Generators of Power

Curated by: Adyson (image 23)

Generators of power began to solidify in medieval Europe during the 9th or 10th century. They provided people with the resources used to decrease their daily physical labor. Two of the main types of generators of power were waterwheels and windmills. They were designed to harness natural resources such as wind and water and convert them into energy.(Regheb) Generators of power have been changed, evolved, and improved over many years.

Development of generators of power

During the medieval time period there were many designs for generators of power that emerged.(Smil) They all had multiple faults and problems that allowed for them to be enhanced over time.

Many people struggled to accept generators of power until late into the medieval time period.(Smil)

Example of how windmills are one of the generators of power that changed and evolved over time. (Image 24)

Intro to waterwheels

There were two main types of waterwheels. There was an undershot and an overshot. They both provided the same energy and harnessed the same resources. The only difference between the two was that they were used in two different geological areas. having two different types of waterwheels made it accessible for everyone in all areas to use.

Undershot waterwheel (image 25)

The undershot water wheel was mainly used in flat areas with lots of bodies of water. They could filter more water than the overshot waterwheels which allowed them to produce energy and move quicker.(Reynolds)

The overshot waterwheel was mainly used in hilly terrain with less bodies of water. The design of this waterwheel allowed it to flow the same amount as the undershot with even less water.(Reynolds)

Overshot waterwheel (Image 26)

Early design of the windmill (Image 27)

Impact of Windmills

Wind energy was quite popular further into the time period during medieval Europe. Citizens liked wind power so much because it was affordable, efficient, and reliable.

Wind energy was one of the only sources of power at the time that did not cause any pollution. Its low cost allowed for people from all areas to build and maintain windmills.(Jovinelly)

Recap

Generators of power were huge in medieval Europe. They helped advance the way of life and supported many big changes in how people created energy.

Water wheels and windmills were acceptable to people in all sorts of regions and terrains. The different types of these generators of power allowed them to reach to an extensive amount of places.

The more people learned about science and design the better generators of power became. An abundance of knowledge allowed people to make advancements in the design of windmills and waterwheels. They became bigger and stronger with each advancement.

Extra sites and videos

https://youtu.be/Ce32HY3mZLk?si=oJNMAWXVtgnPdrnh - Video about how generators of power were designed and how they evolved.

https://www.fuergy.com/blog/the-early-history-of-water-power- Article about the early history of water power, and how it was used.

https://www.engr.psu.edu/mtah/articles/vertical_waterwheel.htm - Pen state article on medieval technology and American history.

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/technology/history-energy-medieval-times - EBSCO article on the history of energy in medieval times.

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