An electric generator consists of an armature and a field structure. The armature carries the wire loop, coil, or other windings in which the voltage is induced, whereas the field structure produces the magnetic field. In small generators, the armature is ...

A type of hydroelectric facility that uses the river flow with very little alteration and little or no impoundment of the water.

An agency of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture that makes loans to states and territories in the U.S. for rural electrification and the furnishing of electric energy to persons in rural areas who do not receive central station service. It also furnishes and i ...

A metal rod placed in a water heater tank to protect the tank from corrosion. Anodes of aluminum, magnesium, or zinc are the more frequently metals. The anode creates a galvanic cell in which magnesium or zinc will be corroded more quickly than the metal ...

Consist of three main layers. The top layer is near ambient and has low salt content. The bottom layer is hot, typically 160 F to 212 F (71 C to 100 C), and is very salty. The important gradient zone separates these zones. The gradient zone acts as a tran ...

The cutting of a grid pattern of grooves in a semiconductor material, generally for the purpose of making interconnections.

A heating system that uses only outside air for combustion and vents combustion gases directly to the outdoors. These systems are less likely to backdraft and to negatively affect indoor air quality.

A measure of seasonal or annual efficiency of a central air conditioner or air conditioning heat pump. It takes into account the variations in temperature that can occur within a season and is the average number of Btu of cooling delivered for every watt- ...

Ratio of useful energy output of a device to the energy input, averaged over an entire heating season.

Wood, used for fuel, that has been air dried so that it contains 15 to 20 percent moisture content (wet basis).

The ratio of the minimum amount of work or energy required to perform a task to the amount actually used.

This law states that no device can completely and continuously transform all of the energy supplied to it into useful energy.

The generation of an electric current, when two conductors of different metals are joined at their ends to form a circuit, with the two junctions kept at different temperatures.

A solar absorber surface that has high absorbtance at wavelengths corresponding to that of the solar spectrum and low emittance in the infrared range.

A material with high absorbtance and low emittance properties applied to or on solar absorber surfaces.

Any material that has a limited capacity for conducting an electric current. Certain semiconductors, including silicon, gallium arsenide, copper indium diselenide, and cadmium telluride, are uniquely suited to the photovoltaic conversion process.

This committee has jurisdiction on: coal production, distribution and utilization; energy policy; energy research, conservation, and development; hydroelectric power; irrigation; mineral conservation; nonmilitary development of nuclear energy; solar energ ...

This committee has jurisdiction on the oversight and legislative responsibilities for: coal, nuclear, and non-nuclear energy commercialization projects; DOE National Laboratories; global climate change; new technologies research and development; commercia ...

The difference between the total cooling effect and the dehumidifying effect.

The interior heat gain due to heat conduction, convection, and radiation from the exterior into the interior, and from occupants and appliances.