VFD
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Volunteer fire department |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Science & Engineering |
VFD has two meanings. It stands for Volunteer fire department (emergency services) or Variable-frequency drive (engineering).
Meanings of VFD at a glance
| # | VFD stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volunteer fire department | Government & Politics › Emergency Services |
| 2 | Variable-frequency drive | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
1. Volunteer fire department
Government & Politics · Emergency Services Abbreviations
Fire department staffed mainly or entirely by unpaid or minimally paid volunteers, the most common type of fire department in the United States. Many VFDs also run ambulance services and raise money through community events.
Example: The VFD's pancake breakfast raises enough to buy new turnout gear every few years.
Benjamin Franklin helped found the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia in 1736, an early volunteer company. Many VFDs face declining volunteer numbers as rural populations age and training requirements grow. "Combination" departments mix career and volunteer firefighters.
2. Variable-frequency drive
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations
Electronic motor controller that varies the frequency and voltage supplied to an AC motor to control its speed. VFDs on pumps and fans save large amounts of energy because power demand falls roughly with the cube of speed; slowing a fan by 20% cuts its power by about half.
Example: Installing a VFD on the cooling tower fan reduced its electricity use by 40%.
Also called adjustable-speed or variable-speed drives. Electric motors consume a large share of the world's electricity, which makes VFDs a major efficiency measure. They also provide soft starting, reducing mechanical stress. Drives can inject harmonics into the power system, so filters may be needed.
Related abbreviations
More emergency services abbreviations
- 000 – Emergency telephone number (Australia)
- 112 – European emergency number
- 911 – Emergency telephone number (United States and Canada)
- 999 – Emergency telephone number (United Kingdom)
- AHJ – Authority having jurisdiction
- AMBER – America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response
- APCO – Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials
- ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service
See all 72 emergency services abbreviations →