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BA3 - Water Wheel Research

charlightart
May 12, 2015
2 min read

I am very set on incorporating a water wheel into my design, so I wanted to find out some more in depth research into how they are structured and used within a mill.

The water wheel itself is usually made of wood or metal, with a large number of planks/blades on the outside rim with forms the driving surface. A selection of gears are mounted in which verticla wheels can "transmit power... through the axle".

What is a mill race?

"The channel carrying the swift current of water that drives a mill wheel."

"The race bringing water from the mill pond to the water wheel is a headrace; the one carrying water after it has left the wheel is commonly referred to as a tailrace."

What sets water wheels apart from modern hydroelectric dams is how they're limited in terms of location, because they must be dependent on flowing water. However "hydroelectric dams take advantage of the movement of water downhill."

Types of Water wheels:

"Water wheels come in two basic designs, either equipped with a vertical or a horizontal axle. The latter type can be subdivided, depending on where the water hits the wheel paddles, into overshot, breastshot and undershot wheels."

Undershot Water Wheel: "An undershot wheel (also called a stream wheel) is a vertically mounted water wheel that is rotated by water striking paddles or blades at the bottom of the wheel. The name undershot comes from this striking at the bottom of the wheel. This type of water wheel is the oldest type of wheel."

Overshot Water Wheel: "A vertically mounted water wheel that is rotated by falling water striking paddles, blades or buckets near the top of the wheel is said to be overshot."

Pitchback Water Wheel:

"A pitchback water wheel is often used to increase the power generated by a breastshot wheel."

Breastshot Water Wheel:

"A vertically mounted water wheel that is rotated by falling water striking buckets near the center of the wheel's edge, or just above it, is said to be breastshot. Breastshot wheels are the most common type in the United States of America and are said to have powered the American industrial revolution."