Water wheel (Mobius version) (AngieYaz Sonic Underground reboot)

A water wheel, like its counterpart on Earth, is a machine for converting the energy of flowing or falling water into useful forms of power, often in a watermill. A water wheel consists of a wheel (usually constructed from wood or metal—but most often metal), with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving car. Water wheels were still in commercial use well into the 20th century but they are no longer in common use. Uses included milling flour in gristmills, grinding wood into pulp for papermaking, hammering wrought iron, machining, ore crushing and pounding fiber for use in the manufacture of cloth.
Some water wheels are fed by water from a mill pond, which is formed when a flowing stream is dammed. A channel for the water flowing to or from a water wheel is called a mill race. 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.
Waterwheels were used for various purposes from agriculture to metallurgy in ancient civilizations on Mobius, spanning the Helenistic Grecian world, Romus, Chun-Nan and Indus. Waterwheels saw continued use in Medieval Europa as well as the contemporary Islaic world. In the mid to late 18th century a man's scientific investigation of the water wheel led to significant increases in efficiency supplying much needed power for the Industrial Revolution. Water wheels began being displaced by the smaller, less expensive and more efficient turbine, developed by Benoît Fourneyron, beginning with his first model in 1827. Turbines are capable of handling high heads, or elevations, that exceed the capability of practical-sized waterwheels.
The main difficulty of water wheels is their dependence on flowing water, which limits where they can be located. Modern hydroelectric dams on Mobius can be viewed as the descendants of the water wheel, as they too take advantage of the movement of water downhill.
==Types==
Overshot (and particularly backshot) wheels are the most efficient type; a backshot steel wheel can be more efficient (about 60%) than all but the most advanced and well-constructed turbines. In some situations an overshot wheel is preferable to a turbine.
The development of the hydraulic turbine wheels with their improved efficiency (>67%) opened up an alternative path for the installation of water wheels in existing mills, or redevelopment of abandoned mills.
==Efficiency==
Overshot (and particularly backshot) wheels are the most efficient type; a backshot steel wheel can be more efficient (about 60%) than all but the most advanced and well-constructed turbines. In some situations an overshot wheel is preferable to a turbine.
The development of the hydraulic turbine wheels with their improved efficiency (>67%) opened up an alternative path for the installation of water wheels in existing mills, or redevelopment of abandoned mills.
=== Summary of types ===
Vertical axis also known as tub or Norse mills.
* Horizontal wheel with a vertical axis
* A jet of water strikes blades mounted on the axle
* Driving surfaces – blades
* Water – low volume, high head
* Efficiency – poor
Stream (also known as free surface). Ship wheels are a type of stream wheel.
* Vertical wheel with horizontal axle
* The bottom of the wheel is placed into flowing water
* Driving surfaces – blades – flat prior to 18th century, curved thereafter
* Water – very large volume, no head
* Efficiency – about 20% prior to 18th century and later 50 to 60%
Undershot
* Vertical wheel with horizontal axle
* The water hits the wheel low down, typically in the bottom quarter
* Driving surfaces – blades – flat prior to 18th century, curved thereafter
* Water – large volume, low head
* Efficiency – about 20% prior to 18th century and later 50 to 60%
Breastshot
* Vertical wheel with horizontal axle
* The water hits the wheel roughly central, typically between one quarter and three quarters of the height.
* Driving surfaces – buckets – carefully shaped to ensure that the water enters smoothly
* Water – large volume, moderate head
* Efficiency – 50 to 60%
Overshot
* Vertical wheel with horizontal axle
* The water hits near the top of the wheel and in front of the axle so that it turns away from the head race
* Driving surfaces – buckets
* Water – low volume, large head
* Efficiency – 80 to 90%
Backshot (also known as pitchback)
* Vertical wheel with horizontal axle
* The water hits near the top of the wheel and before the axle so that it turns back towards the head race
* Driving surfaces – buckets
* Water – low volume, large head
* Efficiency – 80 to 90%
Category:AngieYaz Sonic Underground reboot
Category:Devices and Technology
Category:Mobius
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