GLOSSARY OF TERMS
WATER CHEMISTRY, WATER TREATMENT, FUEL OIL TECHNOLOGY
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Energy Content of Various Fuels
OPEN SPRAY SYSTEM - A simple method of increasing evaporation and thus cooling. Also used to aerate effluent water to promote oxidation.
ORGANIC - Relating to or designating those types of chemicals which are composed of compounds of carbon. Generally, they are derived from living matter or from petroleum and vegetable oils.
PEPTIZING - The physical formation of colloidal solutions from soils which may be only partially soluble. This action is in part similar to dispersion, but is particularly applicable to materials such as protein soils. These are partially insoluble. Thus, the peptizing action is of great importance.
pH - The measure of hydrogen ion ("free" hydrogen) concentration on a scale of 0 to 14. From 0 to 7.0, indicates ACID, the lower the number the stronger the acid. From 7.1 to 14 is basic or ALKALINE, and the higher the number, the stronger the alkalinity.
PPM - Abbreviation used for parts per million. Used as a measurement to determine the amount of any substance present in proportion to the amount of water or other substance in which it is found. So many parts of the substance in a million parts of water (or other substance).
PRECIPITATION - The formation of solid particles in a solution, or the settling or rising up of small particles in a liquid medium.
PRESSURE - Pressure is a measure of the amount of mechanical energy being supplied in a system by pump or steam development.
QUATERNARY - Often shortened to "quats" in conversation, this refers to chemicals which are killing agents against various micro-organisms but particularly against the molds and algae which cause slime, "black moss", bad odor and other troubles in cooling towers. They are cationic compounds exhibiting germicidal as well as detergent properties.
RANGE - In a cooling tower, "cooling range", the difference between hot water temperature and the cold water temperature. Ideally, this could be 10ºF.
RETENTION TIME - The time it takes water to fall from distribution pan to the basin or sump; the time evaporation takes place. In Sewage Treatment - the time retained in a system in which degradation, settling, digestion Or other actions can take place.
SALT - A compound which, with water, is formed by the reaction of an acid with a base. Most salts encountered in the cleaning industry are alkaline salts, such as sodium carbonate, with a pH higher than 7.0. Common table salt is only one of the many chemical salts.
SANITARY - State of being clean and germ free.
SATURATION - A solution is saturated when it has dissolved all of the material being dissolved that it is capable of accepting at the temperature existing.
SCALE - This refers to the rock-like deposit which builds up as the calcium and magnesium in hard water are gradually precipitated at higher temperatures, or inadequate concentrations of adequate dispersants.
SEQUESTERING AGENTS - Materials which react with other substances to form soluble complexes.
SLIME - When molds or similar microscopic flora grow unchecked, they form slime, leading to bad odors and corrosion.
SOFT or SOFTENED WATER - Water which has had hardness removed to below 5 ppm.
SPRAY NOZZLE - Used to break up the flow of water into droplets and uniform spreading the water over as much an area as can be to promote maximum surface contact with air to promote oxidation, evaporation or to maximize contact with air born particles to wet them and remove them from the air stream. In fuel technology, used to promote good combustion.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY - The ratio of the weight of a substance compared to an equal volume of water. Water has a S.G. of 1.0, oils and fuels are less than 1.0. Rocks, salts, steel and things which do not float, have S.G. values greater than 1.0.
SUMP - Lowest portion of collection basin in a tower; the place where the suction connection is made.
SURFACE TENSION - The attraction between the molecules of a liquid which causes a liquid to form round droplets. thus, high surface tension tends to pull a liquid into a ball and works against spreading of a film on the surface. A reduction of this force in water by a detergent allows the fluid to flow out and wet and penetrate a surface. For fuel oils, a reduction allows for better contact with air for better combustion.
SLUDGE - Boilers - the precipitated solids which result from increased concentration exceeding solubility. Fuel oils - complex hydrocarbons resulting from polymerization after refining or naturally occurring in crude oil.
SURFACTANT - A surface active agent which alters the characteristics of particles. In residual fuels, surfactants can break up sludge. In boilers they may be used to condition sludge.
SUSPENSION - Is the action which holds up insoluble particles in a solvent. This action prevents the settling of solids which might form deposits. It also makes it easy to flush the insoluble particles from equipment or from boilers.
TITRATION - A chemical analysis procedure by which a volumetric analysis can
be made by adding a known volume of a standard solution to an unknown to the point at which a reaction has been completed (the end point). Often an indicator is used to define the conversion.
TONS IN REFRIGERATION - A measure of cooling capacity. A ton of refrigeration is equal to the amount of Btu's needed to raise the temperature of one ton of ice at 32°F to water at 32°F, usually used as a rate, such as tons per hour or say. A "ton" is equivalent to 200 Btu's per minute
TURBIDITY - In waste water, that solid contaminating material which is more or less suspended in the water. Measured as resistance to light passing through a volume of water. Turbid water is "opaque"; pure water without TURBIDITY is transparent to light and is thus "clear".
TOXIC - A synonym for poisonous, remembering that many substances are toxic or non-toxic depending on how they are used. A sprinkling of salt on steak is appetizing and wholesome; a cupful of salt gulped at a swallow would impair health badly. Good quality detergents use chemicals which contain very low amounts of any toxic elements and are therefore safe even if they are not completely rinsed from a surface and are accidentally ingested. Toxicity of compounds are expressed as LD50, which shows the dose that causes the death of 50% of the test animals.
VISCOSITY - A measure of the ease with which a material flows. Thus, something with high viscosity flows with difficulty; water, a nonviscous material, flows readily; the resistance to flow exhibited by a liquid resulting from the combined effects of cohesion and adhesion. The unit measure of this "body" of a liquid is the centipoise. Zahan and Brookfield instruments are used to measure viscosity. The heavier viscosity slows down evaporation so that detergents will not dry out during the soaking period. It also gives the appearance of having more solids.
WATER SOFTENING - Is the removal or inactivation of the hardness of water. Orthophosphates, such as trisodium phosphate, and alkalies soften water by precipitating the hardness. The complex or polyphosphates soften water by sequestering the hardness. The chelation agents soften water by forming soluble compounds called chelates. Water softening minerals soften water by exchanging the hardness constituents for compounds which are not hardness constituents.
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