Building Systems 1 Flashcards
exhaust air
Any foul or unwanted air removed from a space by mechanical means.
permeability
The property of permitting passage of water or water vapor through a material without causing rupture or displacement.
wet standpipe
A vertical supply pipe for firefighting which is pressurized and filled with water to serve attached hoses on each floor within the building. A Siamese connection allows the water flow to be augmented from fire hydrants.
convection
The heat transfer process which occurs when a warm fluid rises, displacing cold fluid which then falls.
kilowatt (kW)
A unit of electric power equal to 1000 watts.
fan
A device consisting of a series of blades in a circular arrangement, driven by a motor or other prime mover to produce a current of air.
service
The portion of a building’s electrical system extending from the utility company’s wires to (and including) the main switch and meter.
dry pipe sprinkler
A sprinkler system whose pipes are normally pressurized with only air, thus being invulnerable to freezing temperatures. Upon actuation, the air is vented and supply pressure forces water through the system.
AC
The abbreviation for either air-conditioning or alternating current, depending on the context.
chlorination
The addition of small amounts of chlorine to a water source to kill bacteria.
dry standpipe
A vertical supply pipe for firefighting which is empty and must be connected to a fire hydrant by means of a Siamese connection and a pumper truck.
bibb
A faucet having a nozzle that is bent downward.
white noise
Innocuous background noise used to mask objectionable sounds.
echo
A sound wave that has been reflected with sufficient magnitude and delay so that it is heard as a sound distinct from that transmitted directly.
ASHRAE
The abbreviation for:
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers
The source of most of the standardized information on the subject.
thermal mass storage wall
A wall whose mass is composed of concrete, masonry, or containers filled with water, the purpose of which is to absorb and store solar heat.
total pressure
The pressure measured by a pilot tube, consisting of static pressure and velocity pressure. The total pressure of a non-moving fluid is equal to it’s static pressure.
battery
Two or more cells which utilize the reaction of a chemical solution on two dissimilar metals to produce an electromotive force.
globe valve
A valve consisting of a circular plug or disc which is raised or lowered against a circular opening or seat, used for adjusting or throttling flow.
ionization detector
A fire detector which detects the products of combustion (POC) even before they are visible to the naked eye.
vent stack
A vertical pipe which vents several sanitary drainage lines, in order to break the siphoning suction which would occur when water passes down through the system.
heat exchanger
Any device used for transferring heat from one fluid to another, where the fluids are physically separated.
UBC
The abbreviation for Uniform Building Code, one of the most widely-used model building codes in the United States.
solstice
Either June 21st (summer solstice) or December 21st (winter solstice), the first day of summer (or winter), the longest (or shortest) day of the year.
absolute humidity
The weight of water vapor per unit volume of air.
conduction
The transfer of heat by direct contact, from hotter molecules to cooler molecules.
degree day (dd)
The amount by which the average outdoor temperature at a particular location is below 65 degrees Farenheit for one day. Degree days may also be summed and stated for a month or a year.
wet bulb temperature (WBT)
The temperature attained by a glass thermometer whose bulb is covered with a wet sock and placed in an air stream moving at 1000 cubic feet per minute.
reverberation time
The time required for the sound pressure level to decrease 60dB after the original sound stops.
reflectance
The ratio of reflected to incident light falling on a surface.
eutectic salts
Materials used to store and release heat by means of their latent heat capacity, that is, they alternately melt and solidify in the normal solar operating temperature range of 80 to 160 degrees Farenheit.
transducer
A device which converts power in one kind of system to power in another form, such as a loudspeaker which converts electric power to acoustic power.
Hartford loop
A plumbing arrangement on steam boilers to avoid rapid loss of water in the boiler due to a break in the the condensate return line. It is also referred to as an underwriter’s loop.
contactor
A switch, usually magnetically operated, which is used to open and close an electrical circuit.
active solar system
A heating or cooling system that collects and moves solar heat with the assistance of mechanical power.
siphon
A U-shaped tube used to transfer liquid from an upper level to a lower one by suction.
lateral
A common sewer that receives wastewater only from building sewers.
cross connection
Any connection by means of which nonpotable, used, or contaminated water or other liquid can enter any part of a potable water system.
Helmholtz resonator
A sound-absorbing device consisting of an enclosed body of air confined within rigid walls and connected by a narrow opening to the space around it. It is also known as a cavity resonator.
bell
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 hub.
HEPA filter
A high-efficiency particulate air filter, which removes dust and other tiny particles from a moving air stream.
cavity resonator
A sound-absorbing device consisting of an enclosed body of air confined within rigid walls and connected by a narrow opening to the space around it. It is also known as a Helmholtz resonator.
register
A device consisting of a grille and damper to control the amount of air passing through it.