大象传媒

Two primary school students visit a water mill, which has existed on the site for 200 years, and meet John, a spade maker who tells them how it works.

Thousands of years ago, before electricity, the ancient Greeks used water wheels to harness the power of water. In the 19th century, the water turbine was developed, which is like a water wheel turned on its side. Without electricity mills and industries relied on water to power their machines, this is why they were situated near waterways or beside water. Nowadays, industry is located near transportation networks.

John explains about the mill dam and how the level of the water in the mill dam is controlled by a sluice gate. They see the sluice gate open and the water flowing down the flu to drive the turbine. They discover how the turbine works; it drives a shaft which turns the gear wheels, which turns the power through 90 degrees and out through the wall. They find out about the waterway or 鈥渉ead race鈥� that was dug out by hand, by the Irish Navigators in 1832. Finally, John explains that the water is only borrowed, once it has been through the turbine, it flows down the 鈥渢ail race鈥� and returned to the waterway.