Hydropower

Title: Flow of Water Through a Turbine Powered Mill
Type: Diagram
Date: no date
Source: Scott F. Anfinson

Description: The Pillsbury "B" Mill used this system to get water to the turbines that would power the mill.

Activities:

1. What do you think the area called "race" is to the left of the diagram?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The race is the channel where water was diverted away from the river and toward the mills to be used for water power.
2. What might be the use of the control gate at the top of the diagram?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The control gate was used to regulate how much water could run into the mill flume. More water meant more power from the turbine, or that more turbines could be used.
3. The lower left of the diagram shows details of the control gate and a trash rack. What might the trash rack have been used for?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The trash rack was used to filter large debris (such as logs) out of the river before it could flow to the turbine and damage it.
4. What do you think the words "tail race" at the lower right of the diagram refer to?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The race is the path of the water through the mill, so the tail race is the end of the line where the water flowed out to rejoin the river.