4/23/13 Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!
Search Custom Search

Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

Higher calorific values for some common fuels - coke, oil, wood,
hydrogen and others
Sponsored Links

The calorific value of a fuel is the quantity of heat produced by its combustion - at constant pressure and under
"normal" ("standard") conditions (i.e. to 0o C and under a pressure of 1,013 mbar).

The combustion process generates water vapor and certain techniques may be used to recover the quantity of heat
contained in this water vapor by condensing it.

Higher Calorific Value (or Gross Calorific Value - GCV, or Higher Heating Value - HHV) - the water of
combustion is entirely condensed and that the heat contained in the water vapor is recovered
Lower Calorific Value (or Net Calorific Value - NCV, or Lower Heating Value - LHV) - the products of
combustion contains the water vapor and that the heat in the water vapor is not recovered

Lower Calorific Value

Higher Calorific Value
(Net Calorific Value -
Fuel (Gross Calorific Value - GCV)
NCV)
kJ/kg Btu/lb kJ/kg
Acetone 29,000
Alcohol, 96% 30,000
Anthracite 32,500 - 34,000 14,000 - 14,500
Bituminous coal 17,000 - 23,250 7,300 - 10,000
Butane 49,510 20,900 45,750
Carbon 34,080
Charcoal 29,600 12,800
Coal (Lignite - Anthrasite) 15,000 - 27,000 8,000 - 14,000
Coke 28,000 - 31,000 12,000 - 13,500
Diesel 44,800 19,300 43,400
Ethane 51,900 47,800

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-higher-calorific-values-d_169.html 1/4
4/23/13 Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

Ethanol 29,700 12,800

Ether 43,000
Gasoline 47,300 20,400 44,400
Glycerin 19,000
Hydrogen 141,790 61,000 121,000
Kerosene 46,200 43,000
Lignite 16,300 7,000
Methane 55,530 50,000
Oils, vegetable 39,000 - 48,000
Paraffin 46,000 41,500
Peat 13,800 - 20,500 5,500 - 8,800
Pentane 45,350
Petrol 48,000
Petroleum 43,000
Propane 50,350 46,350
Semi anthracite 26,700 - 32,500 11,500 - 14,000
Sulfur 9,200
Tar 36,000
Turpentine 44,000
Wood (dry) 14,400 - 17,400 6,200 - 7,500
kJ/m3 Btu/ft 3
Acetylene 56,000
Butane C4H10 133,000 3200
Hydrogen 13,000
Natural gas 43,000 950 - 1150
Methane CH4 39,820
Propane C3H8 101,000 2550
Town gas 18,000
kJ/l Btu/Imp gal
Gas oil 38,000 164,000
Heavy fuel oil 41,200 177,000
Kerosene 35,000 154,000

1 kJ/kg = 1 J/g = 0.4299 Btu/ lbm = 0.23884 kcal/kg

1 Btu/lbm = 2.326 kJ/kg = 0.55 kcal/kg
1 kcal/kg = 4.1868 kJ/kg = 1.8 Btu/lbm
1 dm3 (Liter) = 10-3 m3 = 0.03532 ft 3 = 1.308x10-3 yd3 = 0.220 Imp gal (UK) = 0.2642 Gallons (US)

Sponsored Links

Search the Engineering ToolBox

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-higher-calorific-values-d_169.html 2/4
4/23/13 Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

Search Custom Search

Related Topics
Combustion - Boiler house topics - fuels like oil, gas, coal, wood - chimneys, safety valves, tanks - combustion
efficiency
HVAC Systems - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems ...

Related Documents
ASTM Standard - Volume 05.06 Gaseous Fuels, Coal and Coke - An overview of the standards within ASTM
Section 5 - Petroleum Products, Lubricants, and Fossil Fuels, - Volume 05.06 Gaseous Fuels, Coal and Coke
Boiling Point - Fuels - Some common fuels and their boiling points
Classification of Coal - Classification of coal based on volatile matter and cooking power of clean material
Combustion Fuels - Carbon Dioxide Emission - Environmental emission of carbon dioxide CO2 when
combustion fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, LPG and bio energy
Flash Point - Fuels - Some common fuels and their flash points
Fuels - Combustion Air and Flue Gases - Combustion air and flue gas for common fuels - coke, oil, wood,
natural gas and more
Fuels and Chemicals - Autoignition Temperatures - The ignition point for some common fuels and chemicals -
butane, coke, hydrogen, petroleum and more
Gaseous Fuels and Chemical Composition - Chemical composition of some common gaseous fuels - coal gas,
natural gas, propane and more
Gross Combustion Value for some common Materials - Gross combustion values for some common materials -
carbon, methane, ethylene and more - values in Btu/lb
Optimal Combustion Processes - Fuels and Excess Air - Stable and efficient combustion conditions require
correct mixtures of fuels and oxygen

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Edition - Online 3D modeling!

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Edition - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free Google SketchUp

Translate the Engineering ToolBox

About the EngineeringToolbox
Advertise in the Engineering ToolBox

Home
• Acoustics
• Air Psychrometrics

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-higher-calorific-values-d_169.html 3/4
4/23/13 Fuels - Higher Calorific Values

• Basics
• Combustion
• Drawing Tools
- 2D Schematic Drawings
• Dynamics
• Economics
• Electrical
• Environment
• Fluid Mechanics
• Gas and Compressed Air
• HVAC Systems
- Air Conditioning
- Heating
- Noise and Attenuation
- Ventilation
• Hydraulics and Pneumatics
• Insulation
• Material Properties
• Mathematics
• Mechanics
- Beams and Columns
• Miscellaneous
• Physiology
• Piping Systems
- Codes and Standards
- Corrosion
- Design Strategies

www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-higher-calorific-values-d_169.html 4/4