Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels (2013)
Chapter: Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations
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Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
E
Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations
GLOSSARY
| aerodynamic resistance | Velocity-dependent resistance from movement by a vehicle through the air. Also known as aerodynamic drag. |
| alcohol fuels | Fuels that are organic compounds that contain one or more hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to one or more of the carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon chain. Common alcohol fuels include ethanol, methanol, and butanol. |
| algae | A group of aquatic eukaryotic organisms that contain chlorophyll. Algae can be microscopic in size (microalgae) or observable to the eye (macroalgae). |
| aliphatic alcohol | An alcohol that contains a hydrocarbon fragment derived from a fully saturated, nonaromatic hydrocarbon. |
| anoxia | Condition characterized by the absence of dissolved oxygen. |
| biodiesel | Diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters derived from biological material such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and algal oils. |
| biofuel | Fuel derived from biomass. |
| biomass | Any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring basis, including agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood residues, plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, animal residues, municipal residues, and other residue materials. |
| biorefinery | A commercial-scale processing facility that successfully integrates all processes for extracting and converting biomass feedstocks into a spectrum of saleable products. |
| body in white (BIW) | The stage in vehicle manufacture when all the fixed sheet metal components are fastened together. It does not include movable parts such as doors, hood, and trunk (these are considered closures). |
| carbon sequestration | Net transfer of atmospheric carbon dioxide into long-lived carbon storage. |
| cellulose | A polymer of glucose, (C6H10O5)n, that forms the cell walls of most plants. |
| charge-depleting (CD) mode | Electric vehicles powered by their batteries which are discharging. |
| charge-sustaining (CS) mode | Operation of a PHEV on its engine because the battery is discharged. |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| drivetrain | The power source (an engine or motor) and the components of the vehicle used to transmit this power to the wheels (transmission, drive shaft, etc.). Also called powertrain. |
| drop-in fuel | A non-petroleum fuel that is compatible with existing infrastructure for petroleum-based fuels with little to no modification required of current ICE vehicles. |
| engine heat recovery | About one-third of fuel energy is rejected as heat in the exhaust. Some of this energy can be recovered through mechanical or electric turbines (turbocompounding) or thermoelectric conversion and used to improve the efficiency of the vehicle. |
| ethanol | Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, ethanol can be used both as a fuel additive (in mixtures with gasoline, as in the E10 standard) and as a liquid fuel itself. |
| exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) | EGR recirculates cooled exhaust gas back through the engine to reduce throttling losses and allow operation over a wider range of load and speed. |
| gasoline direct injection (GDI) | Gasoline is directly injected into the combustion chamber of the engine, providing better fuel vaporization and more stable combustion. GDI reduces fuel consumption across the range of engine operations. |
| greenhouse gas (GHG) | An atmospheric gas that absorbs and emits radiation in the infrared range. Common GHGs are CO2, NOx, CH4, and ozone (O3). |
| hemicellulose | A matrix of polysaccharides present in almost all plant cell walls with cellulose. |
| Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET) | A component of the federal test procedure that simulates free-flowing highway driving. |
| hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) | A vehicle combining a fuel-driven engine, electric motor(s), and a battery or ultracapacitor. It is designed to reduce fuel consumption primarily by turning off the engine during idle, braking, and coasting as well as by capturing braking energy using regenerative brakes. Types of hybrid vehicles include micro-or stop/start hybrids, P2 hybrids, and power-split hybrids. |
| hydrocarbon fuels | Fuels that are organic compounds containing primarily carbon and hydrogen and only minor amounts of other atoms such as sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. Most hydrocarbon fuels are derived from petroleum. |
| hypoxia | Low dissolved oxygen concentrations, generally less than 2 milligrams per liter. |
| internal combustion engine (ICE) | An engine in which the combustion of a fuel (most often gasoline or diesel) drives a piston, producing useful mechanical energy. |
| land cover | Plants or physical cover over the surface of land. |
| land use | Anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, forestry, and urban development, that alter land-surface processes, including biogeochemistry, hydrology, and biodiversity. |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| lignin | A complex polymer that occurs in certain plant cell walls. Lignin binds to cellulose fibers and hardens and strengthens the cell walls of plants. |
| lignocellulosic biomass | Plant biomass composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. |
| multi-material vehicle (MMV) | A vehicle made primarily of lightweight components, including high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber. |
| pilot demonstration | A small, pre-commercial facility intended to test the viability of a process. These facilities typically do not include fully integrated processes. A pilot demonstration of a biofuel refinery might process 1-10 dry tons of feedstock per day. |
| plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) | A vehicle propelled (at least in part) by an electric motor that draws its power from a battery that stores energy from the electric grid. This includes both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). |
| powertrain | See drivetrain. |
| pumping loss | The energy that must be expended in delivering air into an ICE. |
| retail price equivalent (RPE) | A multiplier applied to the manufacturing cost of a component to account for indirect costs of manufacturing, meant to represent the fraction of the retail price of the fully assembled product associated with the component. |
| rolling resistance | The resistance to vehicle movement due to friction in the tires and from the road. It is directly proportional to the mass of the vehicle and depends on tire design (shape, tread, materials) and inflation pressure. |
| tractive energy | Energy delivered by the drivetrain to a vehicle’s wheels. |
| turbocharging | A process in which exhaust gas drives a turbine that compresses the air entering the engine cylinders, increasing the amount of fuel that can be burned in the cylinders and thus increasing torque and power output. |
| Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) | A component of the federal test procedure that simulates stop-and-go driving. |
| US06 Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP) | A driving schedule test that simulates high speeds as well as hard acceleration and braking. |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
CONVERSION FACTORS
| Mass 1 ounce (oz) 1 pound 1 (short) ton | ≡ | 28.3495231 0.453592 0.907185 | g kg (metric) tonne |
| Length 1 ft (foot) 1 mile | ≡ | 0.3048 1.609344 | m (meter) km (kilometer) |
| Area 1 mi2 1 acre | ≡ | 2.589988 0.404685642 | km2 hectare (ha) |
| Volume 1 ft3 1 gallon 1 barrel | ≡ | 0.028317 3.785412 158.987295 | m3 liter (L) L |
| Energy 1 British thermal unit (Btu) | ≡ | 0.001055 | megajoule (MJ) |
| Pressure 1 pound per square inch (psi) | ≡ | 6,894.76 | Pascal (Pa) |
| Compound units 1 pound per bushel 1 pound per acre 1 bushel per acre 1 ton per acre 1 ounce (oz) per gallon 1 ounce per Btu 1 ft3/acre 1 ft3/Btu 1 Btu per gallon | ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ | 17.857143 1.120851 0.062768 2.241702 7.489152 26,870.16 0.028317 26,839.19 0.000279 | kg/tonne kg/ha tonne/ha tonne/ha g/L g/MJ m3/ac m3/GJ MJ/L |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS
| ABO | Algal Biomass Organization |
| AC | alternating current |
| AEF | America’s Energy Future |
| AEO | Annual Energy Outlook |
| AER | all-electric range |
| AFV | alternative fuel vehicle |
| Ah | ampere-hour |
| AMT | automatic conventional manual transmission |
| ANL | Argonne National Laboratory |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| ATR | autothermal reforming |
| BAU | business as usual |
| bbl | barrel |
| BD | biodiesel |
| BDT | bone dry ton |
| BEV | battery electric vehicle |
| BGY | billions of gallons per year |
| BIW | body in white |
| BLM | Bureau of Land Management |
| BLY | billion(s) of liters per year |
| BM | biomass |
| BMEP | brake mean effective pressure |
| BMS | battery management system |
| BOP | balance of plant |
| Btu | British thermal unit |
| CAA | Clean Air Act |
| CAFE | Corporate Average Fuel Economy |
| CARB | California Air Resource Board |
| CBO | Congressional Budget Office |
| CBTL | coal-and-biomass to liquid fuel |
| CCS | carbon capture and storage |
| CD | charge depleting |
| CFRC | carbon-fiber reinforced composite |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| CH4 | methane |
| CI | carbon intensity |
| CID | current interrupt device |
| cm | centimeter |
| CNG | compressed natural gas |
| CNGV | compressed natural gas vehicle |
| CO2 | carbon dioxide |
| CO2e | carbon dioxide equivalent |
| CS | charge sustaining |
| CSBP | Council on Sustainable Biomass Production |
| CTL | coal to liquid (fuel) |
| DAF | dissolved air flotation |
| DC | direct current |
| DCT | dual-clutch transmission |
| DGAT | diacylglycerol acyltransferase |
| DME | dimethyl ether |
| DNA | deoxyribonucleic acid |
| DOE | U.S. Department of Energy |
| DOT | U.S. Department of Transportation |
| DW | dry weight |
| E10 | blend of up to 10 percent ethanol and the balance petroleum-based gasoline |
| E15 | fuel containing up to 15 percent ethanol by volume |
| E85 | fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol by volume |
| EEA | European Environmental Agency |
| EER | energy economy ratio |
| EERE | Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy |
| EGR | exhaust gas recirculation |
| EIA | Energy Information Administration |
| EIOLCA | economic input-output approach to LCA |
| EISA | Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 |
| EOR | enhanced oil recovery |
| EPA | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPAct | Energy Policy Act |
| EPCA | Energy Policy and Conservation Act |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| EPRI | Electric Power Research Institute |
| ERDA | Energy Research and Development Administration |
| EROI | energy return on investment |
| EROWI | energy return on water invested |
| ESA | Ecological Society of America |
| ETA | Energy Tax Act |
| EU | European Union |
| EV | electric vehicle |
| FAME | fatty acid methyl ester |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
| FCEV | fuel cell electric vehicle |
| FFV | flex-fuel vehicle |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| Fin | make up water addition |
| Fout | water purge |
| FT | Fischer-Tropsch |
| FTP | federal test procedure |
| GBEP | Global Bioenergy Partnership |
| GD | green diesel |
| GDI | gasoline direct injection |
| gge | gallon of gasoline equivalent |
| GGT | gas guzzler tax |
| GHG | greenhouse gas |
| GREET | Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation model |
| GTI | Gas Technology Institute |
| GTL | gas to liquid (fuel) |
| GW | gigawatt |
| ha | hectare |
| H2 | hydrogen |
| HD | heavy-duty; horizontal drilling |
| HEV | hybrid electric vehicle |
| HF | hydraulic fracturing |
| HRAP | high rate algal pond |
| HVAC | heating, ventilation, and air conditioning |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| HWFET | Highway Fuel Economy Test |
| IANGV | International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles |
| IBR | Integrated Algal Biorefinery |
| ICCT | International Council on Clean Transportation |
| ICE | internal combustion engine |
| ICEV | internal combustion engine vehicle |
| IHUF | Indexed Highway User Fee |
| IISD | International Institute for Sustainable Development |
| ILUC | indirect land-use change |
| IPCC | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| IPM | interior permanent magnet |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
| ISSG | Invasive Species Specialist Group |
| km | kilometer |
| kW | kilowatt |
| kWh | kilowatt-hour |
| LCA | life-cycle assessment |
| LCFS | Low Carbon Fuel Standard |
| LDV | light-duty vehicle |
| Li-ion | lithium ion |
| LLNL | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| LNG | liquid natural gas |
| LT | light truck |
| LUC | land use change |
| MD | medium-duty |
| MEA | Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
| MIT | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| MMBPD | million barrels per day |
| MMTCO2e | million metric ton(s) of CO2 equivalent |
| MPa | mega-Pascal |
| mpg | miles per gallon |
| mpgge | miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent |
| mt | metric ton (or tonne) |
| MTBE | methyl tertiary-butyl ether |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| MTG | methanol-to-gasoline (process) |
| MY | model year |
| NAAQS | National Ambient Air Quality Standards |
| NAE | National Academy of Engineering |
| NAS | National Academy of Sciences |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NBB | National Biodiesel Board |
| NEMS | National Energy Modeling System |
| NER | net energy ratio |
| NETL | National Energy Technology Laboratory |
| NEV | net energy value |
| NG | natural gas |
| NGV | natural gas vehicle |
| NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| Ni-MH | nickel metal-hydride |
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| NLTS | nineteen lower-tier state region |
| NMC | nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide |
| NOx | mono-nitrogen oxides, including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) |
| NRC | National Research Council |
| NRCS | Natural Resources Conservation Service |
| NREL | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| OBP | Office of Biomass Program |
| OEM | original equipment manufacturer |
| OMEGA | Offshore Membrane Enclosure for Growing Algae |
| ORNL | Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| OSHA | Occupational Safety and Health Administration |
| OTAG | Ozone Transport Assessment Group |
| PAYD | pay as you drive |
| PBR | photobioreactor |
| PEM | proton-exchange membrane |
| PEV | plug-in electric vehicle |
| PG&E | Pacific Gas and Electric |
| PHEV | plug-in hybrid electric vehicle |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| PHEV## | plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with an all-electric range of ## miles |
| PL | public law |
| PM | permanent magnet |
| PMC | polymer-matrix composite |
| PNGV | Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles |
| psi | pounds per square inch |
| PTC | positive temperature coefficient |
| PZEV | partial zero emission vehicle |
| quad | quadrillion British thermal units (of energy) |
| R&D | research and development |
| RD3 | research, development, demonstration, and deployment |
| RFS | Renewable Fuel Standard |
| RFS2 | Renewable Fuel Standard, as amended by EISA |
| RIA | regulatory impact analysis |
| RIN | Renewable Identification Number |
| RNA | ribonucleic acid |
| RNG | renewable natural gas |
| RPE | retail price equivalent |
| RSB | Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels |
| RSO | rapeseed oil |
| SBO | soybean oil |
| SCE | Southern California Edison |
| scf | standard cubic feet |
| SE | Southeast |
| SOC | state of charge |
| SPM | surface-mounted permanent magnet |
| SR | switched reluctance |
| SUV | sport utility vehicle |
| SVR | surface-to-volume ratio |
| SW | Southwest |
| TAGs | triacylglycerol |
| TAR | technical assessment report |
| TCC | thermochemical conversion |
| tcf | trillion(s) of standard cubic feet |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix E: Glossary, Conversion Factors, and Acronyms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2013. Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/18264.
| TEPCO | Tokyo Electric Power Company |
| TOU | time of use |
| TSCA | Toxic Substances Control Act |
| TTW | tank to wheel |
| UDDS | Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule |
| USCAP | U.S. Climate Action Partnership |
| USDA-RD | U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development |
| USGS | United States Geological Survey |
| VEETC | volumetric ethanol excise tax credit |
| VMT | vehicle miles traveled |
| VOC | volatile organic compound |
| W | watt |
| WF | water footprint |
| Wh | watt-hour |
| WHC | Wildlife Habitat Council |
| WTT | well to tank |
| WTW | well to wheels |
| WW | wastewater |
| WWTP | wastewater treatment plant |
| xcontrol | total dissolved solids in water (defined control point) |
| xout | total dissolved solids in purge |
| ZEV | zero-emission vehicle |
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