Paddle blade pivoting on water wheel - acts under own weight as lid to troughs of paddle

摘要

The water wheel is used to convert energy from water into mechanical energy and then into electrical energy. The efficiency is increased by use of a movable paddle which creates a large opening to the water fall and which is as far as possible from the wheel centre to increase torque. The paddles on a water wheel are in the form of troughs mounted on the periphery. These troughs have a moving part which flaps on the fixed part to allow water to enter readily under the force of the water. The centrifugal force causes the flap to reduce the section for the passage of water until the paddle is at the low horizontal position when the flap opens under its own weight to release the water.