor in the uploads section, in .pdf format. You are welcome to use them--if you download them I would appreciate a karma point. Its a fun project.---Brian


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## lathe nut (Dec 12, 2008)

Brian, you did it again, I don't know about the do and don't and what is suppose to be or not to be but you have proof that it works, not like your going to the moon either, I say you did great and not only that you know how to share, teach and encourage others, I for one am thankful, going to the down load now, some day I will try to do that, thanks teacher, Lathe Nut


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## itowbig (Dec 13, 2008)

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:


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## Bernd (Dec 14, 2008)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> My question is: Can anyone with full-size governors tell us how the valving action is accomplished on real governors?



Edited to just the one question Marv had.

Here's a pic from "Stean Engine Priciples & Practice" from 1922. A book reproduced by Lindsay Publications.





And here's what it would look like sitting on top of 110HP Case traction engine.





Hope this helped Marv. There's more to this governor thing that can be published here.

Bernd


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## Metal Mickey (Dec 14, 2008)

Very interesting thread and a good instructional video. Enjoyed the ride as it were. Seeing it come off the CAD to the machine....good st :bow:


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## ChooChooMike (Dec 16, 2008)

EXCELLENT BRIAN !! :bow: :bow: Love to see how you developed this from scratch !!


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