Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
F
Fahrenheit:
A temperature scale on which the boiling point of water is at 212°
above 0 on the scale and the freezing point is at 32° above 0 at standard
atmospheric pressure.
Failure or hazard (electrical power distribution):
Any electric power supply equip-
ment or facility failure or other event that, in the judgment of the reporting
entity, constitutes a hazard to maintaining the continuity of the bulk electric
power supply system such that load reduction action may become necessary
and reportable outage may occur. Types of abnormal conditions that should
be reported include the imposition of a special operating procedure, the
extended purchase of emergency power, other bulk power system actions
that may be caused by a natural disaster, a major equipment failure that
would impact the bulk power supply, and an environmental or regulatory
action requiring equipment outages.
Far trees:
Trees located greater than 15 m (50 ft) from buildings so as to influence
building energy use through their aggregate effect on air temperature and
wind speed at the neighborhood scale.
Fast pyrolysis:
Thermal conversion of biomass by rapid heating to 450 to 600°C in
the absence of oxygen.
Fault:
A fracture in rock exhibiting relative movement between the adjoining surfaces.
Fauna:
All animal life associated with a given habitat, country, area, or period.
Federal land:
Public land owned by the federal government, including national for-
ests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges.
Federal listed species:
A species listed as endangered or threatened, or a species at
risk under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Federal Power Act:
Enacted in 1920, and amended in 1935, the Act consists of three
parts. The first part incorporated the Federal Water Power Act administered
by the former Federal Power Commission, whose activities were confined
almost entirely to licensing non-federal hydroelectric projects. The other
two parts were added with the passage of the Public Utility Act. These parts
extended the Act's jurisdiction to include regulating the interstate transmis-
sion of electrical energy and rates for its sale as wholesale in interstate com-
merce. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is now charged with
administration of this law.
Feedstock:
A product used as the basis for the manufacture of another product.
Feller-buncher:
A self-propelled machine that cuts trees with giant shears near
ground level and then stacks the trees into piles to await skidding.
Fenestration:
The whole-building design approach determines what type of fenes-
tration products (windows, doors, and skylights) should be used. Basically,
such an approach involves selecting products with characteristics that
accommodate a building's climate, including insulating, daylighting, heat-
ing and cooling, and natural ventilation needs.
Fermentation:
Conversion of carbon-containing compounds by microorganisms for
the production of fuels and chemicals such as alcohols, acids, or energy-rich
gases.
