Mill race

Figure 1. An example of a long mill race.[1]

The mill race (also mill-lade or just lade)[2] is a channel that carries water from its source - a hydroelectric dam or river — to the site of a mill using a waterwheel. This mill race directs the water to the waterwheel - either underneath it in the case of an undershot waterwheel or at a midway height in the case of a breastshot waterwheel.

The race can be a few meters in length to several kilometers depending on how far the water source is from the site of the waterwheel. A single race can serve one or many wheels.[3]

The phrase mill race is only used to describe the water channel directing water to an overshot or breastshot wheel. For an overshot waterwheel, a special channel must be built to direct water over the top of the waterwheel. For this type of channel, a flume is used instead.[4]

For Further Reading

References

  1. Wikimedia Commons. (August 27, 2015). Mill Race [Online]. Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/Mill_Race.jpg/740px-Mill_Race.jpg
  2. Oxford English Dictionary entry: lade
  3. TR Hazen. How to Site a Mill [Online]. Available: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/millrestoration/site.html
  4. Whitemill. (August 27, 2015). Types of Water Wheels [Online]. Available: http://www.whitemill.org/z0028.htm