YOUR OWN WATER-POWER PLANT
(Page 3 of 8)
Ball bearings may be employed, but are not necessary since
the wheel turns at comparatively low speeds. If the builder
prefers to use plain bearings, it will simplify machining
the shaft, which should present a shoulder to the inside of
the bearing so that the wheel may be positioned. If plain
bearings are employed, babbitted linings are satisfactory,
provided provision is made for proper lubrication.
RELATED CONTENT
One vital job that the foundation must do is hold the wheel
and the nozzle in correct relative positions. It should be
placed on firm ground or piling so that it will not settle
unevenly, and must, of course, take advantage of all the
head possible. The penstock from the dam should have easy
access to the nozzle, and the tail water easy escape to the
stream. If possible use 4" or larger pipe for the penstock
and lay it out to hold frictional losses to a minimum. The
width of the foundation is such as to allow the water to
fly clear of the buckets. The removable cover over the
upper half of the wheel may fit more closely, since no
water sprays from the buckets through this half of the
revolution.
The foundation may be made of such materials as timbers in
a framework, masonry, or concrete, so long as it fulfills
the above requirements. The wheel and the machinery being
driven may then be housed in any suitable, inexpensive
shed.
It's not wise to dispense with a gate valve, which is used
to cut off or to throttle the water supply to the wheel.
Since a gate valve cannot be operated rapidly, it is the
best type, eliminating the risk of dangerous water hammer
in the penstock. It is also well suited for throttling
because fine adjustment is obtainable through the long
operating screw. In throttling, the gate valve should be
used together with a tachometer or revolution counter
connected to the wheel shaft to secure the optimum speed
and horsepower for the stream condition and load. Either
fasten a tachometer permanently to the shaft, or keep a
revolution counter handy in the wheel shed.
Generally the head and volume of water flowing to the wheel
will remain constant, resulting in a constant output. If
the machinery driven by the wheel has a level power demand
there will be little need for constant adjustment of the
valve.
The requisite piping, pipe fittings, steel sheet and rod
bolts and nuts, and gaskets are available at
building-supply houses houses or steel distributors.
Machine screws, lock nuts bearings, and the like may be
purchased from good-sized hardware distrib utors or
mail-order houses.
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