New Brunswick's Clean Air Act - Glossary

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Fabric Filter
See Baghouse.

Fallout
Is the phenomenon where airborne solid or liquid particulate matter impacts the ground. This occurs when the forces acting on particulate matter in an upward direction are less than the forces acting on the particulate matter in a downward direction. The fallout associated with a specific source can be determined empirically by air quality dispersion modelling, or physically by ambient air quality monitoring. Generally, referred to as "Sooting".

Feed Temperature 
Is the temperature at which the material being supplied to a process unit is at prior to being fed.

Filter
Generally, a glass fibre porous material used to collect the solid particulate matter in an air waste stream and allow the remaining air waste stream to pass through the pores in the filter.

Filtration
The separation of solid particulate matter in the air waste stream on a glass fibre filter and allowing the remaining constituents of the air waste stream to pass through the pores in the filter is commonly referred to as a phenomenon called filtration.

Fire Suppression System
When used in Section 7 of the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation, means a portable fire extinguisher or a fixed fire suppression system that contains or operates using an ozone depleting substance.

Fired Rate Capacity
The firing capacity of a boiler rated in litres per hour of a specific fossil fuel or pounds per hour of steam produced. The rating defines the heat input to the boiler.

Fired Units
Refers to those unit operations that are operated by the burning of a specific fossil fuel.

Fixed Fire Suppression System
When used in Section 7 of the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation, means permanent or fastened system used to put out fires.

Flake Dryers
Dryers used to remove the moisture from the flaked wood particles. Typically used at particle board manufacturing facilities. See Dryer Towers.

Flakes
Small wood particles of predetermined thickness specifically produced as a primary function of specialized equipment of various types, with the cutting action across the direction of the grain, in order to produce a particle resembling a small piece of veneer.

Flare
A air pollution control device that is used to burn volatile organic air waste streams. It may operate continuously or intermittently, usually on top of a stack. Flares are typically found in the oil refining industry, and in the landfill gas combustion of methane.

Flare Stack
See Flares.

Flash Point
The minimum temperature at which a liquid within a container gives off vapour in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.

Floatation Method
A separation method typically used in the Mining Industry that consists of a mined material that when mixed with water will float to the surface and is then skimmed off the surface.

Floating Roofs
A storage vessel cover used to minimize VOC emissions consisting of steel, plastic, sheet or micro balloons (or a double deck, pontoon single deck, internal floating cover, or covered floating roof), which floats upon the surface of the stored liquid. It is equipped with closure seal(s) to close the space between the roof edge and the tank wall. It is used to decrease the vapour space and reduce the potential for evaporation.

Flue Gas
The air waste stream that is generated as a result of a combustion reaction with fossil fuels and air. The flue gas is typically collected and treated to remove specific contaminants prior to being emitted to the atmosphere. The composition of the flue gas depends on a number of variables, which include but are not limited to, fossil fuel type, excess air, mixing in combustion chamber, and operating load of fossil fuel burning equipment. Typically, flue gas will contain particulate matter, combustion gases such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide and water vapour.

Flue Gas Desulphurization System
See Desulphurization Units.

Fluidized Bed
A type of combustion boiler that generally uses a sand medium bed (or granular material) to assist in increasing the combustion efficiency. During the combustion reaction the sand bed becomes fluidized, which promotes better mixing and higher temperatures in the combustion chamber. Fluidized beds can be found in the Oil Refining Industry, Power Plants, and some hog fuel boilers for drying purposes.

Fluidized Bed Dryer
See Fluidized Bed.

Fluorides
Gaseous, solid or dissolved compounds containing fluorine that result from industrial processes. They are the lightest, most reactive of the halogens. They are either dispersed at low concentrations or are unstable. Fluorides are often found in drinking water for bacterial control.

Fluorine (F)
The most reactive element of the halogen family. It combines readily with other elements to form fluorides, etc. It is used for manufacture of fluorine-containing chemicals, including refrigerants, propellants and polymers. It is a highly toxic and corrosive substance.

Fluorocarbons (FC)
A family of organic compounds similar to hydrocarbons in which one or more hydrogen atom(s) is replaced by fluorine. They are found mainly in coolants and in some industrial processes. Also see Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Fluorotrichloromethane
Is a toxic, non-combustible, colourless liquid. It is used as a chemical intermediate, solvent, refrigerant, aerosol propellant, and blowing agent (plastic foam). Also known as trichlorofluoromethane or CFC-11.

Flushing or Purging Gas
Within Section 18 of the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation, means that the use is prohibited as an ozone depleting substance, as a flushing or purging gas to clean out or purify any equipment.

Fly Ash
Means fine particulate matter (ash) that is entrained in a flue gas resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels or other materials. The particles of ash may contain incompletely burned fuel and other pollutants such as metals. Fly ash can be removed from the flue gas prior to being emitted to the atmosphere using an air pollution control device for particulate matter removal. The collected ash may have value as a cement additive or for metal recovery.

Forage Samples
Vegetable food samples (for domestic animals) which are collected at various locations and tested for concentrations of heavy metals such as lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, thallium, and fluorides.

Forehearths
A common term used in the glass manufacturing sector and refers to a furnace, in one of several forms from which molten glass is taken for the forming and finishing phase.

Forest Fires Act
An Act administered by the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, Energy and Mines. The Act and Regulations provide for the agreements of forest fire protection, control and suppression. It also provides for the declaration of fire season and restricted travel areas, as well as permits for smoking and burning, work and forest travel.

Formaldehyde (CH₂O)
A colourless, pungent and irritating gas used chiefly as a disinfectant and preservative and in synthesizing other compounds such as resin. It's used to make a diverse range of consumer products like particle board, plywood and foam insulation. It is also a normal combustion product found in cigarette smoke, wood smoke, automobile exhaust and emissions from incinerators and power plants.

Foul Condensate
Refers to the condensate that is generated from the pulping process and contains significant amounts of odorous compounds.

Freezing Tunnel
A tunnel used to transport produced food products and freeze prior to packaging.

Frit
A small porous circular ceramic device used to support a glass fibre filter in the filter assembly of a particulate matter stack sampling train.

Fuel Handling System
A system that is designed and operated in accordance with the Petroleum Product Storage and Handling Regulation, 87-97. The system is designed to receive fuel from suppliers and dispense fuel to process units or consumers.

Fuel Mix
A mixture of various types of fuel. The most common fuel mix is the blending of No.2 fuel oil with No. 6 fuel oil.

Fuel Oil
Oil used as a fuel largely for combustion purposes with a sulphur content between 0.5 and 3.0% by weight.

Fugitive Odours
Odours not caught by a localized exhaust system and treated before being released directly into the atmosphere from a source industry.

Fugitive Source
Is a source of contaminant emissions not caught by a localized exhaust system and treated by an air pollution control device before being released directly into the atmosphere.

Full Scientific Certainty
When used in section 2 of the Clean Air Act, means based on the methods or theories of science that there is absolute assurance of certainty of the outcome.