Boiler glossary

Boiler glossary R

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RANKINE CYCLE -- A composite steam plant cycle used as a standard of efficiency, comprising introduction of water by a pump to boiler pressure, evaporation, adiabatic expansion to condenser pressure, and condensation to the initial point.
RANKINE SCALE -- Absolute scale of temperature, based on degrees Fahrenheit.
RAW WATER -- Water supplied to the plant before any treatment.
REACTION TURBINE -- A turbine in which the fluid expands progressively in passing alternate rows of fixed and moving blades, the kinetic energy continuously developed being absorbed by the latter.
RECIPROCATING ENGINE -- Any engine which employs a piston working in a cylinder, the piston being caused to oscillate by the periodic pressure of the working fluid.
REDUCING VALVE -- The reducing valve will give a constant reduced pressure irrespective of any fluctuation in the inlet pressure provided that the latter does not fall below the desired reduced pressure.
REFRACTORY -- Any solid ceramic material suitable as a structural or protective material at high temperatures in a corrosive environment.
REGISTER TON -- A unit of cargo capacity equal to 100 cubic feet or 2.83 cubic meters.
RELIEF VALVE -- A spring loaded valve that automatically opens when pressure attains the valve setting. Used to prevent excessive pressure from building up in a boiler.
REPEATABILITY -- The value equal to or below which the absolute difference between two single tests results tested by the same operator, on the same apparatus at the same laboratory, may be expected to lie with a probability of 95%. See Acceptability
REPRODUCIBILITY -- The value equal to or below which the absolute difference between two single tests obtained by different operators, on different apparatuses at different laboratories, may be expected to lie with a probability of 95%. See Acceptability
RESIDUAL FUEL OIL -- Heavy, thick substance, such as No.6 oil, left over from the distillation of petroleum.
RESUPERHEATING -- The process of passing steam, which has been partially expanded in a steam turbine, back to a superheater before subjecting it to further expansion
RETORT -- A closed chamber of refractory material, heated by producer gas on the outside, in which charges of coal are carbonized. Retorts are mostly of the continuous vertical type, the other types being horizontal retorts and intermittent vertical retorts.
RISERS -- Tubes in which steam is generated due to high convection or radiant heat. The water-steam emulsion rises in these tubes toward the steam drum.
ROBERT FULTON did not invent the steamship, but Robert Fulton made the steamships commercially successful.
RMS -- Royal Mail Steamer.
ROTARY CUP BURNER -- A burner in which atomization is accomplished by feeding oil to the inside of a rapidly rotating cup.
RUTHS ACCUMULATOR -- A steam accumulator of variable pressure type for smoothing fluctuations or demand on a boiler. It consists of a large insulated vessel containing water into which steam is injected at a high pressure, to be liberated later when the pressure is reduced.