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Building Systems
MEP
75
Architecture
Professional
03/30/2011

Additional Architecture Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Solar Direct-Gain Systems
Definition
Allow solar radiation to flow directly into the space needing heat
Term
Solar Indirect-Gain Systems
Definition
operate when the sunlight first strikes a thermal mass that is located
between the sun and the space
Term
What systems does commissioning generally include?
Definition
HVAC and MEP systems, controls, ductwork and pipe insulation,
renewable and alternate technologies, life safety systems, lighting controls and day lighting systems
Term
Which direction should buildings generally be oriented for maximum environmental comfort? How should they be shielded from wind?
Definition
long axis east/west and fenestration primarily on south. The exact direction of the southern face varies, but is generally about 15 degrees east of south. Protect buildings with earth forms and tree lines help reduce heat loss in winter and diminish summer heat gain.
Term
Where should trees be placed on a site for maximum seasonal benefit?
Definition
Locate dense, coniferous trees on elevation against prevailing wind (usually west or northwest); deciduous shade trees on south and west sides of building to help reduce summer solar gain.
Term
What is the best shape for buildings in a cool climate?
Definition
square; minimize windows on the northern exposure
Term
What is the best shape for buildings in a temperate climate?
Definition
elongated east – west; minimum northern exposure and block winter winds
Term
What is the best shape for buildings in a hot-arid climate?
Definition
square shape; roof ponds, thermal mass; courtyard
Term
What is the best shape for buildings in a hot-humid climate?
Definition
elongate east-west facades for breezes; utilize courtyards and overhangs
Term
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
Definition

Less efficient than horizontal axis, but self-starting

 

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Term
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine
Definition
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Term
Hard Water
Definition
Water with dissolved minerals--typically limestone & calcium
Term
How is hard water softened?
Definition
by removing the mineral ions or combining them with something that will
not solidify the water when heated; zeolite or ion exchange process
Term
Conduction
Definition
Direct transmission of energy by a medium that does not involve movement of the medium itself
Term
Thermal Conductivity
Definition
the quantity of heat, Q, transmitted through a thickness L, in a direction normal to a surface of area A, due to a temperature gradient ΔT, under steady state conditions and when the heat transfer is dependent only on the temperature gradient.

λ = Q × L / (A × ΔT)
Term
Coefficient of Heat Transmission
Definition
A value that describes the ability of a material to conduct heat. The number of Btu that flow through one square foot of material in one hour. It is the reciprocal of the R-value (i.e. U-value = 1/R-value).
The lower the number, the greater the heat transfer resistance (insulating) characteristics of the material.
Term
Latent Heat
Definition
i. The change in heat content that occurs with a change in phase and without change in temperature.
Term
Hygrometer
Definition
Instrument used to measure the moisture content of a gas, as in determining the relative humidity of air.
Term
Dew Point
Definition
The dew point or dewpoint of a given parcel of air is the temperature, to which the parcel must be cooled, at constant barometric pressure, for the water vapor component to condense into water, called dew.
Term
Two types of active solar-heating systems
Definition
A liquid-based system heats water or an antifreeze solution in a "hydronic" collector, and an air-based system heats air in an "air collector."
Both of these systems collect and absorb solar radiation, then transfer the solar heat directly to the interior space or to a storage system, from which the heat is distributed.
Term
Flat Plate Collector
Definition
the most common collector for residential water-heating and space-heating installations. A typical flat-plate collector is an insulated metal box with a glass or plastic cover (called the glazing) and a dark-colored absorber plate. These collectors heat either liquid or air at temperatures less than 180°F
Term
Concentrating Collectors
Definition
i. Concentrating collectors use curved mirrors to concentrate sunlight on an absorber, called a receiver, at up to 60 times the sun's normal intensity. These high-temperature systems are used primarily in commercial and industrial applications.
Term
Parabolic Trough Collectors
Definition
Parabolic-trough collectors use trough-shaped reflectors that concentrate sunlight on a tube running along the reflector's focal line, achieving much higher temperatures than flat-plate or evacuated-tube collectors. These systems usually include a mechanical control system, called a tracker that keeps the trough reflector pointed at the sun throughout the day. Parabolic-trough concentrating systems can provide hot water and steam, and are generally used in commercial and industrial applications.
Term
Oil/Water Separators
Definition
mechanical wastewater treatment devices that remove oily and greasy contaminants from process or storm water runoff
Term
Upfeed System for Small Buildings
Definition
System to serve small buildings by pressure available in water mains or pressure tanks fed by pumped wells. Water rises directly from mains to plumbing fixtures.
Term
Upfeed System in tall buildings
Definition
Hydropneumatic- pumps force water into sealed tanks, compressing the air within and providing the needed pressure.
Term
Downfeed Systems
Definition
pumps raise water to storage on top of building, water drops down to fixtures
Term
Gate Valve
Definition
The gate valve is a general service valve used primarily for on--off, non-throttling service. The valve is closed by a flat face, vertical disc, or gate that slides down through the valve to block the flow.
Term

Globe Valve

Definition

The globe valve effects closure by a plug with a flat or convex bottom lowered onto a matching horizontal seat located in the center of the valve. Raising the plug opens the valve, allowing fluid flow. The globe valve is used for on--off service and handles throttling applications.

Term
[image]
Definition
Gate Valve
Term
[image]
Definition
Globe Valve
Term
Pinch Valve
Definition

The pinch valve is particularly suited for applications of slurries or liquids with large amounts of suspended solids. It seals by means of one or more flexible elements, such as a rubber tube, that can be pinched to shut off flow.

Term
Diapragm Valve
Definition
The diaphragm valve closes by means of a flexible diaphragm attached to a compressor.
When the compressor is lowered by the valve stem onto a weir, the diaphragm seals and cuts off flow. The diaphragm valve handles corrosive, erosive and dirty services.
Term
Needle Valve
Definition
The needles valve is a volume-control valve that restricts flow in small lines. The fluid going through the valve turns 90 degrees and passes through an orifice that is the seat for a rod with a cone-shaped tip. The Size of the orifice is changes by positioning the cone in relation to the seat.
Term
Plug Valve
Definition
The plug valve is used primarily for on-off service and some throttling services. It controls flow by means of a cylindrical or tapered plug with a hole in the center that lines up with the flow path of the valve to permit flow. A quarter turn in either direction blocks the flow path.
Term
Ball Valve
Definition
The ball valve is similar in concept to the plug valve but uses a rotating ball with a hole through it that allows straight-through flow in the open position and shuts off flow when the ball is rotated 90 degrees to block the flow passage. It is used for on--off and throttling services.
Term
Butterfly Valve
Definition
The butterfly valve controls flow by using a circular disc or vane with its pivot axis at right angles to the direction of flow in the pipe. The butterfly valve is used both for on--off and throttling services.
Term
Check Valve
Definition
The check valve is designed to prevent backflow. Fluid flow in the desired direction opens the valve, while backflow forces the valve closed.
Term
Pressure Relief Valve
Definition
The pressure relief valve is designed to provide protection from over-pressure in steam, gas, air and liquid lines. The valve "lets off steam" when safe pressures are exceeded, then closed again when pressure drops to a preset level.
Term
Soil Stack
Definition
Largest vertical drain line to which all branch waste lines connect; carries waste to the sewer line.
Term
Trap
Definition
Curved section of a fixture drain line, designed to hold water thus preventing sewer gases from entering the house.
Term
Fall or Flow
Definition
The proper slope or pitch of a pipe for adequate drainage.
Term
DWV
Definition
Abbreviation for drain, waste and vent.
Term
Closet Bend
Definition
A curved fitting that connects the closet flange to the toilet drain.
Term
Riser
Definition
A vertical assembly of fittings and pipes that distributes water upward.
Term
Union
Definition
Three-piece fitting that joins two sections of pipe, but allows them to be disconnected without cutting the pipe. Used primarily with steel pipes, but never in a DWV system
Term
Leach Field
Definition
Liquid drains from the relatively clear portion of the tank to the leach field (also referred to as a drain field, or seepage field, depending upon locality) where the remaining impurities naturally decompose and the water is eliminated through percolation into the soil, and eventually taken up through the root system of plants or added to the groundwater.
Term
PVC
Definition
A widely-used plastic. In recent years, PVC has been replacing traditional building materials such as wood, concrete and clay in many areas. UV light causes deterioration of PVC. Despite appearing to be an ideal building material, concerns have been raised about the environmental and human health costs of PVC.
Term
Busbar (Bus)
Definition
A low impedance conductor to which several circuits/conductors can be separately connected.
Term
Circuit Breaker
Definition
A switching device, capable of making, carrying and breaking currents under normal circuit conditions and also making, carrying for a specified time and breaking currents under specified abnormal conditions such as those of short circuit.
Term
Circuit-breaker Control Selector Switch
Definition
A control switch provided within each circuit-breaker operating mechanism cabinet to enable the circuit-breaker to be closed and opened at the circuit-breaker during maintenance and test work, and sometimes to completely disable the circuit-breaker.
Term
Circuit Breaker Disconnector
Definition
The functional term for a disconnector that provides a point-of-isolation for a circuit-breaker.
Term
Circuit Breaker Lockout
Definition
The status of a circuit-breaker deliberately prevented from operating due to the action of a monitoring or protection device.
Term
Insulator
Definition
Insulators are materials which prevent the flow of heat (thermal insulators) or electric charge (electrical insulators). The opposite of electrical insulators are conductors and semiconductors, which permit the flow of charge (Note: a semiconductor is strictly speaking also an insulator, since it prevents the flow of electric charge at low temperatures, unless it is doped with atoms that release extra charges to carry the current). The term electrical insulator has the same meaning as the term dielectric, but the two terms are used in different contexts.
Term
Resistor
Definition
An ideal resistor is a component with an electrical resistance that remains constant regardless of the applied voltage or current flowing through the device or the rate of change of the current.
Term
Foot Candle
Definition
A unit of measure of the intensity of light falling on a surface, equal to one lumen per square foot and originally defined with reference to a standardized candle burning at one foot from a given surface.
Term
Candela
Definition
A unit of measurement of the intensity of light. Part of the SI system of measurement, one candela (cd) is the monochromatic radiation of 540THz with a radiant intensity of 1/683 watt per steradian in the same direction. Another way of putting it is that an ordinary wax candle generates approximately one candela.
Term
Lumen
Definition
A unit of measurement of the amount of brightness that comes from a light source. The standard lumen rating of a data projector is the average of photometer readings at several points on a full white image on the screen.
Technically, lumens measure "luminous flux." A wax candle generates 13 lumens; a 100 watt bulb generates 1,200. The lumen rating is a critical specification when choosing a data projector. In a darkened room, 500 lumens may be ample; however, in a conference room with normal lighting, 1,000 lumens would be better. In a room with bright daylight, 2,000 lumens is preferred.
Term
Ambient Lighting
Definition
Lighting that provides a minimum amount of illumination for people to see each other and move about.
Term
General Lighting
Definition
Lighting that provides enough illumination for reading or viewing objects.
Term
Task Lighting
Definition
Lighting which provides bright enough light for close work and viewing detail.
Term
Equivalent Sphere Illumination (ESI)
Definition
The amount of light in foot-candles produced by a luminous sphere on a seeing task in the center of the sphere that will render the same "see ability" as the raw foot-candles render the same task in the specific seeing environment under consideration.
Term
STC
Definition
Sound Transmission Class, a system devised by the ASTM in 1961 to describe how well various types of interior walls, floors, doors, etc. prevent sound in one room from reaching another.
Term
Sabin
Definition
A unit of acoustic absorption equivalent to the absorption by one square foot of a surface that absorbs all incident sound.
Term
BTU
Definition
the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb of water by 1°F
Term
Conductance
Definition
the number of BTU's per hour that pass through 1 ft of homogeneous material of a given thickness when the temperature differential is 1F
Term
Conductivity
Definition
the number of British thermal units per hour that pass through 1 ft of homogeneous material 1 in thick when the tempernture differential is 1°F.
Term
Enthalpy
Definition
the tital heat in a subsmnce, including latent heat and sensible heat
Term
Insolation
Definition
the solar radiation on a horizontal surface
Term
Sensible Heat
Definition
heat that causes a change in temperature of a substance but not a change of state
Term
Specific Heat
Definition
the number of BTU's required to raise the tempreature of a specific material by 1°F. It is the measure of a material's capacity to store heat, as compared with the storage capacity of water.
Term
Emissivity
Definition
Ability of an object to absorb and radiate heat.
Term
Mean Raadient Temperature
Definition
weighted average of the various surface temperatures in a room and the angle of exposure of the occupant to those surfaces, as well as any sunlight present
Term
Operative Temperature
Definition
an average of the air temperature of a space and the MRT of the space. It is measured with a globe thermometer, which accounts for both the air temperature and radient effets from surrounding surfaces.
Term
Evaporative Cooler
Definition
Also called a swamp cooler, an evaporative cooler reduces the temperature of the air, but does not reduce the enthalpy (total heat). They are therefore only effective in climates with very low humidity.
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