Glossary

Break Line
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Break Line

Close Window

spacer
Break Line
A

Abscissa
The X-axis on a graph.

Absolute Pressure
A pressure scale that starts with a value of zero for an absolute vacuum.

Absolute Temperature
A temperature scale that starts with zero at absolute zero temperature.

Absolute Zero Temperature
The temperature at which molecular kinetic energy is negligible.

Absorption
The transfer of molecules from the bulk of the gas to a liquid surface, followed by diffusion of these molecules to the bulk of the liquid.

ACFM
The acronym for actual cubic feet per minute, which is the actual gas flow rate expressed in the American Engineering system of units. ACFM is a measure of the volume of gas that passes a given point during a one-minute period.

Acid Gas Scrubbing System
A wet scrubbing system capable of achieving high acid gas removal efficiency by introducing water, caustic, or hydrated lime into the gas stream.

Adsorbs
The adhesion of a substance to the surface of a solid or liquid.

Adsorption
The process whereby vapor phase compounds in the gas stream pass through a bed or layer of highly porous material (adsorbent). The vapor phase compounds diffuse to the surface of the adsorbent and are retained due to weak attractive forces.

Aerodynamic Diameter
The diameter of a spherical particle having a density of 1 gm/cm3 that has the same inertial properties (i.e. settling velocity) in the gas as the particle of interest.

Aerosols
The suspension of solid or liquid particles in the atmosphere.

Air Preheater
Indirect heat exchanger designed to transfer heat from combustion gas to the air stream added to the combustion zone.

Air Toxics (or Hazardous Air Pollutants)
Pollutants that are known to cause or suspected of causing cancer or other serious health effects, such as developmental effects or birth defects.

Alkaline Storage Tank
Storage vessel containing alkaline material in a liquid or solid form often used to supply an air pollution control device.

Anion
An atom or molecule with a negative charge.

Aqueous Liquid
A liquid whose main component is water but which can also contain significant concentrations of other dissolved solids and liquids (usually < 15% by weight) and/or low-to-moderate levels of suspended solids (usually < 2% by weight).

Attainment Area
An area that meets the air quality standard for a criteria pollutant (under NAAQS).

Autoignition Temperature
The minimum temperature at which a substance ignites without application of a flame or spark.

Break Line
B

Baghouse
This term is often used interchangeably with the term "filtration systems." However, it is applicable only to pulse jet, cartridge, reverse air, and shaker-type filtration systems. The term "baghouse" does not have any clear meaning for HEPA filtration systems.

Bag Blinding
A condition where the particles (dust) becomes embedded in the fabric filter over time and are not removed by the bag cleaning process.

Barometric Pressure
The total pressure exerted by the atmosphere. This term is synonymous with "atmospheric pressure."

Best Available Control Technology (BACT)
An emission limitation based on using the most up-to-date methods, systems, techniques, and production processes available to achieve the greatest feasible reductions with the consideration of energy, environmental, and economic impacts. These limitations are determined on a case-by-case basis as part of the PSD program.

Bottom Ash
Incombustible matter resulting from combustion that does not leave as fly ash.

Brake Horsepower
The horsepower required to drive a fan. This includes the energy losses in the fan but does not include the drive losses between motor and fan.

Brownian Diffusion
The slight deflection of very small particles in a gas stream that occurs when rapidly moving gas molecules strike them.

Btu
(British Thermal Unit) The quantity of heat that must be transferred to one pound mass of water to raise the temperature by 1°F.

Burners Out Of Service (BOOS)
An off-stoichiometric combustion modification for control of NOx performed by operating alternate burners in the combustion zone as either fuel rich, air rich, or air only.

Break Line
C

Carbon Bed Adsorber
An air pollution control system that is used to collect and concentrate organic compounds on an activated carbon adsorbent.

Catalytic Oxidizer
An air pollution control device that uses a catalyst to accelerate the oxidation reaction at lower temperatures than possible in gas phase thermal oxidation.

Cascade Impactor
A sampling device used to determine the particle size distribution. Particles are separated and deposited on a series of stages that correspond to different aerodynamic diameters.

Catalyst
A substance, usually present in small amounts compared to the reactants, that speeds up the chemical reaction rate without being consumed in the process.

Catalyst Bed
A set volume of catalyst-containing material designed to facilitate contact between the gas stream and the catalyst materials. The bed is usually either in the form of a layer of beads or as a series of passages through a honeycomb structure.

Cgs
A set of dimensional units based on three fundamental units: centimeters, grams, and seconds.

City Water
Water that meets U.S. EPA drinking water standards.

Clarifier
Vessel where particulate matter of higher density than the surrounding liquid is separated and removed from the liquid by gravitational settling.

Class I Areas
Class I areas are protected by the PSD program and include national parks, national wilderness areas, national monuments, national seashores, and other areas of special national or regional natural, recreational, scenic, or historic value.

Class II Areas
Attainment areas that are neither industrialized nor meet the specific requirements for classification as Class I areas. They are protected by the PSD program.

Class III Areas
Industrialized attainment areas. They are protected by the PSD program.

Collection Efficiency
A ratio of pollutants entering a control device versus pollutants leaving the device expressed as a percent.

Combustion
The production of heat and light energy through a chemical process, usually oxidation. Products of complete combustion include water and carbon dioxide; while, incomplete combustion can yield partially oxidized organic compounds and carbon monoxide. Factors that promote complete combustion include the proper fuel-air ratio, temperature range, and adequate amount of time for the fuel and its by-products to complete the combustion reactions.

Combustion Particle Burnout
Particulate matter formed and released by the combustion of fossil fuels

Condensable Particulate Matter
Particulate matter, contained almost entirely within the PM2.5 classification, that forms from condensing gases or vapors. It forms by chemical reactions as well as by physical phenomena.

Condenser
A simple, relatively inexpensive device that normally uses water or air to cool and condense a vapor stream.

Conductivity
A measure of the ability of a material to conduct an electric charge.

Congener
Any isomer of a homologous series. (Homologous refers to a series of compounds whose structures differ by some regular increment.)

Conservation of Matter
A general principle of non-nuclear reactions and processes where matter is neither created nor destroyed.

Continuous Strip Chart Recorder
Instrument for continuously plotting measurement data on a time basis.

Criteria Pollutants
The group of common air pollutants defined by EPA whose concentrations in the ambient air must be maintained at low levels to protect public health. EPA has promulgated a National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for each of the criteria pollutants.

Cunningham Slip Correction Factor
A coefficient to correct for the molecular slip of a particle.

Cyclone (Large Diameter)
A type of mechanical collector, usually ranging in size from one to six feet in diameter, that uses a spinning movement of the gas stream to collect particles ranging in size from one-sixteenth to more than 6 inches in diameter.

Cyclonic Separator
A mechanical collector that uses centrifugal force to drive particles to the wall of the device.

Break Line
D

Dalton's Law of Partial Pressures
The law stating that the total pressure of a gas is the sum of the pressures exerted by each component gas.

Damper
A device that restricts airflow to modulate the flow rate.

Data Acquisition System
A strip chart recorder, analog computer, or digital computer for recording measurement data from the analyzer output.

Density
The quantity of mass contained in a specific volume.

Desorption
The process of using low pressure steam or hot nitrogen gas to remove compounds from an adsorbent bed.

Dew Point
The temperature at which the partial pressure of a substance (in vapor form) equals the equilibrium vapor pressure of the substance. At this temperature, a vapor begins to condense at a constant pressure.

Diffusion
A process by which the molecules of two or more substances gradually mix as a result of random thermal motion.

Diffusivity
Measure of the extent to which very small particles are influenced by molecular collisions which cause the particles to move in a random manner across the direction of gas flow.

Dimensions
Units of measure used to express the magnitude of mass, distance, force, and time.

Dimensional Calculations
A form of mathematical calculation in which the units applying to each value are stated explicitly and are handled algebraically.

Dimer
A molecule consisting of two identical simpler molecules. For example, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) forms a dimer (N2O4).

Dissociation Constant
A number that represents the essentially steady equilibrium constant for a weak solution. Also known as ionization constant.

Dry Basis Concentration
The conversion of concentration data or gas flow rate to a moisture-free basis.

Dry Scrubber
An air pollution control device used to remove an acid gas pollutant from a gas stream. The pollutant is collected on or in a solid or liquid material, which is injected into the gas stream. A dry scrubber produces a dry product that must be collected downstream from this control device.

Dual Alkali Scrubber
A flue gas desulfurization system that uses both sodium- and potassium-based scrubbing agents to remove sulfur dioxide.

Break Line
E

Economizer
Shell and tube heat exchanger used to heat boiler feed water.

Electrolyte
A substance that produces either (1) a conducting ionic melt when fused, or (2) a conducting ionic solution when dissolved in certain solvents (most often water). All acids, bases and salts are electrolytes.

Electrostatic Precipitator
A type of air pollution control system that uses high voltage fields to electrically charge and collect particulate matter. The charged particles approach an electrically grounded collection plate and accumulate as a dust layer, which is partially removed by mechanical rapping (hammers) on a routine basis.

Emission Sampling Train
Equipment usually consisting of (1) a sampling nozzle and probe, (2) filter and impingers for collection of gaseous and/or particulate components, (3) flow meter and flow regulation devices, and (4) a vacuum pump for collecting a representative sample of a gas stream.

Enrichment
Phenomenon associated with heterogeneous nucleation where partitioning of vapor phase compounds, such as metals, nucleate as particles or on very small particles.

Enthalpy
A measure of the quantity of internal energy (or heat) that is in a given amount of material.

Enthalpy of Vaporization
Represents the amount of internal energy required to change the phase of a substance from liquid to vapor and vice versa.

Entrainment
The process in which material, such as water droplets or particulate matter, is picked up and carried along by a gas or liquid stream.

Entry Loss
The loss of pressure that occurs when airflow moves into a system.

Equilibrium
A steady state condition. The amount of mass transferred in one direction is exactly balanced by the amount of mass transferred in the reverse direction.

Equivalent Weight
The amount of substance (in grams) that supplies one gram mole of reacting units. The equivalent weight is calculated by dividing the molecular weight of a compound by the change in the oxidation number it experiences during a chemical reaction.

Evaporative Cooling Tower
Equipment used to reduce the temperature of a gas stream. Fine droplets, injected into a vessel, are evaporated as they absorb heat from the gas stream.

Break Line
F

Fabric Filter
A filtration device using one or more filter bags, sheets, or panels to remove particles from a gas stream.

Fan Drive
The way in which the motor shaft is linked to the fan wheel to transmit power and control speed.

Fine Particles
EPA classification of particles having aerodynamic diameters greater than 0.1 micrometer and less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.

Flow Rate (Actual)
The volume of gas moving through a system or stack per unit time expressed at actual conditions of temperature and pressure.

Flow Rate (Standard)
The volume of gas moving through a system or stack per unit time expressed at standard conditions of temperature and pressure.

Flow Rate (Volumetric)
The volume of gas moving through a ventilation system, stack, or air pollution control system per unit time.

Flue Gas Desulfurization (FSD)
The process by which sulfur is removed from combustion exhaust gas.

Fly Ash
Uncombusted particulate matter in the combustion gases resulting from the burning of coal and other material.

Force
An influence on a physical object that causes a change in movement and/or shape.

Free Radical
An atom or group of atoms with at least one unpaired electron, making the species unstable and highly reactive.

Fuel NOx
Nitrogen oxides generated from the fuel or waste during combustion.

Fugitive Emissions
Emissions that escape from industrial processes and equipment.

FYRITE Analyzer
A small, hand-held wet chemical analyzer for measuring the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations. A small sample is pumped into the dumbbell-shaped instruments. After absorption of oxygen or carbon dioxide into the chemicals, the pressure is reduced, which causes the diaphragm on the bottom of the instrument to move. The change in chemical height due to this movement of the diaphragm is related to the concentration of oxygen or carbon dioxide. This instrument is less accurate than an ORSAT analyzer but considerably easier to use.

Break Line
G

Gauge Pressure
The relative pressure inside a vessel or container (the difference between the inside pressure and atmospheric pressure).

Break Line
H

Hazardous Air Pollutants
See Air Toxics.

Heat Exchanger
A device such as a coil or radiator that is used to transfer heat between two physically separate fluids.

Heterogeneous Nucleation
The accumulation of material from the vapor phase onto an existing particle.

Homogeneous Nucleation
The formation of a particle from the vapor phase involving only one compound.

Hood
A shaped inlet designed to capture contaminated air and conduct it into the exhaust duct system.

Hood Capture Velocity
The air velocity at any point in front of the hood or at the hood opening necessary to overcome opposing air currents and to capture the contaminated air at that point by pulling it into the hood.

Hood Static Pressure
The static pressure in the duct immediately downstream from the hood.

Hopper
A device for temporarily storing dust collected by an air pollution control device. Hoppers funnel solids into the solids handling system. There are two main types used on filtration systems: pyramidal and trough-type.

Hygroscopic
Characterized by readily absorbing moisture.

Hydrometer
An instrument for measuring the specific weight of a liquid by utilizing the principle of buoyancy.

Break Line
I

Inertial Impaction
The process whereby a particle moving in a gas stream strikes slowly moving or stationary obstacles or targets (e.g. liquid droplets) directly in its path. Compare with Interception.

Inorganic
A term that applies to compounds that contain no carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Interception
The process whereby a particle moving in a gas stream is offset slightly from directly impacting a moving or stationary obstacle or target. As the particle tries to move past the obstacle, the obstacle intercepts (and collects) the particle. Compare with Inertial Impaction.

Ionic Solution
A solution containing at least 15% charged dissolved species by weight.

Isomer
A compound having the same percentage composition and molecular weight as another compound but differing in chemical or physical properties. Isomers may differ in the manner in which constituent atoms are linked or are arranged in space.

Break Line
J

Break Line
K

Kinematic Viscosity
See Viscosity (Kinematic).

Break Line
L

Lognormal Distribution
A distribution of frequencies that is symmetric (i.e. bell shaped) when plotted on a logarithmic abscissa.

Low NOx Burner
An off-stoichiometric combustion modification for control of NOx where the mixing of fuel and air is controlled in a pattern that keeps the flame temperature low and dissipates the heat quickly.

Lower Explosive Limit
The lowest concentration at which a gas or vapor is flammable or explosive at ambient conditions.

Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER)
This represents the most stringent control technology achieved in practice regardless of cost. LAER is used to determine emission limits for the NSR program.

Break Line
M

Manometer
An instrument used for measuring the pressure of liquids and gases. An open-tube manometer consists of a U-shaped tube that usually contains a liquid such as mercury or water. One end of the tube is open to the atmosphere and the other end of the tube is connected to the container where the pressure is to be measured.

Mass
The measure of the magnitude of a physical object that is related directly to the atoms in the object.

Mass Emission Rate
See Mass Flow Rate.

Mass Flow Rate
The quantity of mass per unit time moving through a process and/or air pollution control system.

Mass Median Particle Diameter
The particle diameter at which half the particulate mass is composed of particles larger than this diameter and half the mass is composed of particles smaller than this diameter.

Mass Transfer
A natural phenomenon in which a component travels from a region of high concentration to one of low concentration in order to minimize concentration differences in a mixture.

Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT)
EPA standards mandated by the 1990 CAAA for the control of toxic emissions from various industries.

Mean
The arithmetic average of a distribution.

Median
The middle value in a distribution above and below which lie an equal number of values.

Method 9
EPA reference method whereby qualified observers determine the opacity of plume-shaped visible emissions from stationary sources.

Method 22
EPA reference method whereby qualified observers determine the opacity of visible emissions not emitted directly from a stationary source.

Micrograms
A unit of measurement for mass. One microgram equals 10-6 grams.

Milligrams
A unit of measurement for mass. One milligram equals 10-3 grams.

Minimum Transport Velocity
The minimum gas velocity that must be maintained to keep the contaminant from settling out of the gas flow stream and building up deposits in the ductwork.

Mist Eliminator
A component that passively removes most of the water droplets from a gas stream.

Mixing Tank (Scrubbing System)
A vessel where water and alkaline material are mixed to create a slurry.

Mode
The value that occurs the most frequently in a distribution.

Molar Flow Rate
The number of moles per unit time moving through a process and/or air pollution control system.

Molarity
The concentration of a solution given in gram moles of solute per liter of solution. A solution containing exactly one-gram mole of solute per liter of solution is referred to as "molar."

Mole
The mass of a material equal to the combined mass of 6.023 1023 atoms or molecules of the material.

Molecular Slip
The existence of a finite net gas velocity at the surface of very small particles resulting in a lower drag force.

Mole Fraction
An expression of the number of moles of a compound divided by the total number of moles of all compounds present.

Momentum
The product of the mass of an object times its velocity.

Break Line
N

Nanograms
A unit of measurement for mass. One nanogram equals 10-9 grams.

Natural Logarithm (Napierian)
The exponent applied to the base number of 2.718 to equal a given value. For example, 2 is the natural logarithm that is equal to a value of 7.389. (2.718)2 = 7.389

Negative Pressure
A relative pressure that is below atmospheric pressure.

Normality
The concentration of a solution expressed as the number of gram equivalent weights of solute per liter of solution. A solution containing one gram equivalent weight of solute per liter of solution is referred to as "normal."

Nucleate
To form a central part around which other parts can attach.

Non-Attainment Areas
A geographic area that does not meet one or more of the federal air quality standards (NAAQS) for the criteria pollutants.

Number of Gram Equivalent Weights
The number calculated by dividing the mass of a substance (in grams) by the equivalent weight of the substance.

Break Line
O

Operating Permit (Permit)
Document required by EPA under Title V for any major stationary source. Potential-to-emit limits defining a major source are determined by the air quality of the geographical region where the facility is located. A permit contains specific information about how the facility will comply with established emission standards and guidelines set forth by EPA.

Ordinate
The Y-axis on a graph.

Organic
A term that applies to compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.

ORSAT Analyzer
An instrument using absorption principles to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

Overfire Air
An off-stoichiometric combustion modification for control of NOx where the lower burners operate under fuel rich conditions and air injection nozzles located above these burners complete the combustion process.

Ozone Season
The ozone season from May 1 to September 30 (Northern hemisphere) when ground-level ozone formation concentrations tend to be highest.

Break Line
P

Packed Bed Wet Scrubber
A common type of gas absorber in which scrubbing liquid is dispersed over packed columns containing packing material. This design provides a large surface area for gas-liquid contact.

Partial Pressure
The fraction of the total static pressure in a gas stream caused by one of the constituents of the mixture.

Penetration
The ratio of the amount of pollutants leaving an air pollution control device versus the amount of pollutants entering the device.

Photochemical Reaction
A chemical change triggered by the radiant energy of the sun or other light source.

Physical Attrition
The act of wearing or grinding down by friction.

PM2.5
EPA defines PM2.5 as particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers collected with 50% efficiency by a PM2.5 sampling collection device. However, for convenience in this reference material, the term PM2.5 includes all particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.

PM10
The U.S. EPA defines PM10 as particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers collected with 50% efficiency by a PM10 sampling collection device. However, for convenience in this reference material, the term PM10 includes all particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to 10 micrometers.

Potential-to-Emit
The total emissions that a facility would release by operating at maximum load for 24 hours per day and 365 days per year.

PPMV [or PPM(V/V)]
The part per million concentration that is determined by comparing the volume of one constituent with the total volume of the substance. Gas concentrations are always expressed in a ppm(v/v) format as opposed to the ppm(w/w) format often used for liquids. Throughout APTI courses, the term ppm when applied to gases means ppm(v/v).

PPMVD
The part per million concentration that is determined by comparing the volume of one constituent with the volume of the other constituents with the exception of moisture.

PPM(W/W)
The part per million concentration that is determined by comparing the mass of one constituent with the total mass of the sample. Liquid concentrations are often expressed in a ppm(w/w) format as opposed to the ppm(v/v) format used for gases. Throughout APTI courses, the term ppm when applied to liquids means ppm(w/w). Note that the abbreviation "w/w" is used despite the fact that the ppm concentration is based on a ratio of masses.

Preconcentration
The process of removing organic vapors from a gas stream and transferring them to a smaller, more concentrated gas stream.

Pressure Drop
A measure of the resistance the gas stream encounters as it flows through an air control device or other piece of equipment.

Promulgate
To put a law into effect by formal public announcement.

Pulse Jet Fabric Filter
A type of filtration system that uses a short duration pulse of compressed air injected on the "clean side" of the filter media to routinely clean the filter media. Pulse jets are one of the most common types of filtration systems. They are sometimes termed reverse jets (not to be confused with reverse air filtration systems).

Pulverizer
A device used to reduce a substance to a powder form usually by grinding.

Pyrite(s)
Any of various native metallic sulfides. This term generally refers to iron pyrite.

Break Line
Q

Break Line
R

°R
Rankine is an absolute temperature scale often used in engineering. Using this scale, the freezing point of water is 492°R and the boiling point of water is 672°R.

Radionuclides
Radioactive isotopes resulting from (1) the fission of heavy nuclei of elements such as uranium and plutonium, or (2) the reaction of neutrons with stable nuclei.

Recirculation Tank
A tank used in a scrubbing system to (1) provide sufficient time for reagents to dissolve into the liquid, and (2) provide sufficient pressure for the pump.

Refractory-Lined
Refers to devices such as incinerators that are lined with a heat-resistant material (e.g. brick).

Relative Pressure
The difference in pressure between a point in a ventilation system or air pollution control system and the atmospheric pressure.

Relative Temperature
The difference between the measured temperature value and an arbitrarily selected value, such as the freezing point of water.

Residence Time
See Treatment Time.

Resistivity
A measure of a particle's ability to conduct electricity (expressed in units of ohm-cm). Resistivity is very important in the efficient operation of electrostatic precipitators.

Reynolds Number (Gas)
A dimensionless number corresponding to the ratio of the fluid inertial force to the fluid viscous force in a flow system. It is used as an index for turbulence.

Reynolds Number (Particle)
A dimensionless number corresponding to the ratio of the inertial force of a particle to the viscous force of the surrounding fluid in a flow system. It is used as an index for turbulence.

Rotary Vacuum Filter
A rotating filter that uses negative pressure to filter a slurry.

Break Line
S

SCFM
The acronym for standard cubic feet per minute, which is the gas flow rate at standard conditions expressed in the American Engineering system of units.

Scrubbing Liquid
A liquid used to remove particulate or gaseous pollutants by absorption or chemical reaction through contact with the gas stream.

Sensible Energy
A measure of the change in internal energy experienced by a substance during a temperature change that does not involve a phase change.

Sheave(s)
Part of the drive system that supports the belt that extends from the drive shaft to the fan shaft.

Sieving
A process that occurs in fabric filters whereby the dust cake, which has accumulated on the fabric surface, acts as a filter for collecting particles.

Slurry
A liquid that has a very high level of suspended solids (usually from 2 - 30% by weight).

Solute
The substance distributed (i.e. dissolved or suspended) in a solvent.

Solution
A homogeneous mixture of substances dispersed at the molecular level and present in a single phase.

Solvent
A substance (usually a liquid) that dissolves a solute to form a solution.

Space Velocity
The value equivalent to the number of times that the control device will be filled with untreated gas in a given period of time. The space velocity is the reciprocal of the treatment time (residence time). Space velocity has units of 1/seconds or 1/minutes.

Specific Gravity
A ratio of the density of a liquid and the density of pure water at a specific temperature.

Spray-Dryer-Type Dry Scrubber
An air pollution control device for removing acid gases where an alkaline slurry is introduced into the gas stream and the pollutants absorb into the droplets and react. The droplets dry in the gas stream leaving particulate matter, which is collected by a downstream particulate control device.

Standard Conditions (EPA-defined)
EPA-defined standard conditions of temperature and pressure are 68°F (20°C) and 14.7 psia (760 mm Hg).

Standard Deviation
A measure of the dispersion of a set of numbers.

Standard Oxygen Level
The specific oxygen level selected by a regulatory agency to account for dilution of the gas stream by ambient air.

State Implementation Plan (SIP)
A complex and voluminous document that contains comprehensive emission inventories, proposed control strategies, demonstration of modeling/calculation results, summaries of regulatory authority, description of monitoring programs, and enforcement procedures.

Static Pressure
A measure of the resistance of airflow through a system.

Stratosphere
The atmospheric layer just above the troposphere, which starts at approximately 7.5 miles (12 km) above the Earth and rises to approximately 31.1 miles (50 km). The beneficial ozone layer resides in the stratosphere.

Sulfates
Inorganic salts of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) containing the divalent, negative ion .

Sulfites
Inorganic salts of sulfurous acid (H2SO3) containing the divalent, negative ion .

Break Line
T

Terminal Settling Velocity
The velocity of a falling particle when the gravitational force downward is balanced by the air resistance (or drag) force upward.

Thermal NOx
Nitrogen oxides generated from atmospheric nitrogen during combustion.

Total Filterable
Particulate Matter

Particulate matter of all sizes is regulated as total filterable particulate matter. This category of air pollutants was the first one that was subject to air pollution control regulations.

Treatment Time
(or Residence Time)

The length of time that pollutants reside in the air pollution control system. The treatment time is calculated by dividing the volume of the air pollution control device by the gas flow rate.

Troposphere
The lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, which rises to a height of approximately 7.5 miles (12 km). Air masses, fronts and storms reside in this layer.

Turbidity
The degree of clearness of a liquid or the lack of visual clarity of a liquid. It is defined by the measure of light scattering due to the presence of particles suspended in the liquid. Turbidity is similar to opacity for particles suspended in the gas phase.

Break Line
U

Ultrafine Particles
EPA classification of particles having aerodynamic diameters less than or equal to 0.1 micrometer.

Break Line
V

Van der Waal forces
Weak attraction forces (1 to 10 Kcal/gm-mole) between molecules such as in gases and liquids.

Vapor Pressure
In a closed system at a constant temperature the pressure exerted by gaseous molecules that are in equilibrium with molecules of the same kind in the liquid or solid state.

Velocity Pressure
The pressure required to accelerate air from zero velocity to a greater velocity. It is proportional to the kinetic energy of the air stream.

Venturi Scrubber
A type of wet scrubber that is usually highly efficient but requires a large amount of energy to operate. (Wet scrubbers are air pollution control devices.) In venturi scrubbers, a scrubbing liquid is introduced into the gas stream, which then passes through a contracted area of the scrubber at a high velocity creating a high dispersion of fine droplets. These fine droplets capture the gaseous and particulate pollutants.

Viscosity (Absolute)
The resistance of a fluid to shear stress.

Viscosity (Kinematic)
The value obtained when the absolute viscosity is divided by the density of the fluid.

Volume Percent
Percentage of the total volume of a gas sample that is comprised of the volume of a single gaseous constituent.

Break Line
W

Wet Scrubber
A vessel used for removing pollutants from a gas stream by means of a liquid spray, liquid jet, or liquid layer.

Break Line
X

Break Line
Y

Break Line
Z

Break Line

Back to Glossary Index     Close Window