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Building Sytems 2 Flashcards

0
Q

sound transmission coefficient

A

The fraction of incident sound transmitted through a partition.

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1
Q

surge arrester

A

A device installed in a water line to minimize the effects of water hammer caused by quick closing valves.

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2
Q

dual duct system

A

A system in which hot air and cold air are supplied by separate ducts and mixed at each controlled space to provide the desired supply air temperature. This method consumes a great deal of energy.

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3
Q

differential thermostat

A

A thermostat that responds to temperatures at two different locations. It is used to activate a solar heating system when the collector is warmer than the storage medium.

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4
Q

high-intensity discharge (HID)

A

A family of lamps consisting of a quartz envelope inside a glass envelope. In the quartz envelope, the current causes an intense arc between two electrodes, exciting a plasma of mercury, metal halide, or high-pressure sodium and producing visible light.

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5
Q

POC

A

Abbreviation for products of combustion, usually relative to smoke detection.

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6
Q

demand factor

A

The ratio of maximum demand or expected power usage to the total connected load.

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7
Q

alternator

A

A device used to generate alternating current by rotating a coil in a magnetic field.

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9
Q

coefficient of utilization

A

The ratio of useful light arriving at the work plane to the amount of light emitted by the source, which depends on the reflectivity of different surfaces and the aspect ratios of the ceiling, wall, and floor cavities.

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11
Q

ion

A

An electrically charged atom or group of atoms.

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12
Q

ABS

A

Abbreviation for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, a plastic used for drainage, waste, and vent piping, as well as for sewer systems.

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12
Q

blowdown

A

The drain which removes dirt which builds up in the floor pool of an evaporative cooling tower, or the discharging of sediment from the bottom of a boiler or heat exchanger.

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12
Q

comfort zone

A

The combination of thermal and environmental conditions within which a human is comfortable, often shown on a psychometric chart.

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13
Q

backwash

A

A reverse flow of water, often used in water softening to remove sediment.

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14
Q

heat transmission

A

The time rate of heat flow which combines the effects of conduction, convection, and radiation.

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15
Q

enthalpy

A

The total of sensible plus latent heat stored in the air. It is also known as total heat.

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16
Q

soil

A

A sanitary drainage term referring to the waste from urinals, water closets, and fixtures of similar function.

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17
Q

solar air-conditioning

A

A cooling system that provides refrigerated air using solar radiation as the prime source of energy.

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18
Q

sound

A

The auditory sensation experienced by the ear or the pressure oscillations which cause that sensation.

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19
Q

NC curves

A

A single-number system for specifying a maximum SPL level in a given location, using standardized reference contours. The curves weight the frequencies to which the human ear is sensitive.

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20
Q

Inverse Square Law

A

A physical principle which states that the intensity of a phenomenon is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source to the measure device. It holds true for point sources of light, and for sound in an open field.

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21
Q

humidifier

A

A device used to add moisture to the air.

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22
Q

occupancy group

A

A designation for a group of several occupancies which have comparable fire safety considerations, and which are therefore grouped together by the code.

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23
Q

air-conditioning

A

The treating of air in an occupied space to control its temperature, humidity, and cleanliness.

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24
sound transmission class (STC)
A single number rating for the evaluation of a particular construction cross-section in terms of its transmission of airborne sound. The higher the STC rating, the more effective the construction is at stopping airborne sound.
25
NEC
The abbreviation for National Electrical Code.
26
plenum
The space between a suspended ceiling and the structure above, which is used as a very large, slow-moving air duct.
27
sensible heat
Heat which changes the temperature of a substance without a change of state.
28
standpipe
A vertical supply pipe for firefighting. Dry standpipes are empty and must be connected to a fire hydrant by means of a Siamese connection and pumper truck. Wet standpipes are pressurized and filled with water, to serve attached hoses on each floor within the building. Wet standpipes also have Siamese connections to allow the water flow to be augmented from fire hydrants.
29
HVAC
The abbreviation for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.
30
fittings
Parts other than valves or pipe used in a pipe line, such as couplings, elbows, tees, unions, and reducers.
31
union
A pipe fitting used to couple the ends of two pipes, neither of which can be rotated.
32
fire assembly
A complete fire-resistive assembly consisting of a fire door, fire damper, or fire window, and it's mounting frame and hardware. The entire assembly, not just it's components, must be approved and labeled by a testing agency which inspects the materials and workmanship during fabrication at the factory. Available ratings are 3/4, 1, 1 1/2, and 3 hours.
33
infiltration
The leakage of air through cracks around windows and other building elements.
34
leaching field
An absorption or drain field in which septic tank effluents seep through loose pipes and coarse aggregates into the surrounding soil.
35
trap
A water seal fitting located in the drain line after a fixture to prevent sewer gases and odors from entering the room.
36
fire door
A fire-resistive door assembly, consisting of frame, door, and hardware, which provides a specific fire-resistive rating when closed.
37
Btuh
The abbreviation for Btus per hour, an energy flow rate.
38
ground
An electrical conductor connected to the earth or to a pipe extending into the ground, used to dissipate hazardous current into the earth.
39
spigot
The end of a pipe that fits into the bell, or enlarged end, of another pipe. Also another term for faucet.
40
frost line
The maximum depth of frost penetration in the ground expected in a given area. Water piping must ordinarily be buried below the frost line to protect against freezing.
41
draft
A flow of air or gas through a flue or chimney.
42
mixing box
An enclosure in which two air streams are mixed. Commonly used for mixing outside air and return air, or hot and cold air in a dual duct system.
43
occupancy
The purpose for which a building is intended to be used.
44
coefficient of performance (COP)
The ratio of the amount of heat energy delivered by a heat pump to the amount of energy supplied, or the ratio of the amount of heat energy removed by a refrigeration machine to the amount of energy expended in its removal. it is similar to the efficiency, but often exceeds 100%, and is therefore expressed as a number, e.g., 2.7, which is typical for a heat pump.
45
therm
A unit of heat equal to 100,000 BTUs.
46
underwriter's loop
A plumbing arrangement on steam boilers to avoid rapid loss of water in the boiler due to a break in the condensate return line. It is also referred to as a Hartford loop.
47
soil pipe
Any pipe which conveys the discharge from water closets, urinals, and similar fixtures.
48
ball-check valve
A spring-operated check valve in a piping system in which pressure against a movable ball allows fluid to flow in one direction. When the direction of flow is reversed, the ball is forced against a seat which stops the flow.
49
impact isolation class (IIC)
A rating of the degree of isolation of a floor against the transmission of impact noises.
50
fixture unit
A unit of liquid flow used in sizing both supply and drainage pipes. It is equal to 1 cubic foot per minute or approximately 7.5 gallons per minute.
51
recovery
The ability of a water heater to heat a specified number of gallons per hour of water to a specified temperature.
52
U factor or U-value
The overall rate of heat flow of a particular wall section, expressed in BTUs per hour per degree Fahrenheit per square foot.
53
heat of fusion
The heat given off by a liquid in changing to a solid, or the heat absorbed by a solid melting to a liquid, without a change in temperature.
54
manometer
A U-shaped tube partially filled with a liquid, used for measuring the pressure of a fluid.
55
concentrating collector
A device to collect solar energy, usually parabolic in shape, used for concentrating isolation to achieve high temperatures.
56
transmission loss (TL)
The reduction of sound which occurs when a given wall transmits sound from one room to an adjacent room, expressed in decibels.
57
forced air system
A heating or cooling system which uses a fan to circulate heated or cooled air through ducts to the occupied spaces.
58
friction factor
A factor used in calculating loss of pressure due to friction of a fluid (gas or liquid) flowing through a duct or pipe.
59
globe thermometer
A thermometer which measures mean radiant temperature (MRT).
60
air gap
An unobstructed vertical path, open to the atmosphere, separating the outlet of a faucet from the overflow rim of the fixture it serves. The purpose is to prevent a momentary vacuum in the supply pipe from siphoning water from the fixture back into the supply pipe.
61
standard air
Air at standard temperature and pressure.
62
specific volume
The volume occupied by a unit weight of a given substance at any specified temperature and pressure. The reciprocal of density.
63
total heat
The total of sensible plus latent heat stored in the air. It is also known as enthalpy.
64
chimney effect
The tendency of a gas or air to rise in a vertical shaft because it's density is lower than that of the surrounding gas or air. It is also called stack effect.
65
hybrid solar system
A system combining active and passive solar features.
66
stack vent
The portion of a soil or waste stack which is above the highest branch drain connected to the stack. It's sole function is to vent to the outside air.
67
pitch
The tone of a sound, varying from low to high. Pitch depends primarily on the frequency of sound and to a lesser extent on the sound pressure and waveform.
68
water hammer
The thumping or rattling sound that occurs when a faucet is shut off rapidly.
69
generator
A machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy by the motion of electrical conductors in a magnetic field.
70
sweating
The method of soldering copper plumbing, or the condensation of water on cold pipes or building materials.
71
evaporator
The part of a refrigeration system in which the refrigerant evaporates, absorbing heat from the medium to be cooled.
72
inductance
The property of an electrical circuit by which a change in current induces an electromotive force. The unit of inductance is the henry.
73
photometry
The measurement of light distribution, illumination, and the intensity of light, usually with the aid of a photometer.
74
sone
A subjective system of measuring loudness, based on the reference point of one sone equal to a sound pressure level of 40 dB.
75
sound level meter
A meter which measures the sound pressure level and gives a reading in dB.
76
frequency
The number of cycles which occur per second, either in alternating current or acoustics. In acoustics, the frequency determines the pitch.
77
power factor (PF)
In an electrical circuit, the ratio of real power in watts to the product of voltage and current.
78
alternating current
An electric current which reverses it's direction at regular intervals, generally 60 times per second in the Unites States. A plot of the voltage over time is a sine wave.
79
reversible-acting valve
A valve that opens when pressure is applied and closes when pressure is released.
80
branch vent
A vent connecting one or more individual vents to a stack vent.
81
upfeed system
A water supply system that uses the available water main pressure to supply water to fixtures on several floors.
82
flat plate collector
A devise used to collect solar energy, usually consisting of a glazed cover, a transfer medium (water or air), absorber plate, and insulation, all contained in a unified housing.
83
downfeed system
A water supply system in which water is pumped intermittently to a tank above the roof of a building. Water from the tank then supplies fixtures on the floors below it.
84
hub
The end of a pipe which is enlarged to receive the end of another pipe so as to form a joint. It is also called a bell.
85
alternation
One reversal of an alternating current wave, two of which make one complete cycle.
86
inch of water
A unit of pressure equal to the pressure of a column of water one inch high. One inch of water = 0.03609 psi.
87
Mass Law
The theoretical law which states that for each doubling of mass in a wall, there is a 6-dB drop in the amount of sound transmitted. In actual practice, it is usually closer to 5 dB.
88
efficacy
The ratio of the lumens emitted by a lamp to the electrical power consumed by the lamp.
89
capacitance
A measure of the ability of two or more closely-spaced plates to store electricity. The unit of capacitance is the farad.
90
emissivity
The rate at which a surface material at a given temperature gives off or emits radiant energy. The emissivity varies from 0 to 1.0, where 1.0 is the theoretical emissivity of a perfect black box at the same temperature.
91
two-pipe system
A hot or chilled water system having only a supply and a return line. It can supply only heated or chilled water to a zone, but not both simultaneously.
92
balancing damper
A damper provided in a duct system to regulate the flow of air when the system is being balanced or tuned to design requirements.
93
aspect ratio
The ratio of the longer to shorter dimension of an air-conditioning duct, which affects duct friction, or of a room, which relates to light reflection.
94
faucet
A valve at the end of a pipe providing a means of releasing and controlling water from the pipe.
95
thermometer
An instrument for measuring temperature, consisting of a sealed tube containing a liquid, such as mercury, that expands and contracts with temperature changes.
96
wet pipe sprinkler
A sprinkler system which is continuously pressurized with water. If a fusible sprinkler opens, water is immediately forced through the sprinkler head.
97
auxiliary heat source
In solar design, a back-up heating system that is automatically activated when solar energy is insufficient to supply the required needs.
98
PVC
Abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride, a plastic used for cold water and underground sprinkler system pipe and fittings.
99
insulation
A material of very low conductivity used to separate electrical conductors and prevent leakage of electrical currents, or a material used to prevent or reduce heat flow.
100
light shelf
An overhang, either outside or inside or both, which is used with a clerestory to reflect light up onto the ceiling and reduce direct light adjacent to the window.
101
riser
A vertical water supply pipe that extends through at least one floor of a building and provides water to fixtures or branches.
102
daylighting
The use of natural light from outside to replace or augment artificial light, which produces energy savings.
103
cycle
One complete set of repeating events, typically used with alternating current or sound.
104
dew point
The temperature of air at which the water contained in the air begins to condense and form dew. It is therefore the temperature at which the air is at 100% humidity.
105
invert
The lowest point of the inside of a drain, pipe, channel, or other liquid-carrying conduit.
106
reverberation
The persistence of sound in an enclosed space after the source has stopped.
107
delta connection
A method of connecting windings on a three-phase transformer, end to end, which results in a triangular shape.

Building Systems (3 decks)

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