blowoffs

Noun

blowoff (plural blowoffs)

1. Something that is blown off.
   • It is evident that if the outlet pipes were only of the same total area as the blowoff from the boiler the pressure in the tank would very soon equal that in the boiler .1910 July 12, Wilbur Arnold, “Blowoff Tank”, in Power and the Engineer, volume 32, page 1265
2. The explosive separation of part of a rocket etc in order to prevent its destruction and allow for retrieval
3. The act of blowing off (steam, water, atmosphere, etc.)
   • All blowoffs were effected by slowly decreasing the burner pressure at intervals of air temperature, airflow, and fuel flow.1959, Robert J. Bacigalupi, Erwin A. Lezberg, Blowoff of Propane and Hydrogen Diffusion Flames at High Mach Number, Ramjet Conditions, page 4
4. A line or pipe for draining a siphon (for cleaning, inspection, etc.)
   • The blowoff line runs from the lowest water drum, or mud drum, as it is commonly known, to the sewer , river or circulating water discharge .1918, The Au Sable News - Volumes 4-5, page 22
5. The removal of excess foam and carbon dioxide from the fermentation vessel during the active fermentation stage.
   • I performed several experiments to determine the effect of the blowoff method of fermentation on bitterness, protein, and higher alcohols.1997, Al Korzonas, Homebrewing, page 347
6. A period of rapid and usually unsustainable increase (or, sometimes, decrease) in market prices.
   • Often this throwing-in-the-towel mentality is pure crowd following and results in entry at the blowoff phase of the trend .2005, Richard L. Weissman, Mechanical Trading Systems, page 68

See all 16 meanings of blowoff