Glossary

k

Kaplan turbine:  A type of turbine that that has two blades whose pitch is adjustable. The turbine may have gates to control the angle of the fluid flow into the blades.

Kerogen:  Naturally occurring solid organic matter in sedimentary rock that is insoluble in organic solvents. Kerogen originates from algae, plankton, and plant material from aquatic and terrestrial environments. Under the right conditions of pressure, temperature, and time, kerogen can form oil and natural gas.

Kerosene:  A light petroleum distillate that is used in space heaters, cook stoves, and water heaters and is suitable for use as a light source when burned in wick-fed lamps. Kerosene has a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point, a final boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit, and a minimum flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Included are No. 1-K and No. 2-K, the two grades recognized by ASTM Specification D 3699 as well as all other grades of kerosene called range or stove oil, which have properties similar to those of No. 1 fuel oil. Also see Kerosene-type jet fuel.

Kerosene-type jet fuel:  A kerosene-based product having a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point and a final maximum boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit and meeting ASTM Specification D 1655and Military Specifications MIL-T-5624P and MIL-T-83133D (Grades JP-5and JP-8). It is used for commercial and military turbo jet and turbo prop aircraft engines.

• Commercial: Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in commercial aircraft.
• Military: Kerosene-type jet fuel intended for use in military aircraft.

Ketone-alcohol (cyclohexanol):  An oily, colorless, hygroscopic liquid with a camphor-like odor. Used in soap making, dry cleaning, plasticizers, insecticides, and germicides.

Kilovolt-Ampere (kVa):  A unit of apparent power, equal to 1,000 volt-amperes; the mathematical product of the volts and amperes in an electrical circuit.

Kilowatt (kW):  One thousand watts.

Kilowatt-electric (kWe):  One thousand watts of electric capacity.

Kilowatthour (kWh):  A measure of electricity defined as a unit of work or energy, measured as 1 kilowatt (1,000watts) of power expended for 1 hour. One kWh is equivalent to 3,412 Btu.

Kinetic energy:  Energy available as a result of motion that varies directly in proportion to an object's mass and the square of its velocity.

kVa:  See Kilovolt-Ampere

kW:  See kilowatt

kWe:  See kilowatt-electric

kWh:  See kilowatthour

Kyoto Protocol:  The result of negotiations at the third Conference of the Parties (COP-3) in Kyoto, Japan, in December of1997. The Kyoto Protocol sets binding greenhouse gas emissions targets for countries that sign and ratify the agreement. The gases covered under the Protocol include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), per fluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride.