V
Vacuum distillation: A secondary distillation process which uses a partial vacuum to lower the boiling point of residues from primary distillation and extract further blending components.
Viscosity: A measure of the ability of a liquid to flow or a measure of its resistance to flow; the force required to move a plane surface of area 1 square meter over another parallel plane surface 1 meter away at a rate of 1 meter per second when both surfaces are immersed in the fluid; the higher the viscosity, the slower the liquid flows.
Volatile: A solid or liquid material that easily vaporizes.
volatile matter: Those products, exclusive of moisture, given off by a material as a gas or vapor, determined by definite prescribed methods that may vary according to the nature of the material. One definition of volatile matter is part of the proximate analysis group usually determined as described in ASTM D 3175. (Source: Milne, T.A.; Brennan, A.H.; Glenn, B.H. Sourcebook of Methods of Analysis for Biomass Conversion and Biomass Conversion Processes. SERI/SP-220-3548. Golden, CO: Solar Energy Research Institute, February 1990.)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Name given to light organic hydrocarbon which escape as vapor from fuel tanks or other sources, and during the filling of tanks. VOCs contribute to smog.
Value-added: Payments made by industry to workers, interest, profits, and indirect business taxes.
Van: A delivery trailer (the trailer of the term tractor trailer).