Water Wheels, Water Wheels, Water Wheels!

History of the Water Wheel

A water wheel is a hydropower machine. All known water wheels were discovered in India 4th century B.C, Greco- Roman Europe, Ancient China, and Medieval modern Europe. The water wheel is made of a wooden or metal wheel with many blades or buckets. The water wheel changed the lives of many because it made it easier to get water. The water wheel is used in Thailand at homes and business. There are four main types of water wheels. The overshot, undershot, backshot, and breastshot water wheel.

Over Shot Water Wheel

There is no other name for the overshot. The overshot water wheel is rotated by falling water striking paddles. The overshot is a design that can use all of the water flow for power unless a leak occurs and doesn’t require rapid flow. An ordinary overshot has the water connected at the top and on one side one side of its rotation. The weight of the water turns the wheel.

Back Shot Water Wheel

The backshot also called a pitchback is made of variety of water wheels. It’s a combination of the overshot and the breatshot systems. The potential energy of the breastshot is released by the falling water it makes as the water falls to the back of the wheel. The wheel wont stop unless the wheel pit rises above the height of its axis.

Over Shot Water Wheel

Under Shot Water Wheel

The undershot also known as the vertical water wheel is one of the oldest known water wheels. The undershot wheel is a large vertical machine that is placed in a stream that’s turned by the river's motion. This wheel is also well made to be formed on floating platforms.

Breast Shot Water Wheel

The breastshot is said to be the most commonly used wheel in the USA until the French created the turbine in the 1840’s. The breastshot is less efficient than the overshot. The breastshot is located near the fall line on the North American east coast.

Under Shot Water Wheel

Back Shot Water Wheel

Breast Shot Water Wheel