Governor Sensitivity Explained

A governor's primary role is to regulate the speed of an engine or machine by adjusting the fuel supply (or other mechanisms) based on speed variations. The sensitivity of a governor describes how readily it responds to changes in speed.

Sensitive Governor Characteristics

• A governor is termed sensitive when a small change in the engine's speed results in a significant displacement of the governor sleeve.
• This means even minor speed fluctuations cause a large movement of the control mechanism, leading to substantial adjustments in fuel or power input.
• High sensitivity implies the governor can react quickly and forcefully to speed deviations.

Analyzing Governor Types

• Hunting governors tend to oscillate around the set speed.
• Stable governors return to a steady state after a disturbance.
• Isochronous governors maintain a constant speed regardless of load, representing maximum sensitivity (zero speed regulation).
• However, the specific term for a governor where the sleeve displacement is high for a small change in speed is sensitive.

Therefore, the governor characterized by a large sleeve displacement for a small change in speed is known as a sensitive governor.