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Welcome Phil, glad to have you here.

I browsed your website.
So many interesting topics; control loop analysis, pattern making, castings, electrical, etc.
Just chocked full of good experimentation.

I have studied the Porter governor, and I believe it was one of the first isochronous steam engine governors (check me on that).
An interesting study with its free-spinning central weight, and small spinning weights at a high rpm; said to be dead-on accurate.

I remember well the lesson in controls class about the importance of keeping your roots on the correct side of the S-plane to keep the feedback loop stable.
LOL, I forget now which side of the S-plane you want to avoid, but I recall the importance if it.

What are your model engine building plans for 2024 ?

Pat J

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Welcome Phil, glad to have you here.

I browsed your website.
So many interesting topics; control loop analysis, pattern making, castings, electrical, etc.
Just chocked full of good experimentation.

I have studied the Porter governor, and I believe it was one of the first isochronous steam engine governors (check me on that).
An interesting study with its free-spinning central weight, and small spinning weights at a high rpm; said to be dead-on accurate.

I remember well the lesson in controls class about the importance of keeping your roots on the correct side of the S-plane to keep the feedback loop stable.
LOL, I forget now which side of the S-plane you want to avoid, but I recall the importance if it.

What are your model engine building plans for 2024 ?

Pat J

.
... hmmm, never heard of a Porter governor, seems like a development of Watt's with an extra weight, which would further compound the failure mode! Any solely proportional feedback controller will have a negative speed vs load characteristic so will not be 'dead on accurate'. ... In Manchester science museum, there used to be a mechanical PID on the mill engine, but that has gone now. ... and its the real roots you want to avoid, on the RHS ;)
 
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Hi, I'm a retired engineer from Yorkshire.

See also...

philbarber2.wordpress.com
Hi Phil

I’m also in Yorkshire (Ripon) but less retired engineer more learning as I go! I do have a tech background though and like you (I looked at your website) enjoy fixing things and diving into projects.

Cheers

Chris
 
I would think that the function of the governor would also be heavily affected by the mass of the engine and it's load. A lighter engine with a lighter load would be much more responsive to changes in the governor setting, and thus more prone to more noticeable oscilations in speed. A heavier engine and load would have more resistance (inertia) and thus would be easier to govern. On the other hand, a motor with a variable load would present a whole different set of problems, and a motor connected to a load that goes from driven to driving would present a whole new batch of issues.

I would think that the valve design would be a major part of the design of any governor, and a non-linear taper would yield better results.
 
I would think that the function of the governor would also be heavily affected by the mass of the engine and it's load. A lighter engine with a lighter load would be much more responsive to changes in the governor setting, and thus more prone to more noticeable oscilations in speed. A heavier engine and load would have more resistance (inertia) and thus would be easier to govern. On the other hand, a motor with a variable load would present a whole different set of problems, and a motor connected to a load that goes from driven to driving would present a whole new batch of issues.

I would think that the valve design would be a major part of the design of any governor, and a non-linear taper would yield better results.
Indeed, the mathematics of the dynamic response of an inertive engine are well understood. A science in itself. You may be interested in a demo of this :

https://philbarber2.wordpress.com/2024/04/10/the-destabilising-effects-of-feedback/

As for regenerative braking,
 
Hi Phil

I’m also in Yorkshire (Ripon) but less retired engineer more learning as I go! I do have a tech background though and like you (I looked at your website) enjoy fixing things and diving into projects.

Cheers

Chris
Ripon is a fine place. I take it you are familiar with the 2' gauge by the canal.
 
There's excellent Mexican food in Ripon. Oh wait, that's Ripon, California, USA. I wonder whether the California Ripon is named after the Yorkshire Ripon. What is Ripon, UK famous for? Ripon, California is an old Central Valley farming town turning into sprawling housing developments along Highway 99.
 

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