Acoustic Zoning: In general, with "zoning" is meant the division of the territory in homogeneous areas, according to its destined use (presence of economical activities, population density, type of traffic). In particular, acoustic zoning means associating the admissible noisiness limits for external environment with the definite homogeneous areas.
Air Condenser: Exchanger in which steam condense heat is given to the air driven through the pipeline beams ( within which steam condenses) through big fans. In order to function, the system does not need water and does not therefore release steam (normally visible in the form of plume in evaporative towers) in the atmosphere.
Air Pollution: Alteration of the normal composition or physical state of air, due to the presence in the same of one or more substances in such quantity or with characteristics that: modify the normal environmental conditions and the salubrity of the air; represent danger, i.e. direct or indirect prejudice for man health; jeopardize the recreational activities or the other legitimate uses of environment; modify biological resources, ecosystems and public and private material goods.
The main air pollutants are: carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) (in the lower atmosphere) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). The period during which pollutant lasts in the atmosphere depends on its residing time caused by the intriduction and chemical conversion processes of the same polluting compounts.
Alternator: Electric machine which transforms mechanical energy into electric alternating current power. Mechanical energy is supplied by engines: hydraulic, steam or gas turbine, carburetion and Diesel engines. Alternators are composed of two main parts: one stationery and the other rotating, respectively said stator and rotor, on which are placed insulated copper coils.
The two coils are said inductor and induced; according to the kind of alternator, the inductor can be positioned on the rotor and the induced on the stator and vice versa.
Anticipatory Models of Air Quality:
Calculation systems used to estimate the future values of air quality, according to various parameters, such as the state of traffic and the weather conditions forecast.
ARPA: The Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale (Regional Agency for Environment Preservation) is a technical-scientific institution governed by public law, with administrative, organizational, technical and accounting autonomy, carrying out activities, services and functions aiming at improving the choices concerning environmental policy of the relevant territorial institutions (Regions and local institutions). It informs citizens about the condition of environment and promotes public awareness of this matter. It moreover promotes the protection of the environment also through innovative forms of active involvement of the productive system and fosters administrative simplification.
Assessment of Environmental Impact: The Assessment of Environmental Impact is a control technical-administrative procedure of the environmental compatibility of a project, introduced at European level with the EEC Directive 337/85 and recently supplemented with 11/97CE Directive. It is targeted to find, describe and quantify the effects that a particular project, work or action might have on environment, meant as the complex of natural resources of a territory and the anthropical activities present in it.
Authority for Electric Energy and Gas (AEEG): Independent authority, instituted with the act dd. 14th November 1995, n.481, regulating and controlling public utilities as concerns elecrtric energy and gas. Bersani Decree has moreover assigned specific tasks to AEEG, relating to free markets, among which fixing the technical-economical conditions of access to the national energy transmission grid, solving the possible disputes as to the right of access to the system.
Auxiliary Services: Services necessary for the management of a transmission or distribution grid such as the services regulating frequency, reserve, reactive power, tension regulation and re-starting of the grid.
