Glossary of Power Engineering Terms
All
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ALIGNMENT |
The position of one piece of equipment relative to that of another. |
| ALKALI |
Any certain soluble salts, principally of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, that have the property of combining with acids to form neutral salts and may be used in chemical processes such as water or waste water treatment. |
| ALKALINE (SULFATE OR KRAFT) PROCESS |
A chemical pulping process that uses an alkaline cooking liquor, caustic soda, and heat to break the bond between the cellulose and wood fibres. |
| ALKALINITY |
The capacity of water, or wastewater, to neutralize acids. This capacity is caused by the water's content of carbonate, bicarbonate, hydroxide, and occasionally borate, silicate and phosphate. |
| ALLOWABLE STRESS |
The highest stress a structural member should be subjected to ensure that it could continue to perform its function properly and not fail. Determined by dividing the ultimate stress by a factor of safety. |
| ALLOY |
The mixture of other metals with a base metal to produce desired properties. |
| ALTERNATING CURRENT |
Electric current that reverses direction in a conductor with constant frequency. |
| ALTERNATION OF A CYCLE |
That part of the sine wave cycle in which the emf or current value rises from zero to a maximum and reduces back to zero again in one direction. An alternation is one half of a cycle. |
| ALU |
Arithmetic Logic Unit, a computer component where all arithmetic and logical operations are performed. |
| AMBIENT AIR |
The air surrounding an object. |
| AMBIENT TEMPERATURE |
Temperature of the surrounding air. |
| AMINE REGENRATION |
The part of the gas sweetening process that separates the sour gas from the amine solution so the amine can be reused. |
| ANALOG |
In computer terminology, analog means continuous over a range of values. |
| ANALOG COMPUTER |
A computer in which numerical data are represented by continuously variable measurable physical properties, such as electrical signals. |
| ANGLE |
The union of two lines with the same vertex. |
| ANGULAR MISALIGNMENT |
A situation in which the centre lines of the two shafts are at an angle to each other in either a horizontal or vertical position. |
| ANION |
An ion that is negatively charged, i.e., Cl-. |
| ANTHRACITE |
A coal with over 90% fixed carbon. |
| ANTI-FRICTION BEARINGS |
Bearings composed of two pieces of metal separated by rolling elements. |
| APPLICATION PROGRAMS |
A computer program designed for a specific task or use. |
| AQUASTAT |
A hot water boiler fitting that controls the starting and stopping of the burner by sensing the temperature of the water. |
| ARC WELDING |
A group of welding processes that produce the coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc with or without the application of pressure and with or without the use of filler metal. |
| ARGON |
A colourless gas, chemically inactive used for shielding the weld from atmosphere in welding. |
| ARITHMETIC LOGIC UNIT |
A computer component where all arithmetic and logical operations are performed. |
| ARMATURE |
The conductors of a generator in which emf is induced or the conductors of a motor in which torque is produced. |
| ARMATURE REACTION |
The effect caused by the interaction of the magnetic field of the current carrying conductors in the armature with the main magnetic field. The two magnetic fields combined cause a distortion in the overall magnetic field that results in a shift in the neutral plane in the direction of armature rotation. |
| ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE |
The ability of a machine to perform those activities that are normally thought to require intelligence; also the branch of computer science concerned with the development of machines having this ability. |
| ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION |
The manual technique of breathing for a non-breathing casualty. Also referred to as rescue breathing. |
| ASA |
American Standards Association. |
| ASME |
American Society of Mechanical Engineers. |