- A sluice or gate used to control a flow of water.
- A pipe or conduit used to carry water to a water wheel or turbine.
penstock
Dictionary:
pen·stock (pĕn'stŏk')  |
n.
| 5min Related Video: penstock |
| WordNet: penstock |
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1:
regulator consisting of a valve or gate that controls the rate of water flow through a sluice
Synonyms: sluicegate, sluice valve, floodgate, head gate, water gate
Meaning #2:
conduit that carries a rapid flow of water controlled by a sluicegate
Synonyms: sluice, sluiceway
| Wikipedia: Penstock |
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills.
Contents |
In hydro-electric systems and dams
Penstocks for hydroelectric installations are normally equipped with a gate system and a surge tank. Flow is regulated by turbine operation and is nil when turbines are not in service. Maintenance requirements may include hot water wash, manual cleaning, antifouling coatings, and desiccation.
The term is also used in irrigation dams to refer to the channels leading to and from high-pressure sluice gates.
Penstocks are also used in mine tailings dam construction, the penstock is usually situated fairly close to the center of the tailings dam and built up using penstock rings, these penstock rings control the water level letting the slimes settle out of the water, this water is then piped back under the tailings dam back to the plant via a penstock pipeline.
In watermills
See: Watermill.
Similar structures
Similar structures which are not enclosed are head races or leats (non elevated), and flumes (elevated).
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Penstock". Read more |
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