What is the major disadvantage of a mechanical governor?

The major disadvantage of a mechanical governor is that it inherently has high-speed droop, which refers to the phenomenon where the governor allows the speed of the engine or turbine to decrease as load increases. This is largely due to the mechanical components and inertia involved in the system, which can cause a delay in response to changes in load. As the load increases, the mechanical governor may not react quickly enough to maintain a constant speed, leading to instability and precision issues at higher speeds.

Additionally, mechanical governors rely on physical mechanisms, such as weights and springs, that may not provide the same level of performance efficiency as electronic governors. This inability to maintain speed under varying load conditions can affect the overall system performance and efficiency, especially in applications that demand tight speed regulation.

In contrast, electronic governors can offer a more precise, responsive management of speed, making them preferable in many modern applications where performance is critical. Understanding this drawback of mechanical governors is essential for engineers when assessing the appropriate control system for a given application.