self-timer
a hole. Also known as sheet-metal screw; tap-
ping screw. { self ¦tap⭈iŋ skrü }
self-timer [ENG] A device that delays the trip-
ping of a camera shutter so that the photogra-
pher can be included in the photograph. { self
tı̄m⭈ər }
self-tuning regulator [CONT SYS] A type of
adaptive control system composed of two loops,
an inner loop which consists of the process and
an ordinary linear feedback regulator, and an
outer loop which is composed of a recursive pa-
rameter estimator and a design calculation, and
which adjusts the parameters of the regulator.
Abbreviated STR. { ¦self ¦tün⭈iŋ reg⭈yəlād⭈ər }
sellers hob [MECH ENG] A hob that turns on
the centers of a lathe, the work being fed to it
by the lathe carriage. { sel⭈ərz häb }
Selwood engine [MECH ENG] A revolving-block
engine in which two curved pistons opposed 180⬚
run in toroidal tracks, forcing the entire engine
block to rotate. { selwu̇d en⭈jən }
semiautomatic transmission [MECH ENG] An
automobile transmission that assists the driver
to shift from one gear to another. { ¦sem⭈ēȯd⭈
əmad⭈ik tranzmish⭈ən }
semibatch chemical reactor [CHEM ENG] A
reactor in which a constant liquid volume is
maintained without any overflow, and with the
continuous addition of one reactant, usually a
gas. { sem⭈ibach kem⭈ə⭈kəl rēak⭈tər }
semichemical pulping [CHEM ENG] A method
of producing wood-fiber products in which the
wood chips are merely softened by chemical
treatment (neutral sodium sulfite solution),
while the remainder of the pulping action is sup-
plied by a disk attrition mill or by some similar
mechanical device for separating the fibers.
{ ¦sem⭈ikem⭈ə⭈kəl pəlp⭈iŋ }
semiclosed-cycle gas turbine [MECH ENG] A
heat engine in which a portion of the expanded
gas is recirculated. { sem⭈iklōzdsı̄⭈kəl gas
tər⭈bən }
semiconductive loading tube [ENG] A loading
tube for blasthole explosives which dissipates
static electric charges to prevent premature
blasts. { ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tiv lōd⭈iŋ tüb }
semiconductor device [ELECTR] Electronic de-
vice in which the characteristic distinguishing
electronic conduction takes place within a semi-
conductor. { ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər divı̄s }
semiconductor diode [ELECTR] Also known as
crystal diode; crystal rectifier; diode. 1. A two-
electrode semiconductor device that utilizes the
rectifying properties of a pn junction or a point
contact. 2. More generally, any two-terminal
electronic device that utilizes the properties of
the semiconductor from which it is constructed.
{ ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər dı̄ōd }
semiconductor-diode parametric amplifier
[ELECTR] Parametric amplifier using one or
more varactors. { ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər ¦dı̄ōd ¦par⭈
ə¦me⭈trik am⭈pləfı̄⭈ər }
semiconductor doping See doping. { ¦sem⭈i⭈
kən¦dək⭈tər dōp⭈iŋ }
semiconductor heterostructure [ELECTR] A
488
structure of two different semiconductors in
junction contact having useful electrical or elec-
trooptical characteristics not achievable in either
conductor separately; used in certain types of
lasers and solar cells. { ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər hed⭈
ə⭈rōstrək⭈chər }
semiconductor junction [ELECTR] Region of
transition between semiconducting regions of
different electrical properties, usually between
p-type and n-type material. { ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər
jəŋk⭈shən }
semiconductor rectifier See metallic rectifier.
{ ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər rek⭈təfı̄⭈ər }
semiconductor thermocouple [ELECTR] A ther-
mocouple made of a semiconductor, which offers
the prospect of operation with high-temperature
gradients, because semiconductors are good
electrical conductors but poor heat conductors.
{ ¦sem⭈i⭈kən¦dək⭈tər thər⭈məkəp⭈əl }
semidiesel engine [MECH ENG] 1. An internal
combustion engine of a type resembling the die-
sel engine in using heavy oil as fuel but em-
ploying a lower compression pressure and spray-
ing it under pressure, against a hot (uncooled)
surface or spot, or igniting it by the precombus-
tion or supercompression of a portion of the
charge in a separate member or uncooled por-
tion of the combustion chamber. 2. A true die-
sel engine that uses a means other than com-
pressed air for fuel injection. { ¦sem⭈idē⭈zəl
en⭈jən }
semifloating axle [MECH ENG] A supporting
member in motor vehicles which carries torque
and wheel loads at its outer end. { ¦sem⭈iflōd⭈
iŋ ak⭈səl }
semilive skid [ENG] A platform having two fixed
legs at one end and two wheels at the other;
used for moving bulk materials. { ¦sem⭈ilı̄v
skid }
semimember [CIV ENG] A part in a frame or
truss that ceases to bear a load when the stress
in it starts to reverse. { ¦sem⭈imem⭈bər }
semipositive mold [ENG] A plastics mold that
allows a small amount of excess material to es-
cape when it is closed. { ¦sem⭈ipäz⭈əd⭈iv
mōld }
semitrailer [ENG] A cargo-carrying piece of
equipment that has one or two axles at the rear;
the load is carried on these axles and on the
fifth wheel of the tractor that supplies motive
power to the semitrailer. { ¦sem⭈itrāl⭈ər }
sems [DES ENG] A preassembled screw and
washer combination. { semz }
send See scend. { send }
sense [ENG] To determine the arrangement or
position of a device or the value of a quantity.
{ sens }
sensible heat [THERMO] 1. The heat absorbed
or evolved by a substance during a change of
temperature that is not accompanied by a
change of state. 2. See enthalpy. { sen⭈sə⭈
bəl hēt }
sensible-heat factor [THERMO] The ratio of
space sensible heat to space total heat; used