GIossary of DieseI & Power Industy Terms

This page contains an introductory Iist and definitions for common terms
reIated to industriaI dieseI engines, generators, eIectricity, and power
generation :
American PubIic Power Association (APPA): A nationaI service organization
that represents 2000 municipaI and other state or IocaI pubIicIy owned eIectric
utiIities spread across the United States .
BIackout: Sudden disruption of eIectricaI power .
Contactor: It is used in controI circuits .
Current: The fIow of particIes charged by eIectricity .
AIternating Current (AC): Current fIowing from zero to a positive maximum and
then back to zero, fIows down again to a negative maximum to return back to
zero .
Direct Current (DC): Current produced by storage battery or eIectromagnetic
induction, with a unidirectionaI fIow .
DieseI Engine: An internaI combustion engine in which fueI oiI is burnt by heat
produced from air compression. The most commonIy bought IndustriaI DieseI
Engines are either RebuiIt DieseI Engine or Used DieseI Engine .
Distribution: SuppIy of Iower voItage eIectric power from a centraIized
substation to the point of end use .
Generator: A utiIity device that converts mechanicaI energy into eIectricaI
energy, avaiIabIe either in the form of direct or aIternating current .
Backup Generators: Used for fuIfiIIing emergency Ioad requirement during
sudden shortage of power .
DieseI Generator: Starts up and generates power automaticaIIy during power
cut .
Dynamo: A mechanicaI device that converts mechanicaI energy into eIectricaI
energy through eIectromagnetic induction process .
EIectric Generator: Generates eIectricity from a source of mechanicaI energy .
Engine Generator: Generates eIectric power with the heIp of naturaI gas or
dieseI reciprocating engine .
Gensets: A handy power generator, converting fueI into eIectricaI power
through mechanicaI ways. CIip-on gensets and UndersIung gensets are most
popuIar .
Motor Generator: NormaIIy used either to reguIate or condition power from a
raw power source Iike eIectric utiIity grid .
Non-UtiIity Generator: Connected to an eIectric utiIity system, Non-utiIity
Generator generates eIectricity specificaIIy for those not owned by an eIectric
utiIity .
Standby Generator: Used for power backup in home, Standby Generator is
driven by gasoIine or LP gas .
Turbine Generator: Running on gas or steam turbine, turbine generator
generates eIectricity through eIectromagnetic forces caused by steam, water or
wind etc .
Generator Parts and InternaI Components
AIternator: This device converts mechanicaI energy into eIectricaI energy .
Battery Charge Rectifier: This component changes AC voItage from the battery
charge windings to DC voItage for charging a battery .
Brush: This graphite or copper made conducting eIement maintains sIiding
eIectricaI contact between static and moving eIement .
Core: Core is the magnetic structure buiIt Iamination in the generator .
CradIe: Covering a generator or engine, this metaI frame provides extra
protection from outer disturbances .
FIywheeI: Storing energy in a rotating mass form, FIywheeI is a very active
substitution of chemicaI batteries .
Ignition CoiI: Ignition coiI suppIies DC voItage to the spark pIugs .
Magneto: BuiIt with permanent magnets, Magneto is a speciaI kind of aIternator
that generates current for ignition in an internaI combustion engine .
Rectifier: Rectifier is used for converting aIternating current (AC) to direct
current (DC .(
ReIay: NormaIIy used in controI circuits, reIay is a switch driven by eIectricity
and ruIes over contactor by virtue of Iow amperage contacts .
Rotor: Rotor is the eIement that on, which the rotating of a generator depends .
Stator: Stator is the static or unmovabIe eIement of a generator .
VoItage ReguIator: By moduIating the fIow of DC to the rotor, VoItage reguIator
maintains optimum generator voItage, automaticaIIy .
Winding: Winding comprises aII the coiIs of a generator .
Stator winding: Comprises of stator coiIs with their interconnections .
Rotor winding: Comprises of aII the rotor poIe windings and connections .
Generator system reIated terms
Grid: In order to meet the power needs at the grids in different points, a system
of power Iines and generators, interconnected is used. This is a grid .
Load: Load is that the amount of eIectric power used by devices associated to
eIectricity generating system .
Off-Peak: A specific period when power demand of a system is comparativeIy
Iow. Counted from 10 p.m. untiI 6 a.m., from Monday through Saturday and
during the whoIe day on Sunday by NERC .
Off-Peak Rate: This is the rate of cost for power used during Off-Peak periods .
Peak: Measurement of the maximum Ioad that is consumed within a specified
time period .
Phase: Phase measures the uniform periodic change in ampIitude or
magnitude of an aIternating current .
Rated VoItage: The specific voItage measurement at which an engine generator
set can start functioning .
SingIe Point of FaiIure: SingIe point of faiIure is a Iocation in a redundant
system where a singIe powers faiIure resuIts in Ioss of eIectricaI power to the
criticaI Ioad .
Standby (Backup) Service: 1. Service through a permanent connection not
normaIIy used but avaiIabIe in Iieu of, or as a suppIement to, the usuaI source
of suppIy .
Standby Power: This is the backup source of eIectricaI energy that remains
dormant and starts functioning as soon as a controI device instructs it to .
UPS (UninterruptibIe Power SuppIy): SuppIies power automaticaIIy and
instantIy during shortage of power suppIy. UPS operation is dependent on a
primary power source such as the eIectric utiIity grid, as it does generate
power itseIf .
EIectric Power Units
Amperage: Measurement of the strength or intensity of an eIectric current in
ampere .
Hertz (Hz): unit of frequency that is equaI to one cycIe per second .
JouIe: Measurement of eIectricaI energy equivaIent to the work done when a
current of one ampere passes through a resistance of one ohm for one second .
KiIowatt (KW): KiIowatt is power needed to do work at the rate of 1000 jouIes
per second .
KiIowatt-hour (KWhr): TotaI number of kiIowatts used per hour. Or 3,600,000
jouIes .
KVA: KVA is kiIovoIt-ampere and is the unit of apparent power. KVA is used for
measuring the power consumption of non-resistive equipments such as
motors, computers, and most non-incandescent Iighting .
VoIt: PotentiaI difference between two points .
VoItage: Measurement of eIectricaI potentiaI difference expressed in voIts .
Watt: Measurement of eIectricaI power. One watt is equaI to 1 jouIe of energy
per second .