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Energy Terms

A term used to describe heat energy lost from a water heater tank.

The torque at the bottom of a speed (rpm) versus torque curve. The torque developed by the motor is a percentage of the full-load or rated torque. At this torque the speed, the rotational speed of the motor as a percentage of synchronous speed is zero. Th ...

The force per unit area acting on the surface of a solid boundary parallel to the flow.

Water in vapor form; used as the working fluid in steam turbines and heating systems.

A type of furnace in which fuel is burned and the heat is used to produce steam.

A device that converts high-pressure steam, produced in a boiler, into mechanical energy that can then be used to produce electricity by forcing blades in a cylinder to rotate and turn a generator shaft.

A heat engine of the reciprocating (piston) where the working gas and a heat source are independent. The working gas is compressed in one region of the engine and transferred to another region where it is expanded. The expanded gas is then returned to the ...

The ratio of chemical substances necessary for a reaction to occur completely.

Chemical reactions, typically associated with combustion processes; the balancing of chemical reactions by providing the exact proportions of reactant compounds to ensure a complete reaction; all the reactants are used up to produce a single set of produc ...

The amount of energy an energy storage device or system can store.

A hydropower facility that stores water in a reservoir during high-inflow periods to augment water during low-inflow periods. Storage projects allow the flow releases and power production to be more flexible and dependable. Many hydropower project operati ...

The tank of a water heater.

A water heater that releases hot water from the top of the tank when a hot water tap is opened. To replace that hot water, cold water enters the bottom of the tank to ensure a full tank.

An exterior door that protects the primary door.

Glass, plastic panels, or plastic sheets that reduce air infiltration and some heat loss when attached to either the interior or exterior of existing windows.

An investment in a power plant or demand side management measures or programs, that become uneconomical due to increased competition in the electric power market. For example, an electric power plant may produce power that is more costly than what the mar ...

A popular term used for a length of wood or steel used in or for wall framing.

An electrical installation containing power conversion (and sometimes generation) equipment, such as transformers, compensators, and circuit breakers.

The physical material upon which a photovoltaic cell is applied.

A circular projection of the sky vault onto a flat diagram used to determine solar positions and shading effects of landscape features on a solar energy system.