ITALGEN - Italcementi Group

19/05/2012 07:44

Search
in this sitein all group sites

	Our Company
	Careers
	Our plants
	Our projects
	Sustainable Development
	Media Center
	News and press release
	Photogallery
	Glossary

	Italcementi Worldwide

	Select a Company

	Italcementi Group
	Careers
	Sustainable Development
	Media and Communication
	Investor Relations
	Research and Innovation
	Architecture
	Login

Media Center
Glossary

BIOMASS

Agricultural waste or the product of specific crops that can be burned in plants producing thermal energy and electricity (co-generation).

CAPACITY FACTOR

The net capacity factor is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its output if it had operated at full capacity during that time period.

Carbon monoxide. A colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas resulting from incomplete combustion of organic fuels.

CO2

Carbon dioxide. A chemical compound composed of a single carbon atom covalently bound to two oxygen atoms. It is essential to the life of plants and animals. Carbon dioxide is the second most abundant greenhouse gas, after water steam.

A new type of thermal power plant, i.e. the one fitted with the so-called Combined Cycle Gas Turbine, has been gaining momentum over the last years. At a CCGT plant, the conversion of thermal energy to mechanical energy, which is needed to move an electrical generator, takes place in two steps, with a total efficiency that is close to 55%. The heat in the gases released from a gas turbine, coupled to an electrical generator, is used to heat water in a boiler, thus producing the steam volume needed to move a steam turbine coupled to a second generator.

OVERHEAD POWER TRANSMISSION LINES

Transmission lines are used to carry electricity over distances. The way transmission lines are built is very much dependent upon the operating voltage and on whether this is DC or AC. Overhead power transmission lines are made of steel lattice towers or metal pylons that keep conductors at a safe height.

Medium voltage transmission lines are simpler and shorter. Submarine high voltage cables represent another type of special transmission lines. A standard power transmission line is made of the supporting structures, the electricity conductors and the insulated elements. Overhead power transmission lines are classified according to their operating voltage as:

extra high voltage lines (380kV), used for long distance power transmission
high voltage lines (220kV and 132 kV) for electricity distribution; large consumers (energy-intensive industries) may be directly supplied with 132KV;
medium voltage lines (generally 15 kV) for distribution to industrial businesses, shop centers, large condominiums, etc.);
low voltage lines (220-380V), used for small consumers (e.g. residential customers)

ISO 9001:2000

International reference standard concerning the certification of the quality management system of any company or organization, no matter their business field and size.

ISO 14001

A voluntary international standard specifying the requirements of an environmental management system and applicable to any type of public or private organization

NOX

Nitrogen oxide. Gas produced as a byproduct of processes entailing air combustion (typically from wood-burning stoves to car engines and thermal power plants). The quantity and quality of NOx in the mix depends on the type of substance burned and the conditions upon which burning occurs

DUST

All the solid microscopic particles dispersed in the exhaust gases from a combustion process

POWER

The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred per unit of time. Units of power are generally the watt (W) and its multiples, such as the kilowatt (kW) equal to one thousand watts, or the megawatt (MW) equal to one million watts

KYOTO PROTOCOL

The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change established with the objective of reducing greenhouse gases that cause climate change. It was signed by 160 countries on December 11, 1997 at the 3rd Conference of the Parties to the treaty when they met in Kyoto. The protocol entered into force on 16th February 2005, after Russia had formally ratified it, too

SO2

Sulfur dioxide. A colorless gas with a typical empyreumatic odor, it is highly soluble in water. It is one of the main sulfur-based air pollutants. The main pollution source is the combustion of fossil fuels (coal and petroleum products) where sulfur occurs as an impurity

STAKEHOLDERS

All clearly identifiable individuals or groups who may have an impact on the success of an enterprise or who may have an interest in the decisions of an enterprise: shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, public institutions, local communities, the media, interest groups and even competitors

TOE

The Ton of Oil equivalent is a unit of energy expressing the amount of energy released by burning one metric ton of crude oil. By convention, 1 toe is equivalent to 10 million kcal.

WATT (W)

An SI-derived unit of power

WATT-HOUR (WH)

The flow of 1 Watt for 1 hour; 1 Watt-hour is equal to 3,600 Joules (1 Wh = 1 W × 3,600 s = 3,600 Ws = 3,600 J).

WIND POWER

Wind power is generated by converting the kinetic energy in the wind into other useful forms of energy. Currently, it wind power is mostly converted into electricity at wind farms. In the past, wind power used to be harnessed locally to provide continuous motion to pre-industrial and industrial installations.

Exploitation of wind power is a relatively simple and little expensive process, accomplished by means of wind turbines. Modern wind turbines fall into two basic groups: the horizontal-axis variety and the horizontal-axis design.

Wind power systems can most profitably be installed offshore where waters are not so deep. Advantages include a reduced impact on the environment and local landscape and better wind quality and consistency. A typical installation includes tall towers fitted with horizontal axis turbines

HYDROPOWER

To date, hydropower is the most widely used renewable energy source worldwide in terms of installed capacity and energy efficiency. This is particularly true for Italy because of the country’s advantageous landscape and actual water availability.

The operating principle of a hydropower plant is very simple: suitably devised turbines convert the potential energy of water falling from higher elevations downstream through streams, channels, and watercourses, into electric energy. Therefore, hydropower relies primarily on rainwater.

A hydropower plant comprises:

a water catchment system, adequately shaped and sized to match the nature of the terrain and the morphology of the watercourse/river bed;
a penstock, where water is conveyed to and forced to flow;
a turbine, which converts the potential energy of the water into mechanical energy;
an alternator or generator, which converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy;
a control system, that also serves to regulate water flow.

Hydropower plants can be of three types as follows:

run-of-the-river: if built directly on rivers and watercourses
impoundment: water is stored in a reservoir using a dam
pumped-storage: water is pumped to the reservoirs

THERMAL POWER PLANT

A thermal power plant is a plant for the production of electricity through steam and/or gas. The main equipment used for transforming steam or gas into electricity includes the steam generator (boiler), the turbine, the condenser and the alternator. A new type of thermal power plant, i.e. the one fitted with the so-called Combined Cycle Gas Turbine, has been gaining momentum over the last years. At a CCGT plant, the conversion of thermal energy to mechanical energy, which is needed to move an electrical generator, takes place in two steps, with a total efficiency that is close to 55%. The heat in the gases released from a gas turbine, coupled to an electrical generator, is used to heat water in a boiler, thus producing the steam volume needed to move a steam turbine coupled to a second generator.

Italcementi Group

Our world

Italcementi Group profile

Media and Communication

ArcVision

Six Monthly Magazine dedicated to high-profile contributions in Industry, Economy and Architecture.

Archives

Legal information | Corporate data | System requirements | Site map |

Last update 01/04/2009 15:07:16 UTC